1,120 posts
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Post by theatrefan62 on Apr 21, 2024 19:13:41 GMT
I know the Palladium especially isn't bothered about panto in its more traditional sense. But the problem with American names is more often than not they don't 'get it'. There is an art to doing panto well. Apart from Donny Osmond, there hasn't been many American stars in panto in the last few years. I know, I was speaking in general terms as that's what people were talking about. There was a period when we had a lot of Americans over and very few were actually good at it.
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Post by JustJ on Apr 21, 2024 20:04:35 GMT
Robin Hood.
Julian Clarey & Jane McDonald Marisha Wallace Tosh Rob Madge Charlie Stemp
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Post by blamerobots on Apr 21, 2024 20:12:02 GMT
Charlie Stemp as Alan-a-dale... I suddenly want Crazy for You to come back too!
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851 posts
Member is Online
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Post by longinthetooth on Apr 21, 2024 20:12:05 GMT
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7,539 posts
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Post by alece10 on Apr 21, 2024 20:15:29 GMT
Jane McDonald and Charlie Stemp. Looks like I'll be going to a panto this year.
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6,334 posts
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Post by Jon on Apr 21, 2024 20:26:27 GMT
Julian as Robin is interesting casting, Jane as Marian will be a hoot although I wonder if she was asked to play the Sheriff and turned it down and they offered her Marian instead.
The Spirit of Sherwood I'm guessing is similar to Spirit of the Bean in Jack and the Beanstalk.
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269 posts
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Post by ilovewemusicals on Apr 21, 2024 20:27:07 GMT
Really interesting casting choices, not predictable at all. And great singers with Jane, Tosh, and Marisha.
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1,908 posts
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Post by LaLuPone on Apr 21, 2024 20:27:53 GMT
Julian and Jane is a whole new level of camp. What a fab cast though, I’m so there.
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6,334 posts
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Post by Jon on Apr 21, 2024 20:32:22 GMT
How is the Crossroads Robin Hood done normally? Isn't it just a reskinned Babes in the Woods?
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4,580 posts
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Post by Mark on Apr 21, 2024 20:32:35 GMT
This is so wonderful!
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Post by blamerobots on Apr 21, 2024 20:37:28 GMT
When do tix typically go up?
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Post by thedriftersgirl on Apr 21, 2024 20:38:14 GMT
When do tix typically go up? Would love to know also!
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6,334 posts
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Post by Jon on Apr 21, 2024 20:41:45 GMT
BurlyBeaR we need a title change now it's been confirmed. Baz mentioned the priority sale is on April 25th
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Post by curiouskc on Apr 21, 2024 20:43:10 GMT
Marisha Wallace, Rob Madge, Charlie Stemp...all together...is this a fever dream??
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115 posts
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Post by MusicalTalk on Apr 21, 2024 21:06:44 GMT
Massive shame that Gary Wilmot isn’t in it this year!
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Post by theatrefan2007 on Apr 21, 2024 21:11:24 GMT
Massive shame that Gary Wilmot isn’t in it this year! I am quite gutted that he isn’t in it but at least we still have Julian!! Maybe Gary might be back next year.
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252 posts
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Post by gmoneyoutlaw on Apr 21, 2024 21:22:58 GMT
Robin Hood, that's a new one for me. Glad to see that Charlie's back!
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Post by sph on Apr 21, 2024 21:24:03 GMT
Well. That's the campest thing I've ever seen. It really is perfect. I don't think anyone could have predicted panto's greatest lovers to be... Julian Clary and Jane McDonald.
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475 posts
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Post by bimse on Apr 21, 2024 21:34:11 GMT
Massive shame that Gary Wilmot isn’t in it this year! I am quite gutted that he isn’t in it but at least we still have Julian!! Maybe Gary might be back next year. I’ve read in an earlier post and elsewhere that Gary is retiring from panto , whether that’s just this year or permanently isn’t clear . The Dame role in Robin Hood (or Babes in the Wood as it used to be called) is usually the nurse to the Babes, maybe they’re going for a different Robin Hood story that doesn’t involve the Babes , so no need for a Dame at all.
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2,272 posts
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Post by theatreian on Apr 21, 2024 21:37:49 GMT
I remember seeing Jane in Jack and the Beanstalk in Birmingham in 2014. It was a great show and I am sure she will be fabulous at the Palladium.
