Panto on tour proves to be a hit
January 20, 2008
We all hear how hard work acting in a pantomime is and doing two or sometimes three shows a day must takes its toll. But usually it is in a big theatre where the cast can make themselves at home for several weeks and the panto company start to become one large family.
However at the other end of the scale there is a totally different production, the touring pantomime, which still does two or three performances a day, but includes packing up and moving venues between those performances!
Once such pantomime, last year, was Aladdin, which toured the North East completing thirty one performances in different venues over the festive period.
Whatsonstage. com North East caught up with Peter Lathan, who is the artistic director of KG Productions and author of It’s Behind You : The Story of Pantomime, who wrote and directed the show. He told us that the production has been commissioned by Beverly Artistes of Shiney Row to tour the social clubs of the North East from Northumberland to Teeside.
The 2006 touring pantomime of Cinderella was so successful that Aladdin was commissioned for Christmas 2007, with more venues being added. Part of the success is down to social clubs liking to do something special for their members at Christmas time and what better than a pantomime that comes to you.
Foxy start to the New Year
January 20, 2008
The panto has finished and before the musical CATS arrives Edward Fox comes to Newcastle in John Mortimers double bill Legal Fictions
Mortimer is of course famous as the writer of Rumpole of the Bailey and brings his insider knowledge to this hilarious double-bill of legal drama. The man himself was acutally at the Theatre Royal in the not too distant past with his own show.
The two plays, THE DOCK BRIEF and EDWIN use barbed wit and judicial humour to show that the law can make an ass of any of us.
In THE DOCK BRIEF, an incompetent barrister, Morganhall is asked to represent the lugubrious Mr Fowle who confesses to murdering his jovial wife. Although the two of them rehearse a masterly defence in the cell, when they reach the courtroom everything goes horribly wrong.
In EDWIN, retired High Court Judge, Fennimore Truscott can’t break the habit of trying as many people as he can - in his imagination. But when he turns his overly suspicious mind towards his wife’s friendship with the next door neighbour, he opens up a can of worms.
Running for January 21st to 26th, evening performances are at 7.30 with matinees on Thursday and Saturday.
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Backstage at Aladdin in Newcastle
January 17, 2008
There is no doubting that his years pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle, has been a terrific success and with over twenty thousand tickets already sold for next year, writer and director Michael Harrison certainly has proven to have the midas touch.
It all started three years ago when Michael brought Jill Halfpenny, Clive Webb and his son Danny Adams to the Theatre Royal in what turned out to be a record breaking production of Cinderella. The success brought them all back the following year in Jack and the Beanstalk, with Jill’s husband, actor Craig Conway, joining the cast. Now returning for a third year Clive and Danny, along with Craig, have a new leading lady, Faye Tozer in Aladdin.
Demand was so high for tickets it resulted in an extra week having to be added to the run before the show even opened. On top this is Danny and Clive have announced they will return next year in Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates, again this will be written and directed by Michael Harrison. Read more
Agnes has a full house!
January 16, 2008
The Journal Tyne Theare has put up House Full signs this week as the new and forth play, in the trilogy (and thats not a typo!) For The Love of Mrs Brown, proves so successful it has sold out.
Irish comedian Brendan O’Carroll has built up such a following in the North East, espically at this venue, for his creation of Agnes Brown and her disfuctional family that there are no tickets left.
The play is being performed for the first time in England and demand has resulted in an extra six performances being added in October.
For The Love of Mrs Brown
January 16, 2008
Journal Tyne Theatre until Saturday January 19th
The new year has started really well for the Journal Tyne Theatre as all of all performances of the new comedy For The Love of Mrs Brown have sold out. Such is the following now for Irish comedian Brendan O’Carroll in the North East that demand for tickets has resulted in the show returning in October for an extra six shows.
This time round we find Mrs Brown (O’Carroll) looking for love (this is her forth comedy, even though there were only three plays originally planned).
During the course of the evening we meet her dysfunctional family, each with their own problems interwoven in to the plot. But the main thread of the evening is Agnes Brown who is the only one person without a date on Valentine’s Day so her daughter sets up an evening with a person she has found on the internet. At the same time she tries to diet as people refer to her as fat. Read more
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