remembered | amateurstage
>remembered
charles vance
Amateur Stage was saddened this month to hear of the passing of one of our previous editors Charles Vance. A man of the theatre, Charles was an advocate of amateur theatre and will be missed. A self-styled anachronism, Charles Vance was a prolific actor/manager for nearly 50 years. Throughout his long career, he gave countless actors, directors, designers and stage managers their first opportunities in the world of professional theatre. After a prolific career as an actor where his favourite roles included Sir Thomas More in A Man For All Seasons, Archie Rice in The Entertainer and Henry II in The Lion In Winter, he launched his own production company with his wife, actress Imogen Moynihan and a 1960 production of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie. In 1962, they presented their first repertory season at the Playhouse Buxton and in the same year he founded the Civic Theatre in Chelmsford, which he ran for six years before taking over the Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne as its actor/manager until the late 1970s. In 1976 he purchased the Leas Pavilion Theatre in Folkestone, which was his production theatre until 1985. A year later, he entered into a unique partnership with the London Borough of Hillingdon for the commercial administration of their Beck Theatre, an established policy now adopted by other local authorities. Throughout his long career he mounted hundreds of touring productions. The variety of his presentations was infinite: from the major musicals Bubbling Brown Sugar, Stop the World I Want To Get Off, Salad Days and Mr Cinders, to Shakespeare’s Merchant Of Venice and Twelfth Night, Rattigan’s In Praise Of Love, and William Douglas Home’s The Kingfisher. He produced180 pantomimes at theatres all over the UK, delighting generations. A devotee of the works of the Bronte’s, he staged major productions of his own adaptations of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. He produced and directed national tours of My Cousin Rachel starring Anita Harris; Agatha Christie’s Witness For The Prosecution starring John Barron, Giles Watling and Prunella Gee; Time And Time Again starring Colin Baker, Prunella Gee and Norman Rossington; Gaslight starring Gerald Harper, William Lucas and Stacy Dorning; his own adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, starring George Chakiris; Brideshead Revisited starring Richard Todd, Nigel Davenport and Barbara Murray, a year-long revival tour of the rock musical Godspell, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn adapted by Matthew Francis, Lettice & Lovage starring Hinge & Brackett and Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw. In the latter part of his career, Vance was best known for world premieres of stage adaptations of classic Ealing Comedies beginning with Kind Hearts & Coronets starring Robert Powell and Colin Baker in 1998, followed by The Ladykillers starring Tim Brooke-Taylor, Brian Murphy and
Dulcie Gray in 1999; Passport to Pimlico starring Ian Lavender and Kate O’Mara in 2000 and The Lavender Hill Mob starring Victor Spinetti and Clive Francis in 2002. In the autumn of 1998, he produced the premiere national tour of John Buchan’s The 39 Steps starring Simon Ward and George Sewell. This smashing production toured the country in the autumn of 2000 and the spring of 2001 with Simon Williams in the role of Richard Hannay. Other such productions included the 2001 premiere of the Hitchcock classic The Lady Vanishes starring Dulcie Gray and Victor Spinetti. A renowned director of Agatha Christie’s plays (he was involved in 105 productions of her plays as actor, producer or director), in 1990, he was responsible for the Centenary Celebration production of Spider’s Web. In the world of light entertainment, in the late 1970s he created The Jolson Revue, which he staged in England and Australia, and during the 1980s he brought the famous Bluebell Girls to England in the spectacular revue Hello Paris. He had a passionate love of repertory and despite his success as a major touring producer he derived his greatest satisfaction from his revivals of repertory at theatres around the country. In 1996 he created a new repertory touring circuit embracing major theatres like The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton; Lyceum Theatre, Crewe; Forum Theatre, Billingham; Princess Theatre, Torquay and The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon. By 2001, the list had grown to include the Palace Theatre Westcliff; the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford; Leicester’s De Montfort Hall, The Royal at Hanley; the Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe; the Gala Theatre in Durham and Middlesbrough Theatre – all enjoying the tradition of weekly rep. For 26 years, he and his wife ran one of the only weekly repertory theatres left in the British Isles, at the Manor Pavilion Theatre in Sidmouth. 2012 marked the final season of the Charles and Imogen Vance Summer Repertory Season. Also a theatre publisher and editor, in 1970 he created the British Theatre Directory and in 1987 he became Editor of Amateur Stage Magazine in addition to publishing The Community Arts Directory, which was published in 2001, 2003 and 2005. He was Chairman of The Standing Advisory Committee on Local Authorities and the Performing Arts for some twenty years and served for over twenty-five years as ViceChairman of the Theatres Advisory Council. He was, uniquely, twice President of the Theatrical Management Association, which was founded by Sir Henry Irving. In 1992 he accepted an invitation from the former Minister for the Arts, Sir Richard Luce, to become patron of the Voluntary Arts Network.
Apart from theatre, he was passionately fond of animals (he and his wife bred Cairn Terriers) and served on the Club Committee of the Kennel Club. In 1990 he staged a spectacular pageant to mark the Centenary of Crufts Dog Show at the National Exhibition Centre at Birmingham. Other interests include cooking (he was a Cordon Bleu chef), sailing (in 1956 he made a single-handed crossing of the Atlantic) and travel, claiming to have visited three-quarters of globe. He was Chairman of the Governors of The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Chambellan of the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, a Barker in the Variety Club of Great Britain, a fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts, a Lords Taverner and a member of Rotary International. He is survived by his wife Imogen and his daughter Jackie, a post-production supervisor.
