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Post by talkingheads on Nov 20, 2018 15:25:04 GMT
As it's coming up to the festive season once again, faster than ever it feels, which pantos, if any, are people going to see? My first is Dick Whttington at Hammersmith's Lyric on Saturday (not usual you go to a panto because of the writer, but in this instance I saw Cariad Lloyd and booked, she's great), then to Woking to see Paul Chuckle (I'm a lifelong Chuckle Brothers fan so I have to go along and support him. Incidentally anybody with even a passing interest in the history/craft of doing panto year in, year out, should read The Chuckle Brothers: Fifty Years of To Me To You), then to Hackney Empire to see Clive Rowe in Aladdin and finally the Palladium panto. Four pantos isn't too many is it? Oh no it's not...
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Nov 20, 2018 15:44:10 GMT
This year will be my first time seeing any pantos for about 20 years! Seeing The Snow Queen, the Liverpool Everyman's Rock N' Roll Panto, next week and then Snow White at the Palladium in early January.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2018 15:46:58 GMT
I saw this poster for a pantomime recently 👇 Ahem. We'll be the judge of that I think Marti . . .
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Post by n1david on Nov 20, 2018 15:53:12 GMT
Just the one - Buttons by Charles Court Opera at the Kings Head Theatre. They do wonderfully silly, funny pantos. Love their adult performances, which are not an euphemism for filth, but just that the jokes and songs don't pander to children. After all, Christmas is all about the grownups, isn't it?
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Post by talkingheads on Nov 20, 2018 16:05:04 GMT
I forgot one, I'm also seeing New Wimbledon's Aladdin because Paul Merton is my favourite comic, and I think I'm right in saying it's his first panto (minus the telly ones from about twenty years ago). I might be panto'd out in a few weeks, but it'll be with a big smile on my face and some annoyingly catchy songs in my head!
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Post by kathryn on Nov 20, 2018 17:53:05 GMT
I just suggested the Hackney Empire Aladdin to an American colleague who will be visiting our office for week or so in early December. Quite tempted to see it myself now!
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Post by Tibidabo on Nov 20, 2018 18:50:44 GMT
Palladium all the way. They had me at Dawn French, but if I feel like they've picked the cast especially for me as I love them all.
The thought of Julian being Dawn's mirror has us already trying to guess the script round the dinner table and, the biggest question of all, what has Dame Gary been swotting up this year for his song?
I cannot wait!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2018 19:06:56 GMT
I have never seen a panto as an adult.
I saw ONE once as a child, around 1980. I have no idea what it was, but it was Welsh. I was then banned from Sunday School trips because I shouted "It's Moby Duck!" at the giant duck.
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Post by talkingheads on Nov 20, 2018 19:12:22 GMT
I have never seen a panto as an adult. I saw ONE once as a child, around 1980. I have no idea what it was, but it was Welsh. I was then banned from Sunday School trips because I shouted "It's Moby Duck!" at the giant duck. Oddly I've seen more panto as an adult than I did as a kid. Trying to cling desperately to youth I suppose. That and I have a lot of respect for old school variety and love to see hardworking comics and actors ply their trade onstage. There's nothing like seeing people with 40+ years experience working an audience.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2018 19:43:22 GMT
Edinburgh - Allan Stewart and Grant Stott. Not the biggest names but they’ve made the King’s a bit of an institution at Christmas. Jackie Hughes is in it too as the Fairy Godmother which was a major defining factor in buying tickets.
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Post by David J on Nov 20, 2018 20:37:11 GMT
Will be seeing a beauty and the beast panto for the first time. Over at the Salisbury Playhouse who I think do the best pantos in the south thanks to the clever writing of Andrew Pollard
Hoping to see Dick Whittington at the Mayflower and have decided to see a pantomime in London for the first time with Snow White
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Post by David J on Nov 20, 2018 20:37:34 GMT
Will be seeing a beauty and the beast panto for the first time. Over at the Salisbury Playhouse who I think do the best pantos in the south thanks to the clever writing of Andrew Pollard
Hoping to see Dick Whittington at the Mayflower and have decided to see a pantomime in London for the first time with Snow White
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Post by Stephen on Nov 20, 2018 20:56:03 GMT
Snow White at the Palladium with my family on Christmas Eve.
