5,495 posts
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Post by Baemax on Dec 17, 2018 18:11:45 GMT
Pantos shouldn't run too long though, you don't want to kill the cast stone-dead when you get to a twelve-show week, and the audience is guaranteed to have a large number of youngsters who just aren't ready to deal with a 3+ hour running time like a Royal Court or Old Vic patron might be.
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1,936 posts
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Post by wickedgrin on Dec 17, 2018 18:23:19 GMT
I certainly don't want a panto to run 3 hours - far too long. However, I did feel that the running time of Act One 55 mins and Act Two 55 mins with a 20 minute interval giving a running time of just 2 hours 10 minutes was a bit thin!
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6,232 posts
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Post by Jon on Dec 17, 2018 18:33:24 GMT
How long are pantos planned in advance as Wimbledon and Richmond have next year's pantos on sale already!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2018 19:18:22 GMT
pretty far in advance, although the titles sometimes change if casting proves an issue (or opportunity). And all qdos venues have announced for next year, or the vast majority at least. They generally announce around the time the current years panto is about to open
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2018 1:30:03 GMT
Next year's show is often announced when the current year one opens - often plugged in the programme. No doubt hoping people enjoy it and rebook for next year.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2018 11:13:12 GMT
The shows effectively run on a roster by the main Producers and if they have two venues fairly close together - take my two local QDOS panto venues - Birmingham Hippodrome and Wolves Grand then they will look to keep their shows different for a few years as they go through the usual suspects.
It can also depend no doubt on if there is a mainstay returning each year in the cast say Billy Pearce - Bradford, Clive and Danny - Newcastle etc. Then they may look outside the main shows to give the talent something different to do on occasion.
Also competing producers may look to vary if one gets in early and say announces Cinders for next year another who might have been planning Cinders might do Snow White or Dick Whittington instead now.
Plus some stars do certain Pantos and might have agreed a year or so ahead where they will be especially if they have gone further afield one year. Lets say a star agrees to go down to Plymouth - good theatre but maybe a fair trek for a London based performer but in return they get Bromley, Woking or say Milton Keynes the next year so they can get home each night.
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6,232 posts
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Post by Jon on Dec 18, 2018 16:29:53 GMT
The shows effectively run on a roster by the main Producers and if they have two venues fairly close together - take my two local QDOS panto venues - Birmingham Hippodrome and Wolves Grand then they will look to keep their shows different for a few years as they go through the usual suspects. It can also depend no doubt on if there is a mainstay returning each year in the cast say Billy Pearce - Bradford, Clive and Danny - Newcastle etc. Then they may look outside the main shows to give the talent something different to do on occasion. Also competing producers may look to vary if one gets in early and say announces Cinders for next year another who might have been planning Cinders might do Snow White or Dick Whittington instead now. Plus some stars do certain Pantos and might have agreed a year or so ahead where they will be especially if they have gone further afield one year. Lets say a star agrees to go down to Plymouth - good theatre but maybe a fair trek for a London based performer but in return they get Bromley, Woking or say Milton Keynes the next year so they can get home each night. I notice Shane Richie is doing Robin Hood in Bristol next year after doing it in Milton Keynes this year, I'm guessing he's done a similar arrangement with Qdos. Steve McFadden has mentioned in interviews that he enjoys travelling to different cities for panto because it's a nice break from EastEnders.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2018 16:55:39 GMT
I guess some like to travel others don't, some may like a coastal town or could have family living nearby so the attraction of being near London may be lesser for some.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2018 21:32:01 GMT
The shows effectively run on a roster by the main Producers and if they have two venues fairly close together - take my two local QDOS panto venues - Birmingham Hippodrome and Wolves Grand then they will look to keep their shows different for a few years as they go through the usual suspects. It can also depend no doubt on if there is a mainstay returning each year in the cast say Billy Pearce - Bradford, Clive and Danny - Newcastle etc. Then they may look outside the main shows to give the talent something different to do on occasion. Also competing producers may look to vary if one gets in early and say announces Cinders for next year another who might have been planning Cinders might do Snow White or Dick Whittington instead now. Plus some stars do certain Pantos and might have agreed a year or so ahead where they will be especially if they have gone further afield one year. Lets say a star agrees to go down to Plymouth - good theatre but maybe a fair trek for a London based performer but in return they get Bromley, Woking or say Milton Keynes the next year so they can get home each night. I notice Shane Richie is doing Robin Hood in Bristol next year after doing it in Milton Keynes this year, I'm guessing he's done a similar arrangement with Qdos. Steve McFadden has mentioned in interviews that he enjoys travelling to different cities for panto because it's a nice break from EastEnders. A few years back The Mayflower in Southampton switched Peter Pan for Robin Hood. It was rumoured at the time that the Hoff was meant to be Hook, I don't know if he pulled out but the official story was they had the opportunity to have Shane and Jessie as Robin and Marion and they couldn't refuse such a great opportunity . It kinda backfired as it got lukewarm reviews and wasn't a mega seller. Shane has been Robin ever since, but not with Jessie
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3 posts
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Post by jhough87 on Dec 19, 2018 10:33:12 GMT
we're booked in to see Berwick Kalers usual nonsense pantomime the 2nd Jan, we put our names in for the final night ballot but missed out this year managed it the last 3yrs. In our house we are having bets on who's going to take over next year. I think it could be the villain David Leonard.