A personal note from our editor I first became aware of Charles Vance having answered an ad in The Stage newspaper in 2007. Walking into his offices, I was confronted with an elderly man who had all the passion, drive and vibrancy of a 22 year old. The fact that he promptly told me (as he did with many others) that he was dying and could be gone any moment now did little to slow him down. I hasten to add that I knew Charles for over four years so his self-diagnosis was probably yet another of the dramatic flourishes that surrounded a man who was the subject of so many stories. Charles always had a good yarn to tell. Whether it be about young actors he had worked with, or the glory days of rep. You could never be quite sure which bits were embellished, but you’d always be surprised at just how many of his stories (no matter how improbable) were true. Still, I enjoyed my time working with Charles and learnt a lot. I continue to meet colleagues and actors who crossed his path across his career. Charles Vance stories nearly always bring smiles and laughs to a party amongst those who knew him. Let’s not also forget that Charles’ remarkable achievements helped keep rep theatre alive, led to the first stage adaptations of the Ealing Comedies and The 39 Steps and kept thousands entertained in pantomimes across the UK for many years. His wholehearted passion for amateur theatre was absolute. He will be remembered by all of those he came in contact with and sorely missed for the energy and dedication he gave to the theatre. www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk | 5
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amateurstage | overture
>overture
National News | Events | Products | Competitions
News > AMATEUR THEATRE TICKETING SYSTEMS PROVIDER TICKETSOURCE NAMED AS WELSH FINALIST IN FSB STREAMLINE AWARDS It was announced this week that TicketSource – Cardiff-based producers of the free online box office system of the same name – has been selected as the Welsh finalist in the 2013 FSB Streamline Awards. The awards are open to all UK enterprises with fewer than 250 employees, and TicketSource has been shortlisted in the online business category. TicketSource now has over 3000 users ranging from schools, colleges and amateur theatre groups, to large professional theatres and concert halls – also sports venues, exhibition and seminar organisers and promoters. Commenting on the news, founder and CEO of Simon Wilsher said: “We know that we enjoy a very high customer satisfaction rate among the widely diverse range of venues and event organisers who use our services. However it’s always gratifying to be recognised by your peers and, in this case, by the broader business community at large. We look forward to seeing how we fare in the finals, especially in such illustrious company as Crowdcube and The Funding Circle”. The winners of the 2013 awards will be announced in London on April 18th 2013. For further information about TicketSource visit www.ticketsource.co.uk
Event > IRELAND’S PREMIER DRAMA FESTIVAL The RTE All-Ireland Drama Festival takes place on 2nd May, with over a week of quality performances. There will be exhibitions and workshops taking place as part of the fringe line-up. The premier theatrical event of its kind in Ireland, the festival will showcase the very best of Irish amateur theatre. It attracts thousands of visitors to Athlone. During the week, RTE will broadcast daily reports on television and radio. The first theatre group to open the drama festival will be the Estuary Players from Dublin staging Tom Griffin’s The Boys Next Door. The play promises to be both funny and moving. There will also be many free fringe events as part of the drama festival. www.dramafestival.ie
Event > ARE YOU A SURVIVING ACTOR? Surviving Actors was launched in 2009 to help encourage actors in all areas of their career. Founder Felicity Jackson had a vision to run events throughout the year, not just in London where the first convention attracted hundreds of actors. SA has gone out on the road around the country, including Manchester and Edinburgh, and it has now seen thousands of actors seeking inspiration and advice. SA falls into three sections. The ‘develop’ part of the convention provides the chance for actors to re-consider their head shot, learn about websites that will assist their career, and the opportunities on marketing themselves with show and voice reels. Companies that provide training for actors also attend, introducing them to classes aimed at refreshing their craft. The ’sustain’ area of SA looks at creating unique opportunities for actors to learn how to create their own work. It considers casting websites and ways in which to capitalise on getting those all-important auditions. The ‘create’ part explores ways in which actors can use their skills in flexible ‘non-acting’ jobs, a must for pretty much every actor out there. The event attracts lots of companies seeking to employ actors. As well as exhibitors, there are a number of useful seminars and workshops happening in Manchester, in audition technique for film and television, the art of networking, casting classes, an exploration of the relationship between an agent and an actor, as well as a nifty seminar on how to kick start selfmarketing using social media. The day will see numerous casting directors on-hand with guidance, including representatives from the esteemed Beverly Keogh Casting company which is based in the city. Our sister publication Fourthwall Magazine has teamed up with Surviving Actors as the official Media Partner. Creative Director of 3Fold Media, Phil Matthews, publisher of Fourthwall said that he was looking forward to the Manchester event. “The whole ethos of Surviving Actors is to help actors, not exploit them, and that is what attracted us to the event at the very beginning,” he says. “The organisers run a tight ship and always put on an inspirational event, with actors leaving stronger and more determined then ever before. Yes, of course we all know this industry is a tough one, but with talent and drive, it is possible to make a career as a jobbing actor. Someone once said, the harder you work the luckier you get, and there’s a lot of truth in that,” said Matthews. “I’m looking forward to working with industry professionals on the day, creating an inspirational film that will help actors in their career,” he added. Every visitor on the day will get a free goodie bag with loads of gifts, including a complimentary copy of the spring issue of Fourthwall Magazine, packed with loads of fantastic articles for actors. Surviving Actors Manchester takes place at King’s House Conference Centre, Sidney Street, Manchester. M1 7HB from 9am – 4pm. For your FREE e-ticket, register online at www.survivingactors.com
News > LONDON ASSEMBLY SEEKS TO HELP SMALLER LONDON VENUES AMATEUR STAGE NEEDS YOUR NEWS Amateur Stage needs your news. We are looking for information about events, celebrations, achievements and other items of interest to the wider amateur community. Submit your articles or new stories together with high resolution pictures to editor@amateurstagemagazine.co.uk
The London Assembly is looking at ways it could help the capital’s small theatres survive and flourish. Fill in a short questionnaire to let them know your thoughts and ideas. The London Assembly is looking at ways it and the Mayor could help the capital’s small theatres survive and flourish. It’s looking at theatres with fewer than 300 seats, which includes most of the theatres outside the West End, and with annual turnovers of under £250k. These small venues are places where innovative productions can be tested, audiences can see a play without handing over £50 and new playwrights can find their voice. But they’re under pressure from funding cuts, uncertain building tenancies and even structural problems with the buildings. Assembly Member Tom Copley has launched a campaign to hear about the experiences of London theatres – and they also want to hear from audiences, whether you visit small theatres or not. Fill in this short questionnaire to let them know your thoughts and ideas. Links to the questionaire and video are in the news section of our website.