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261 posts
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Post by theatrenerd on Apr 21, 2024 22:03:36 GMT
I remember the 2008 Birmingham Hippodrome version of Robin Hood with John Barrowman and Paul Zerdin, the character of Friar Tuck became the “dame” within the plot as he had to undergo a disguise in drag who was played by Don Maclean who back then was the Hippodrome’s regular dame.
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4,473 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Apr 21, 2024 22:08:21 GMT
Glad to be resting Wilmot, wish we were also resting Zerdin.
Very in for Clary and McDonald - what a camp riot this will be, backed by some of MTs finest young stars.
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749 posts
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Post by horton on Apr 22, 2024 7:09:18 GMT
I guess Hugh Jackman auditioned poorly.
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7,539 posts
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Post by alece10 on Apr 22, 2024 8:47:30 GMT
Pre sale Thursday, general sale Friday
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Post by talkingheads on Apr 22, 2024 9:23:17 GMT
Not fussed at all. Can't stand McDonald's TV shows, I'll give this one a miss.
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Post by scarletmood on Apr 22, 2024 10:54:42 GMT
Julian as Robin Hood will be different, logic would have said Charlie as Robin Hood with a younger performer as Marion and Jane as her nurse/nanny with Julian as the Spirit of Sherwood. But I think this will work as it will be played for laughs. Julian in tights and with his innuendos will be hillarious. Nigel has played Sheriff of Nottingham in Panto before but as Tuck will likely be in a fat suit and butt of the jokes.
Marisha as the Sheriff is a good bit of casting too.
There was a funny sketch on Larry Grayson's Generation Game possibly Larry's first show when he did a Robin Hood sketch and donned the green tights, He had his bow and arrow and the arrow went all floppy, I can imagine Julian playing it along these lines but with more innuendo.
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Post by scarletmood on Apr 22, 2024 11:02:48 GMT
Celebs in major pantos are on 5-15 grand a week. For smaller producers soap stars etc get 2-5k a week. Higher known stars (or Big Brother winners etc) across the UK are on 15-30 grand a week and major A listers for QDos/Crossroads are on anything between 50-100 grand a week. Cilla Black for example was on 100k a week when she returned to the Liverpool Empire panto run a few years before she died - but these figures are extremely rare. Julian, Dawn, Elaine, Paul OGrady and headliners for the Palladium panto would be on 70-100k a week. Note that the Palladium run is short only 5 weeks long or so. Other panto runs are much longer (and have cheaper cast salaries and wage bills are much less. In the large cauldron of profit and cast/staff wages - the large celeb wages are 1-5 per cent of the overall wage bill for thousands of people across the country. Panto each year brings in millions of pounds (I read once Qdos makes about 200 million). They can afford half a million each for only a handful of A listers. Apart from Scotland which tends to have longer pantos the big city pantos outside Londo rarely run for longer than the Palladium one or maybe by only a week or so. One big name in a show on the top of the pay scale especially if it was a "hometown" icon on top whack or a proftit percentage can easily be carried. But if you have 2 or 3 of those in the Palladium show plus maybe another 2 or 3 on the next tier down then the costs do go up. But sets can be reused and the shows must make a bomb on refreshments so they do pay their way.
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6,334 posts
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Post by Jon on Apr 22, 2024 11:46:37 GMT
Birmingham Hippodrome's panto is six weeks and that starts later than other pantos. Some are only three weeks which to me seems not financially viable but depends on the theatre.
Some pantos like the Lyric Hammersmith and the Theatre Royal Newcastle panto start in November which seems a tad early.
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4,967 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Apr 22, 2024 12:55:13 GMT
Some key figures from the annual accounts of Crossroads Pantomines Ltd for the year ending 31 March 2023.
24 pantomines
Gross profit margin of 18.2%
Turover of £39.64 million
Gross profit £7.23 million
Operating profit of £1.73 million
Profit before tax of £1.66 million
Theatre tax relief of £2.91 million
Total profit for the year of £5.30 million
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6,334 posts
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Post by Jon on Apr 22, 2024 13:30:40 GMT
Some key figures from the annual accounts of Crossroads Pantomines Ltd for the year ending 31 March 2023. 24 pantomines Gross profit margin of 18.2% Turover of £39.64 million Gross profit £7.23 million Operating profit of £1.73 million Profit before tax of £1.66 million Theatre tax relief of £2.91 million Total profit for the year of £5.30 million Just shows why Crossroads are the panto kings.
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