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 19, 2018 19:16:49 GMT
It’s only going to be a matter of time before we have ‘Pantomime Goes Wrong’, that subject is gagging to be done.
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1,623 posts
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Post by fiyero on Dec 19, 2018 21:19:33 GMT
A side question. I see that Southampton, for example, is running what's listed as "Dick Whittington - The London Palladium Production". How does that work, in that my experience of the Palladium was that 90% of it was scripted around the stars and their variety acts? The cast here is completely different, so how much of the Palladium production would actually survive? This part has intrigued me since they announced it. It isn't just a different cast, it is a vastly different cast, Phil Mitchell Playing the same part as Eva Peron!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2018 21:24:47 GMT
It’s only going to be a matter of time before we have ‘Pantomime Goes Wrong’, that subject is gagging to be done. That territory has kind of been broached with Peter Pan Goes Wrong, whilst Peter Pan was not strictly a devout Panto in this adaption the basis was there.
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Post by talkingheads on Dec 22, 2018 16:24:40 GMT
After a bit of a binge on the big pantos in London, my local theatre's Dick Whittington was a delight, Chris Jarvis (a wonderful CeBeebies presenter) really knows who whip a panto crowd into a frenzy!
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289 posts
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Post by properjob on Dec 24, 2018 16:46:15 GMT
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Post by talkingheads on Dec 26, 2018 15:41:30 GMT
A chance has come up to see Berwick Kaler's panto, just a question, what is the view like from the very front row, specifically seat 17 to the side? It's the only seat left in the stalls but is it a high stage?
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998 posts
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Post by David J on Dec 26, 2018 23:08:43 GMT
Dick Whittington at the Mayflower was good, not great.
Part of me was expected the Palladium sets to be the QDOS sets but on a larger scale, but they looked just about the same. The giant rat was awesome, less the flying bus.
Steve McFadden was the highlight relishing playing the baddie as King Rat. His family was also in so undoubtedly he was giving his 100%
Otherwise, the other performances were good, but not standouts. My least favorite was the comedian-playing-the-idiot we have this year which is Bobby Davro. Never seen his work before and whilst he can do a good round of impersonations half the time I couldn't understand what he was saying, he talked so fast. In fact, some of the others could do with slowing down.
Otherwise, it's business as usual. Andrew Ryan had plenty of innuendos up his sleeve as the dame. Sheila Ferguson gives a perfunctory performance as the fairy. Joe McElderry and Suzanne Shaw were good as Dick Whittington and Alice. I realized it's been a few years since the Mayflower had the 12 Days of Christmas routine so that returned.
I really go to these for the comedians billing the show and Davro didn't have the spark as Barry and Paul Chuckle, Julian Clary and Brian Conley in recent years. At least he wasn't Joe Pasquale
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Post by talkingheads on Dec 27, 2018 12:02:53 GMT
Well I've gone for it and booked Berwick Kaler's panto. A lovely trip to York from Dorset, never been to that part of the country, and getting to see a theatre legend at the same time is a huge bonus!
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1,895 posts
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Post by sf on Dec 27, 2018 13:30:50 GMT
Oldham Coliseum, yesterday afternoon. No big stars, no glitzy sets, obviously done within a fairly limited budget, but it's great fun (the Coliseum has always been very good at panto, and at this point it's probably what keeps them going). This year it's Cinderella; slightly wooden Cinders and Prince, VERY wooden fairy godmother and Dandini (same actress), excellent ugly sisters and Buttons, and Sue Devaney as the wicked stepmother is worth the cost of the tickets on her own, and then some. I had a great time, and my niece - 5-and-a-half - absolutely loved every second of it. Her little brother (nearly 3) wasn't so sure, and found it a bit scary, but he didn't take his eyes off the stage.