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amateurstage | feature
WODS celebrating their 120th Birthday Celebration Dinner and Dance
>feature
WODS turn 120
Worcester Operatic & Dramatic Society (WODS) celebrated 120 year of staging amateur musical theatre in the City of Worcester this year, 2012, and 30 years by its youth section, WODYS. The Society was founded on 17th February 1892 at a meeting in the High Street, Worcester, and the first production, ‘HMS Pinafore’, was presented at the Public Hall in Worcester playing to capacity houses. The second production, ‘Patience’, was moved to the Theatre Royal in Angel Street. A surplus of £60 was donated to the Royal Infirmary. At the Annual General meeting at the Star Hotel
in 1893, the membership subscription was fixed at one guinea (£1.05) per year, to include six free seats! Since those inaugural days, a considerable sum has been donated to many local charities. Recent decades have seen many changes in the work of the Society, moving on to more ambitious productions, including most of the modern full scale musicals. In 1954 we lost
the Theatre Royal due to redevelopment, but happily moved to the Festival Theatre Malvern, where we performed our autumn shows for many years. Conscious of being a Worcester Society, we consider ourselves fortunate in having the Swan Theatre in Worcester where, since 1966, we started staging our spring shows. The theatre is now run by Worcester Live and has become
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amateurstage | drama training
>drama training
nailing that drama school interview
Simon Dunmore talks about the drama school interview. Can you really prepare for what they’re going to ask?
My Shorter Oxford English Dictionary gives, amongst others, the following now obsolete definition of the word interview: ‘Mutual view (of each other) [1667]. My Penguin English Dictionary contains: ‘... formal meeting and conversation; meeting to test the suitability of a candidate for a post...’ Ideally an interview should be an informal mutual testing in the best possible sense. Don’t think of an interview as something to be ‘tackled’ – it is not some kind of competitive sport. Think of it more as a social event where you are meeting new people and simply opening up a dialogue to begin to get to know them. The opening few moments might feel slightly awkward, but if you are open to this
then conversation will soon start to flow more easily. Why do drama schools incorporate them in their audition processes? [Note Not all do. A few learn about you through the dialogue involved in workshops.] They want to get to know the real you in order to assess whether you will be able to function well as part of a group. A drama school is a very tight-knit community – working long hours very closely together. Therefore it is very important that there are no negative influences. The interview is also an opportunity to see if you have your own independent personality – and that
you’re not just full of what you’ve been told. That tight-knit community will only flourish and grow if everybody gives and receives constructively and imaginatively. Note Most interviewers are largely not conscious of these objectives. They feel them instinctively through long experience of being in actingcommunities – in drama schools and in the profession. Your general approach/ attitude Overall you should aim for a friendly exchange of information and ideas. Bear in mind the following:
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TALISMAN THEATRE, Kenilworth 65 years old – DILYS GUITE PLAYERS, Sheffield 1) There is no such thing as a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer – soODS long as yours are honest FOLKESTONE-HYTHE answers. There is absolutely no harm in healthy FORMBY LITTLE[“ITHEATRE disagreement. disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say PLAYERS, WhitstableThere is also no harm it.”LINDLEY - attributed to Voltaire] in not having a specific response – provided that MOULTON THEATRE you respond in a positive manner. An upbeat, “I’ll need time to think about that.” is far more NEW VENTURE THEATRE, Brighton engaging than a limp and apologetic, “Dunno...” PROGRESS THEATRE, Reading 2) Keep positive – even when talking about TOADS THEATRE, Torquay something negative. For instance, the production that went disastrously wrong. Try WHARF THEATRE, Devizes to bring out positive aspects whilst being straightforward about the negative(s). WOKINGHAM THEATRE 3) Never leap in immediately to answer a question! Too often you’ll start coming out with a confusing jumble. Always take that tiny (but vital) moment to think about what you’ve actually been asked. The human brain processes incredibly fast. A moment to absorb (‘digest’) the question and evolve your response can make an enormous difference. Think of it like playing catch games with a small child. The ‘ball’ is the question: you ‘catch’ it and then ‘throw’ it back – in a spirit of co-operation. There is a tiny moment between ‘catching’ the question and ‘throwing’ your response. That moment is your chance to absorb the question – not only to begin to formulate your response, but also to ‘store’ it to refer back to it in case you start deviating too far from where you started.
60 years old – ARCHWAY THEATRE, Horley GREEN ROOM CLUB, Carlisle HYDE FESTIVAL THEATRE STUDIO THEATRE, Salisbury
50 years old – ALTRINCHAM LITTLE THEATRE CHESIL THEATRE, Winchester COMPANY OF PLAYERS, Hertford 4) Try not to deviate from the original question NORBURY THEATRE, Droitwich Spa too much. This is a very common failing and is easily avoided if you keep the original question THEATRE 62, West Wickham
in mind. You can tie yourself up in embarrassing knots (dig holes for yourself) if you deviate too far from where you started.
45 years old – MASKERS THEATRE, Southampton SOUTH LONDON THEATRE
5) Try not to talk too much about any topic. You probably only have about ten minutes (if that) and it’s much better to cover several topics. It should be a dialogue – not another monologue! 6) Don’t be too brief either! For example, if you’re asked “What was the last production you saw?” Don’t just give the title. Add one or two other details.
40 years old – APOLLO THEATRE, Newport IOW
ARE YOU ON OUR
in London, the whole company moved on to New York for four weeks, to Minneapolis for two weeks and Los Angeles for two more weeks. The London run in the autumn lasted two months, by which time a TV filming 7) concern yourself with what hadDon’t been set up, so that the company onlythey’re finally writing – you’ll just start getting paranoid. disbandedthe thirteen monthsa pen after hits first assembling. Anyway, moment the paper will be at least several seconds after the David Weston, toas write the titleoccurred, indicates, so wasthere’s Sir Ian’snothing provocation you can do. understudy throughout the whole year, and this book 8) Do share your responses with everyone is his diary of events from his perspective. It makeson the panel. It may only be one person who’s (like all insider books) for but fascinating reading. He calls asking the questions, everybody there will have input in the decision-making. himself in the preface a ‘curmudgeonly old codger’, 9) Try to relax as much as possible – and be a description more than adequately confirmed in ‘open’. Sit in your chair without wrapping your limbs eachas other and/or his diarytightly entries,round especially tensions withinyourthechair. Being physically relaxed will help you be more company become and more apparent as theistour mentally relaxed more and receptive to whatever ‘thrown’ at you. progresses. What will they ask? You can never be quite sure of specific questions, but you can be 99% certain that they will focus around you, your acting and acting in general. Obviously, you can’t prepare specific answers, but you can help yourself by making mental lists of what you should know. It is amazing how even the most relaxed interviewee can go blank when asked the simplest of questions like, “What was the last part you played?” or “What was the last production you saw?” Don’t worry! Almost everybody does this at some time or other – and not just in interview circumstances. If this happens, your interviewers will probably be sympathetic to this common human failing. However, it can start to make you feel awkward and embarrassed – which can easily escalate. Much better to have that mental check list available.
