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.
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
Aladdin prepares to open
November 30, 2007
As the Theatre Royals record-breaking pantomime Aladdin is just a few days away from opening Whatsonstage.com North East were allowed in to the technical rehearsals. On the surface all seems very calm as the cast work with the lighting and sound effects teams to bring the production to life, all under the watchful eye of director and writer Michael Harrison.
This year sees Michael working on his fourth pantomime with Clive Webb and Danny Adams (three at the Theatre Royal) and second with Craig Conway. One casting change is the leading lady, as for the last two years (Cinderella followed by Jack and the Beanstalk) Clive and Danny had Jill Halfpenny as their leading lady, this year sees Faye Tozer (formerly from the hit band STEPS) take over, playing the magical spirit Scherazade. Read more
Canon Stephen Taylor and the Sunderland Empire
September 23, 2007
Canon Stephen Taylor has not only been in charge of Sunderland Minister for the past six years but three years ago he was appointed by the Actors Church Union as Theatre Chaplain for the Sunderland Empire as well. (The Actors Church Union is a national organisation that has responsibilities for theatres, dance schools and other entertainment venues.)
By co-incidence Sunderland Minister and the Sunderland Empire stand next to each other in the City, but that is not why Stephen was appointed as Theatre Chaplin. His predecessor at Sunderland Minister, the Reverend Bill Hall, was the full time director of Arts and Recreation within the Diocese of Durham and Newcastle, before being appointed as National Director of the Actors Church Union based in London. At the time Reverend Hall was Theatre Chaplin for several theatres including the Billingham Forum and Sunderland Empire, but knowing that Stephen had been involved with theatres previously, suggested him for the vacancy in Sunderland. From there he had to be interviewed by the Actors Church Union and Theatre Management, with an appraisal twelve months after his appointment.
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