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Post by smallperson on Nov 20, 2018 21:15:50 GMT
Family smallperson (3 generations) will be as always going to the Hackney Empire panto which this year is ALADDIN and features Clive Rowe and Tameka Empson again. It is round the corner which makes it very convenient for the smallest smallpersons but in addition it is always fun, local and appeals to us all! hackneyempire.co.uk/whats-on/aladdin/?action=book,
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Post by hulmeman on Nov 20, 2018 22:11:15 GMT
Well, I'm In Panto again this year from the middle of December into January, but I'm making time to see Mother Goose at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury.(Brad Fitt as Dame is a modern master of dameism) Aladdin at the Forum Studio Theatre, Chester and hopefully to York to see Berwick Kaller I will also try to get to The Palladium later in the run for an overdose of camp!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2018 0:26:14 GMT
I'm hoping to do Birmingham Hippodrome, Wolverhampton Grand, Festival Theatre Malvern, Prince of Wales Cannock, Lichfield Garrick.
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Post by wickedgrin on Nov 21, 2018 4:15:54 GMT
Booked for Hackney Empire (Aladdin) next week for Clive Rowe and then for Richmond (Peter Pan) with Robert Lindsay in December and finally the Palladium (Snow White) in January!
I love a bit of panto!
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Post by stefy69 on Nov 21, 2018 9:17:31 GMT
Usual Wimbledon and Palladium. Oh No You're Not.....
It's O K I've got my coat !
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Post by lou105 on Nov 21, 2018 15:38:41 GMT
hopefully to York to see Berwick Kaller Lots of speculation that this year (his 40th) might be his last but who knows. There's even a trail round town with 40 photos of Berwick to find in shop windows! Incidentally do many other pantos run to early February?
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Post by poster J on Nov 21, 2018 21:00:18 GMT
None - haven't seen one since I was about 7 years old and I don't plan to break that any time soon! Not my kind of show at all.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2018 16:52:30 GMT
Only Berwick's York panto and the one at New Wolsey Ipswich run into February. I can recall in the mid 1990's bigger venues running until end February or at least February Half Term week. Often they would only perform Weds to Sunday across last month with theatres having say a visiting comedian on Monday or Tuesday who'd perform in front of the drawn curtains.
The sadly missed Sir Ken Dodd in 1965/66 ran in Humpty Dumpty until Easter at Birmingham Hippodrome attracting over 212K patrons. This is commemorated on a stone plaque just inside the theatre if anyone is visiting the venue.
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Post by showgirl on Nov 23, 2018 7:00:39 GMT
Apparently (according to an email from the theatre), this, his 40th, is Berwick Kaler's last appearing in panto at the Theatre Royal, York.
Though I don't like panto (& every few years I do try again) & always aim to see instead a seasonal alternative, I'd actually have liked to see this year's version in York. So I'll await with interest reports from those who've said they're going.
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Post by lou105 on Nov 23, 2018 8:07:32 GMT
Apparently (according to an email from the theatre), this, his 40th, is Berwick Kaler's last appearing in panto at the Theatre Royal, York. Yes and interestingly the theatre is already saying that they will continue producing a panto in-house, with the title announced as the current run ends, as has been traditional. It's been such a massive source of income for them that there's a real challenge to retain people's loyalty.
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Post by hulmeman on Nov 23, 2018 16:11:47 GMT
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Post by TallPaul on Nov 23, 2018 16:44:23 GMT
Front page of The Yorkshire Post too, due to "a complex set of reasons" whatever that means!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2018 18:01:26 GMT
Berwick is 72 years old now and playing a Dame can be very tiring given amount of costume changes, number of shows, wearing the boots etc.
Given his panto performances are a big local attraction and he is a bit of a legend at that theatre, I'd figure he wants to bow out whilst he is still on top and not be seen as going on a few years too long.
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Post by firefingers on Nov 23, 2018 18:19:38 GMT
None. Normally it's muggins hear mixing them, losing my Christmas Eve and Boxing Day to do two show days but this year I've got a "proper" show with three days off for Christmas. I do enjoy working on them but thankful to get a bit of time off this year instead.
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Post by talkingheads on Nov 23, 2018 23:18:50 GMT
I apologise if this sounds naive but I'd not heard of Berwick Kaller until this thread, did some research and it seems this is the panto to see! Trouble is, I'm in Dorset, and it's a good five hours to York! But it seems he's acknowledged as the best Dame and I'd hate to have missed out on seeing such a legendary figure
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Post by showgirl on Nov 24, 2018 5:00:39 GMT
I don't think it sounds naive as until this year I'd also never heard of Berwick Kaler - & as someone who dislikes traditional panto & hadn't been to York for years & never visited the Theatre Royal, there's no reason why I should have come across his name.
But then I had 2 holidays in York & 2 trips to the theatre & discovered the joint history of the writer/performer & the panto, & that it was a very significant year for both. So now, like you, I'd love to go but doubt it's possible.
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2018 7:41:21 GMT
Berwick Kaler’s last year as Dame, but also probably Biggins’ last year as Dame as well , in Bradford at the wonderful Alhambra theatre. I must try and go .... it’s usually one of the longest running pantos , runnng into February .
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