The diary nicely records how the company of actors and techies, diverse because of age, experience and expectations, forms and reforms into groups, sometimes even into opposing camps as they deal with the various crises that hit the show regularly. We learn in detail of the work and pressures endured by a whole team of understudies who need rehearsal and performance experience just as much as anyone else. Sadly for David Weston, his chance to bask in the limelight was never to be realised, as Sir Ian was far too tough to miss a single performance! left asubjective little unsurequestions as to whether You will alsoWe beare asked – about a production or a specific actor’s he or Trevor Nunn built up his small roles in both plays performance, for instance. Once again, you can’t prepare specific answers, but you can as compensation in advance! develop your thinking about why certain productions and actors appealed to you – or not. Other subjective questions can include why you’re applying to this school, why you enjoy acting, your choice of audition speeches and so forth. You had good reasons (at some point in the past) for all these personal decisions. Take a little time to think them through again before
Life on the road after Stratford is vividly captured – the pleasures of Newcastle and New York contrasting strongly with the small-scale delights of the other
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miserable it seems, but company fatigue must have made as big a contribution as hitting the American Mid-West in early October before the usually thriving drama amateurstage theatrical season hadtraining got under |way. your audition.
Fortunately everyone settled down again on returning to home base for the final run of performances. The whole epic journey was well worth recording, and Weston’s diary makes for compulsive reading, especially perhaps for some of the inside gossip, even if his passion for Chelsea FC begins to jar after a short while! But then perhaps this helped to keep him sane throughout the mad enterprise! There are others like, “What will you do if you
Those ‘plonker’ questions Unfortunately, a minority of questions that crop up are extremely difficult to answer easily. “Why do you want to be an actor?”, “Where do you see yourself in ten years time?”, “How do you think your speeches went?” are amongst the ones that have been reported to me. I would argue that these are almost impossible to respond to straightforwardly in a short space of time. If you feel it expedient, look to slightly diverting from such questions in your responses. don’t get a Drama School place?”, “Where else have you applied for & how did you get on?”, “How do you intend to pay for the course if you don’t get funding?” and so forth – which might seem difficult and embarrassing. However, previous lack of success (if that’s the case) and financial difficulties are common phenomena. These are topics that are best dealt with briefly, simply and honestly. Then you’ll have time to be taken on to pleasanter pastures.
Michael Shipley
Finally Be aware that the questions cited above may be phrased slightly differently in each interview. The main content of your response will be the same, but your phraseology should accord with the specific question asked. For instance “What was the last production you saw?” is slightly different from “What productions have you seen recently?” The latter opens up more possibilities that you might prefer to discuss. After it’s all over, you’ll think of some better answers you could have given. However, there’s nothing you can do about that now. Do the best you can and don’t beat yourself up afterwards with what you could have said or done. Aim to learn for the future! Good luck! Simon Simon has directed productions for over 30 years, as well as working in many drama schools. He has written several books: An Actor’s Guide to Getting Work and Alternative Shakespeare Auditions. www.simon.dunmore.btinternet.co.uk
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amateurstage | feature
Ingham Players - Alice In Wonderland
>panto
Keeping It Funny
So, you’re the director of this year’s panto. You’ve got a great script, a great cast and you can’t wait to put on the funniest panto your audience have ever seen. Ben Crocker looks at the comedy in pantomime. The read through goes brilliantly – everyone is in hysterics and all augurs well. And then you start to put it on its feet. Some bits still seem quite funny and some bits are quite touching, but why do some bits seem so bewilderingly unfunny? Some of the cast still laugh manfully, but deep down, in your heart of hearts – you know it’s not funny at all. WHY? Well, there could be all sorts of reasons and some performers have a much surer touch with comedy than others, but all directors have been in this situation and there are some basic precepts you can follow to make things much, much funnier.
Speed and Pace
Speed and pace are really important. An awful
lot of comedy depends upon rhythm. We all think more quickly than we speak – but actors face an enormous temptation to slow their thinking down! And if they do, that means the audience are ahead of the action.
Try getting some of your under-energised actors to use treble the amount of attack they think is appropriate. Do this in short bursts. Maybe repeat the exercise a few times and your actors will start to feel the results for themselves.
Get your actors to speed run a scene. Make them go much faster than they want to. You will be astonished at how often an injection of speed is all that is needed to liberate the comedy. Speed is the ether in which comedy can flourish.
Focus
Attack
Your actors can’t play panto without attack. This doesn’t mean frenzied, unfocussed energy, but it does mean a heightened, controlled energy which keeps the ball in the air.
Comedy relies on the audience looking in the right place at the right time. But how do you get them to do this? Often, it’s simply a case of getting the cast to look at the character you want the audience to look at. Similarly, make sure that the energy at the end of a character’s line is going in the direction of the recipient. Be prepared to rehearse big set pieces by numbers. Break them up in to little chunks
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feature | amateurstage so that you are in control of each piece of the picture. Ask yourself which bit of the action the audience needs to see at each precise moment. There are no hard and fast rules, but all comedy requires logic and if you are continually aware of the need to control the focus, you will help the audience to follow that logic – and make the whole thing much funnier!