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3,028 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Dec 31, 2018 16:05:49 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2018 16:06:46 GMT
Well Lee Ryan left at Interval to go to the pub!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2019 17:57:32 GMT
Dick Whittington at the Mayflower was good, not great. Part of me was expected the Palladium sets to be the QDOS sets but on a larger scale, but they looked just about the same. The giant rat was awesome, less the flying bus. Steve McFadden was the highlight relishing playing the baddie as King Rat. His family was also in so undoubtedly he was giving his 100% Otherwise, the other performances were good, but not standouts. My least favorite was the comedian-playing-the-idiot we have this year which is Bobby Davro. Never seen his work before and whilst he can do a good round of impersonations half the time I couldn't understand what he was saying, he talked so fast. In fact, some of the others could do with slowing down. Otherwise, it's business as usual. Andrew Ryan had plenty of innuendos up his sleeve as the dame. Sheila Ferguson gives a perfunctory performance as the fairy. Joe McElderry and Suzanne Shaw were good as Dick Whittington and Alice. I realized it's been a few years since the Mayflower had the 12 Days of Christmas routine so that returned. I really go to these for the comedians billing the show and Davro didn't have the spark as Barry and Paul Chuckle, Julian Clary and Brian Conley in recent years. At least he wasn't Joe Pasquale I kind of agree. compared to last years it was a bit lacking. Bobby Davro and Sheila Ferguson were not that great. Steve McFadden should have had more to do as he was a brilliant villain. Joe and Suzanne were a bit of a revelation through. As much as I'm in no rush for Brian Conley to come back (especially as Buttons for the millioniath time) I do agree you need a comedian who can hold the show together. Davro could do his bits but didn't really fit into the rest of the show. Can we please get a bit more of the story back into panto, and also stop the over amplification. couldn't understand a word a lot of the time.
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Post by talkingheads on Jan 26, 2019 19:21:19 GMT
Well my first experience of Berwick Kaler's 'rubbish' was utterly, utterly joyful. I've never witnessed a crowd reaction like it, the love from the room was extraordinary. Huge standing ovation. Otherwise, Suzy Cooper in particular was a delight and I laughed until I hurt. Is there any word on what's happening next year?
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Post by jhough87 on Feb 1, 2019 21:38:09 GMT
Well my first experience of Berwick Kaler's 'rubbish' was utterly, utterly joyful. I've never witnessed a crowd reaction like it, the love from the room was extraordinary. Huge standing ovation. Otherwise, Suzy Cooper in particular was a delight and I laughed until I hurt. Is there any word on what's happening next year? there's no word on nexts panto at the theatre royal they usually announce what it is on the final night (tomorrow) but as it Berwicks last performance they have said its a celebration of him and they are not announcing what the next panto is going to be. gif your local to Yorkshire on mon 4/2 inside out on bbc1 7.30 is doing something about Berwick and the panto.
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576 posts
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Post by lou105 on Feb 3, 2019 8:07:15 GMT
Not surprisingly, lots of local coverage all week of Berwick Kaler's farewell. Biggins popped in with a lifetime achievement award from the Great British Pantomime Awards, local civic dignitaries with a Seal of Approval to add to his Freedom of the City, speeches from local lad Mark Addy and Damian Cruden etc etc. Final curtain at 11.20 apparently. He would probably call it the end of an error.
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Post by talkingheads on Feb 5, 2019 10:13:19 GMT
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on May 15, 2019 6:02:52 GMT
Question from another forum .. when did "non-seasonal pantos" become a thing? I've noticed Easter pantos popping up in the last couple of years, now we also have "Summer panto"
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2019 16:12:53 GMT
The Easter pantos have been going for a few years and seem to do well. I guess a lot of performers who now probably mainly work panto are happy to dust off their costumes for a couple of weeks well paid work.
Summer ones are a newer one to me but could work at seaside resorts but I tend to associate them with Xmas periods.
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Post by xanady on May 15, 2019 17:14:18 GMT
Loving Cheryl on the poster.A bulldog chewing on a wasp comes to mind.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Jul 3, 2019 19:54:12 GMT
Spotted on twitter. The presence of Frank Carson and Freddie Garrity would have made this a pretty special evening anyway, but check out the young actor "direct from Emmerdale Farm" playing Cinderella!!
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