Beware of “Comedy” Acting
When some actors know there’s an obligation to be funny, they feel the need to give their “comedy performance”. Unfortunately, all this “comedy” can blur everything you want to achieve. Good comedy always involves some level of truth – even in pantomime! Think of any comedy actor you admire and ask yourself what they are doing? Do they suddenly start leering, pulling faces and using funny voices? Unless the situation calls for it, I’m almost certain the answer is no! Encourage your actors to dispense with the armour of their “comedy performance”. Keep nudging them towards playing what their characters want and to using much more of themselves. Yes, a heightened, energised and selective version of themselves - with false eyelashes, a padded bra and stripy tights – but themselves none the less!
Listen
Listening is central to good acting. Remember back at the read through, when it all seemed so funny? Everyone was listening! But as
actors become more and more familiar with the text they forget to listen. Remind them and keep reminding them. It’s the glue which holds everything together, making it more immediate, more alive - and funnier!
If at First You Don’t Succeed…
Directing comedy is not easy. It’s often hard to see the wood for the trees. Be satisfied with small incremental gains and praise your actors. But remember, everyone will tend to go back to their comfort zone. Be prepared to keep on giving the same actors the same notes, over and over again. And remember this isn’t just you – directors all over the world, from church halls to major theatres are all giving the same notes - over and over again. “Try making it a bit faster.” “Give it a bit more attack.” “Make sure you look at her.” “Just give it a bash without the accent, the leering and the funny walk.” “Remember to listen.” Oh, and “That’s excellent! Really, really funny! Let’s just try it once more – and maybe this time, just a little bit faster…”
Ben Crocker is a writer and theatre director. He has directed over seventy professional productions and written pantomimes which are performed by amateur and professional companies all over the world. All titles are available through www.bencrockerpantomimes.com
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amateurstage | feature Faringdon Dramatic Society - Dick Whittington
>panto
traditionalism it’s behind you!
Theatre has always attracted people who like to follow traditions, amateur theatre attracts even more, and pantomime…? Well let’s just say that sometimes you can hardly breathe without somebody telling you “that’s not the way we usually do it”. So, what makes a good pantomime? Obviously you’ve got to have a few rounds of “oh yes it is” and “it’s behind you” and toss in a bit of slapstick and then of course there’s the middle-aged man dressed up as a woman,but in a non-creepy way. Is that it then? Just tie it all together with a ghost of a storyline and a few jokes that would be quite at home in even the cheapest of Christmas crackers? Oh if only it were that simple. You have the traditionalists to deal with, ignore them at your peril for they have many rules that you must follow. Woe to the writer who dares to have the baddie come on from the right or that sin of sins, writes in the principal girl telling a joke. And what about all those things that aren’t in the script, the minefield that many a director has to delicately tread across every year so as not to offend the hierarchy of their society, “don’t say the last line in rehearsals”, “it’s my job to say hello to the Brownies”, “but
we always cast her in that part” to name but a few. There is this misconception that audiences across the country and beyond will throw down their programmes and storm out of theatres in outrage if you break with any of these so-called rules. Some people would snub one of God’s Ten Commandments before disobeying the ancient laws of panto! I’m sure I’m not the only amdramer who has witnessed a little bit of coveting of a neighbours wife. The truth is none of these things really matter to anyone but the traditionalist themselves. As far the audience is concerned the only thing you need to worry about is putting on a good show. They won’t mind if someone else plays the dame this year or if the principal boy is actually a…well, a boy. So should we ignore the traditionalist then? Should we rip up the rule book and start again? Of course not, we should merely approach every production with an open mind. Don’t just assume that what worked thirty years ago will work today but on the other hand don’t just assume it won’t work because it is thirty years old. Nobody could accuse me of being a hardcore traditionalist but neither am I someone
who’s afraid of thinking inside the preverbal box. My approach is simple, listen to the audience, and when I say that I don’t mean ask them their opinion on your show when they’re exiting the theatre, most of them are far too polite to say they hated it. Listen to them during the show, what do they laugh at, how loudly do they applaud and most importantly of all, do they come back next year? There is one group of individuals who should be listened to more than anyone else though, and believe it or not they are far more important than any audience member, they are the members of your society. What do they want to do? Are they enjoying the production? Do they volunteer or do they have to be cajoled into taking a part? Remember, without them you have no show, in fact you have no society. We all have different opinions, different likes and dislikes, so why not try a little give and take. You crazy, young, modern people, try listening to the old-timers once in a while and traditionalist, if those free-thinking radicals want to put on Star Trek the Panto or Snow White and the Seven Deadly Sins then why not give it a go. You never know, you might find you enjoy it. Darren Edwards
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where have all the good men gone?
Pantomime time comes round yet again and it is time to choose your script. But wait a minute! You remember the problems you had last year, and the year before - too many ladies in your society and nowhere near enough men? Bob Heather & Cheryl Barrett discuss this common predicament. So what do you do? First thing is to read as many scripts as you can to find one that suits your society. You might find a great script but it has more scene changes that your stage crew can easily handle, or it might be that it leans too heavily towards a predominantly large male cast and the only man in your society is sixty-five year old Bert. There are scripts out there that have taken this into consideration like our version of Jack and Jill, where the villainess is the evil Fairy, Dehydria and the comic duo, Akela and Brown Owl, an inept Scouting pair, specifically written as female roles. The other way is to see if you can use ladies in other roles. This generally works with several of the characters, for instance in Bob’s Pied Piper at the Plaza Theatre in Romsey a couple of years ago, a woman played the part of the wicked Piper. The role was still portrayed as a man and worked very well indeed. Another place where you can use female actors easily is the comic duo. We would normally advocate them still playing the comic duo as men, however, we saw two versions of our Robin Hood last year, where one society used two younger females and they played them as girls - actually they were played as Chavs, and it worked extremely well even though the rest of the characters and setting were very traditional. The other society had two mature ladies as the duo and they played them as men to great effect, which goes to show that a comic duo can be played by any gender as long as it is directed with that thought in mind. Also with such pantomimes as Robin Hood and Babes in the Wood, you can use females to play all or many of the “Merry Men” characters. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is another pantomime where the audience might expect to see Snow White and seven men, however in our version of the script, most of our dwarfs have genderless names, ‘Hippy, Zippy, Dippy, Sarky, Clumsy, Fred and Junior’ and can be played by a mixture of male and females. When Cheryl directed her pantomime Dick Whittington for Cheshunt Dramatic Society a
couple of years back, she was faced with the dilemma of a lack of men in the chorus and minor roles. Therefore, the sailors on board ship were mostly female. Who says women working on board ship is bad luck? This show proved one of the most popular pantomimes for many a year. However, whilst it is feasible to have women playing some male roles in pantomime, traditional values still hold fast – that the dame must be played by a man and the principle boy played by a young female. Equally, the ugly sisters in Cinderella are also played by men. Not too many years ago, Bob saw Mother Goose where the dame was played by a woman and it just didn’t work. The audience didn’t react or interact with the dame as one would hope or expect and this was reflected in the local reviews. Some societies are overcoming the lack of men filling male roles by ‘borrowing’ men from other nearby societies. This works well, and as well as fostering good relations, adds a few more bums on seats because some of the other society’s members will come along to support their friends on your stage. This can also act in reverse giving your members a chance of
working in other society’s productions. So how do you find the right script to suit your society’s needs? Many pantomime scripts are available to read as perusal copies from the majority of pantomime publishers, whereas some publishers such as Lazy Bee Scripts have facility for you to read them on line. Whilst the director cannot make major changes to the script, he or she can use poetic license in staging and casting. We state in our production notes that certain parts can be played by male or female actors. If a shortage of men in your society is still a problem, consider using the Amateur Stage audition listings to advertise your pantomime. Another way forward is to submit a small article about your up-coming pantomime in your local newspaper with details of your society and auditions. This not only serves for recruitment purposes – it also advertises your panto. Let’s face it, as they say in the business, any publicity is good publicity. Bob Heather and Cheryl Barrett have been writing and directing pantomime, and running pantomime workshops for several years. They are at present working on an all-encompassing book about pantomime.
Lowestoft Players - Robin Hood, Prince Of Sherwood
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>panto
panto script suppliers
DOC WATSON
Playwright, director and performer. Involved in the professional theatre for over forty years. While at the Library Theatre, Luton he wrote five pantomimes with great success. Choosing subjects that were no longer fashionable and giving them a modern twist such Humpty The Dumpty (the Urban Pantomime) and Red Riding Hood, the Panto with teeth. Jack and The Beanstalk 2 was written as a sequel using the old panto story of Jack The Giant Killer. Using a Through The looking Glass technique he has created a panto with two dames , two villains etc. as Jack seeks his girlfriend, Jill who has been kidnapped by the Giant’s brother Blunderbore. Meeting various characters such as the white witch trapped in a spell – the three gifts which will lead him to success and the terrible Boggart. Lots of audience participation, adaptable for a small or large cast (including children). www.doc-watson.com
BOB HEATHER
Bob Heather has been writing traditional family pantomimes for more years than he cares to remember. They are performed all over the UK and around the world. He has written four pantomimes as a solo writer and over a dozen panto scripts with other writers such as Cheryl Barrett, Roger Lamb, and Stuart Ardern. All his pantomimes are published by Lazy Bee Scripts. For further information contact bobheather@dublar.co.uk or visit his web-site on www.dublar.co.uk Bob Heather and Cheryl Barrett have now written five pantomimes between them. All their scripts are traditional family pantomimes. Dozens of societies worldwide have said how witty and exciting their scripts are. Their pantomimes are equally suitable for professional companies and amateur societies alike. Staging is simplified to suit larger venue theatres, right down to the smaller theatre and village hall. They are published by Lazy Bee Scripts and can be read on www.dublar.co.uk.
ALAN P FRAYN
Alan Frayn, one of the most popular present day writers, now has 17 fun-filled pantomimes in his portfolio, with a record-breaking number of productions choosing one of his scripts this season. Whilst traditional in style, Alan’s pantomimes are bang up to date, fastmoving and packed with present day comedy. What’s more, all scripts are revised and updated every year. Available from Stage Right Creative, titles include Cinderella, Jack & the Beanstalk, Aladdin, Dick Whittington, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Beauty & the Beast, Robinson Crusoe & the Pirates, Mother Goose, Treasure Island, Ali Baba & the Forty Thieves, Sinbad the Sailor, Humpty Dumpty and, just released, The Snow Queen. Or, for something a little different, why not try Alan’s original The Twelve Days of Christmas or Adventure in Pantoland, a celebration of pantomime, ideal for an anniversary production. For further information, please visit www.stagerightcreative.com or contact 01889 502222 or email sales@stagerightcreative.co.uk
TLC CREATIVE
TLC Creative have been writing pantomimes since 2002 and have a wide range on offer - from the traditional (Cinderella, Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk), to something a bit different (1001 Arabian Nights, Goldilocks and the Three Bears or the Arthurian Knight Fever!). We mix up modern material and set pieces with all the traditional elements of pantomime – something for all ages! We supply rewritten lyrics to popular songs that fit the storyline, with professional backing tracks available through
www.sound-board.com. With over 3000 performances of our scripts worldwide and many returning customers, we’re obviously doing something right! We also offer downloadable Kids’ Fun Packs and spoof fairy-tale adverts to enhance your show programme, and silly audio/radio adverts and audience announcements to play in the foyer. It’s all designed to get people in the mood for fun before the curtain even rises. Find out more and get some freebies at www.tlc-creative.co.uk/as.htm
SPOTLIGHT PUBLICATIONS
Spotlight offers you choice. There are sixty five pantomime scripts to choose from, eighty percent of them traditional, and from established authors such as Dave Buchanan, Robin Bailes, Craig Hewlett and Ron Nicol. But we also offer innovation: original stories such as Dave Buchanan’s Viva Zorro! and Jack Burgess’s The Magic Shoes; and imaginative reworkings of classic works like Peter Foord’s Carol’s Christmas, Joy Davis’s Rumplestiltskin, and Chris Liversidge’s The Three Musketeers. www.spotlightpublications.com
ROBIN BAILES
When myself and Jonathan Hales sat down to write our first pantomime, Robin Hood, we set ourselves three rules:- the jokes had to be better than those in the pantos we’d acted in; the principal boy and girl had to be more interesting characters than in the pantos we’d acted in; it had to be a traditional pantomime with all the attendant audience participation and cross-dressing. Over the years I’ve stuck to those rules, even when I revisited the Robin Hood characters in Babes in the Wood, a little older, not much wiser, but hopefully just as funny. Even within the confines of tradition, pantomime is a flexible medium, it absorbs new ideas but still comes out as something that people fifty or a hundred years ago would recognise as pantomime. Bottom line:- if it’s funny, if it’s silly, and as long as good triumphs over evil, it’ll work. www.spotlightpublications.com
CRAIG HEWLETT
The essence of any Craig Hewlett pantomime is innovation. He takes a well-trod story and shines new light through an old window. His jokes and characters are original and contemporary; his most recent work, a version of Aladdin, created two hilarious Dames, turned Widow Twanky into a female villain and provided Aladdin’s own Hairy Dogfather (a Shih tzu of course) to watch over him. If you’re looking for something original he’s well worth a read. www.spotlightpublications.com
RON NICOL
Many groups choose an established pantomime – then find there’s another version of the same show being performed only a few miles away. Audiences themselves often welcome a change. Perhaps a less familiar title is the answer. Ron Nicol’s Molly Whuppie and Childe Rowland – described in Amateur Stage as ‘ground-breaking’ – provide plenty of fun and laughter and are loved by audiences and performers alike for their strong stories, great roles for women, notable villains, and original songs. Spotlight also publishes Ron’s versions of Aladdin, Ali Baba and the Seven Thieves, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Dick Whittington, Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the Three Vertically Challenged People and a non-pantomime but seasonal A Christmas Carol, but Molly Whuppie and Childe Rowland are original, fresh and that little bit different, while retaining all the much-loved pantomime features. Is this the year to surprise everybody?
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COLIN WAKEFIELD and KATE EDGAR
Colin and Kate have been writing pantomimes and Christmas musicals for over twenty years and now have seventeen panto scripts to their name, all professionally commissioned and highly popular with amateur societies. Last year’s show, Hansel & Gretel, for Theatre Royal Margate, was described by one critic as “the stuff of dreams”. Of their Aladdin, the Independent wrote: “Traditional to the tips of its turned up toes, this Aladdin has the Playstation generation on the edge of its seats screaming with delight. It is rare that any pantomime genuinely deserves the title ‘a show for all the family’. But this one does”. Their shows range from large to small scale, most with choruses, and all with original music by Kate Edgar. They were first produced by Salisbury Playhouse, Winchester Theatre Royal, or Theatre Royal Margate. Kate and Colin have developed a reputation for strong plots, witty scripts and outrageous characters. In 2007 they received their first amateur commission, The Snow Queen, from the Merlin Theatre, Frome, and this large-scale musical (complete with chorus of tap-dancing penguins) was published by Josef Weinberger Plays, who also publish twelve other of their scripts. For full details of these and more of their shows, please visit Kate and Colin’s website: www.traditionalpantomimes.co.uk
Cinderella, Aladdin, Dick Whittington and his Cat, Beauty & the Beast, Jack & The Beanstalk or Sleeping Beauty, Ben will have the perfect panto for you, beautifully written and full of surprises. To read lots more and to get free reading copies emailed by return, go to Ben’s website. You’ll discover a topsy-turvy world where traditional pantomime has been lovingly re-invented by the wittiest and most original writer working in pantomime today. For more information please visit www.bencrockerpantomimes.com or contact 01271 815856.
CHRIS LANE
Small budget? Small cast? No problem. Pantomimes Online offers low cost pantomime scripts aimed at amateur groups with minimal staging requirements and small casts. Fast paced action and lots of laughs for young and old alike. Free sample scripts. Master copies £20.00, performance rights from just £25. Easy ordering online. Shows have been successfully performed in theatres, schools and village halls across the UK as well as overseas, with several repeat orders. www.pantomimesonline.co.uk
An exciting year: two panto books both reaching the Top 10 on Amazon: How to Write or Choose the Perfect Panto and Chris Lane: Panto Scripts (just search for ‘chris lane’ in Amazon books), three comedy novels published – one of them becoming the bestselling number one comedy novel in the UK in just four days, and on top of these dozens of performances of my scripts on every continent except Antarctica! Scripts have also been asked for by very famous national charities, to help their fundraising, and to an up-market hotel chain for their entertainment team to perform. Interested in seeing a script? Download all of them at Amazon UK or USA, or, if in another country, email me via www.pantoscripts.me.uk (still the most-hit panto website not paying to be at the top!) (Avoid copycat sites trying to rip-off my success). Why use my scripts? (1) They have ALL been rewritten recently (no cheesy old TV references from the 1970s in these!) (2) Performance right are just £20 per show and NOTHING ELSE – no printed scripts to buy, no video rights, etc. (Totalling less than half or one quarter the cost of other scripts yet far superior!) (3) They are genuinely funny all the way through and easy to stage (avoid those ridiculous scripts with 18 different scenes!), and (4) I will rewrite them to fit your exact needs at no extra cost! (No Dame? No chorus? No problem!) (I already have several specially adapted for schools, small clubs, office-parties, etc.)
DAVID WOOD
AA PANTOS
Someone asked recently which of my pantomimes I considered ‘the best’. Tricky, because the writer’s opinion is dictated by criteria different from those of anyone else. I have been lucky enough to adapt eight classic Roald Dahl stories. All are, I hope, faithful, entertaining and theatrically inventive. James and thr Giant Peach is possibly the most popular, but my favourite is The BFG, mainly because it was my first Dahl. The Witches runs it a close second, but audiences recently went wild for George’s Marvellous Medicine, the amateur rights of which will soon be released by Samuel French. My pantomimes include the classic titles Cinderella, Aladdin, Jack and the Giant and Babes in the Magic Wood, which get produced regularly. But it always pleases me when companies put on the lesser known titles, Old Mother Hubbard, Old Father Time and the one for which I admit a special fondness, Mother Goose’s Golden Christmas. The ‘Little’ nursery rhyme titles – Bo-Peep, Jack Horner, Tommy Tucker and Polly Flinders resent their status. Mother Goose who looks after them in her big book, gives them confidence by relating a story in which each has a ‘big moment’. I’d love more companies to discover this musical – it really does work well. It is refreshing to witness how some societies adventurously don’t mount a traditional panto, but successfully experiment with shows like The Owl and the Pussycat went to See..., The Plotters of Cabbage Patch Corner or even my adaptations of classic novels like Tom’s Midnight Garden or Babe, the Sheep-Pig. They go down well, and, importantly, don’t seem to harm box-office receipts.
AA Pantos launched their website just over eleven years ago, but co-authors Alan Richardson and Alistair Ferguson actually started collaborating on Pantomime Scripts back in 1973 with their version of Sinbad. Drawing from over eighty years of amateur stage experience (yes, it’s that winning combo of octogenarian and child prodigy!) they have scripted, either jointly or individually, eighteen Pantomimes and Children’s Plays. Their titles include a Cinderella inspired by Celtic myths, a Little Red Riding Hood steeped in legend and folk tales, a Sinbad inspired by tales in the Arabian Nights and a Robinson Crusoe with a distinctly green and environmentally friendly feel-good factor. New offerings for 2012 are Puss In Boots with a Neapolitan flavour and The Emperor’s New Clothes based on the famous Hans Christian Anderson tale. All their scripts have a very strong storyline, a few cheeky plot twists, packed with daft comedy, appalling puns, convoluted rhyming couplets, tried and tested Panto Routines and a chance for groups to get their teeth into a bit of “straight” acting. As Alistair always says, “Make ‘em laugh and make ‘em cry”. Regularly performed from the South of England to the North of Scotland, Alistair and Alan’s scripts have had nothing but praise from groups - “We started a read-through last evening but didn’t get past Scene 5 due to the laughter!” - their audiences - “That was the silliest, funniest Panto I’ve ever seen” - and from the local press - “This Panto had the lot and sent the audience away with a smile on their lips and a song in their hearts”. More details of their scripts (including sample scenes) can be found on their website at www.aapantos.co.uk
BEN CROCKER PANTOMIMES
PAUL TATE
PANTOMIMES ONLINE
If you’re choosing a pantomime script, you want it to make you laugh out loud. You want it to be suitable for all ages and most likely you want it to be traditional – BUT you also want it to have a modern feel with a few surprises along the way. And that’s what Ben Crocker offers you. Very funny, traditional pantomime scripts which feel fresh, witty and bang up to date. And don’t just take our word for it, here’s Dominic Cavendish in the Daily Telegraph, reviewing Ben’s panto, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves “The show that still, I think, wins the prize as the sweetest in the land… It’s as if all the elements this bastardised genre requires to go with a swing are lined up and given a rigorous inspection to see what would best go where: there must be room for local children who’ve got the necessary theatrical vim and verve; music and song, too – but not so as the action drags; cross-dressing without gross vulgarity taking hold; jokes everyone can get; and of course surprises in generous measure.” So, whether you’re looking for a less well known title like Ali Baba, or Ben’s brand new Camelot The Panto - or one of the old favourites like,
Paul Tate is one of the UK’s leading pantomime performers/scriptwriters playing dame up and down the country since the mid 1980’s as well as numerous West End and musical theatre tours. Should your group be looking for a traditional but with a modern feel pantomime script, Paul can tailor any of his pantomimes to your society. He has written many professional and amateur scripts, and is happy to rewrite for any number of characters, abilities, costs etc. Subjects already in stock include Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Dick Whittington, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk, Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, Sleeping Beauty and this year he will make a start on pantomime versions of Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio, Snow White, indeed any fairy story you so wish. Media quotes have included “A clever contemporary script that paved the way for a smash hit panto! An up to date take on a classic!” (Worcester Standard) “Pantomimes don’t get more traditional than this! A constant titter!” (Hereford Times) Perusal copies available. More info can be found on the Panto Script page of his website www.paultateproductions.co.uk
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amateurstage | feature STEPHEN DUCKHAM
Stephen has been involved with Pantomimes both professional and amateur for over thirty years. Having directed every major title he turned to writing in the early 1990’s and has had his scripts performed all over the British Isles, Southern Ireland, Europe, Australia and the USA. In fact his first script, Cinderella, was written for an American production in Los Angeles and starred Zsa Zsa Gabor as the Fairy Godmother. For the last seven years he has had a script of his performed in London’s West End this year will see his Aladdin. His latest script is Robin Hood, which premiered last Christmas and is his sixteenth script. All Stephen’s Pantomimes are published and available through NODA. Stephen lives in Coventry and has been involved in the theatre from an early age as a performer, musical director, composer, director and writer and has been a long time member of the Talisman Theatre Company in Kenilworth where most of his pantomime scripts and musicals are premiered.
SAMUEL FRENCH
From Aladdin to The Wonderful Story of Mother Goose, Samuel French Ltd has more than 90 pantomimes available to perform at www.samuelfrench-london.co.uk. Browse the full list of synopses and details of setting and casting requirements of pantos from a range of popular authors including Norman Robbins, Paul Reakes, David Wood, Richard Lloyd, David Cregan and Brian Protheroe and John Crocker and Eric Gilder. Choose ‘Pantomime’ in the genre field of Select-a-play, the unique search facility created for drama groups to tailor their show to their individual requirements. You can also specify the number of male, female and total roles, depending on the cast size available. Non-traditionalists can find a range of alternatives to pantomimes under the ‘Seasonal’ genre, which includes family plays and musicals for children and young people such as J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, Willis Hall’s A Right Christmas Caper, Paul Thain’s Papa Panov’s Magic Christmas and John Morley’s Pinocchio. Other seasonal alternatives include Tim Firth’s Flint Street Nativity, which sees a class of seven-year-olds (played by adults) tackling a school nativity play with hilarious results: Herod won’t stop waving at his Mum and Dad and the subversive innkeeper is determined to liven up the traditional script. Original lyrics are set to the tunes of well-known Christmas carols. Alan Ayckbourn’s new musical Awaking Beauty with music by Denis King imagines what would happen if Sleeping Beauty finally woke up in the 21st Century. The Prince awakens Princess Aurora and the happy young couple are about to embark on their first night of passionate love when ugly Carabosse, the wicked witch, butts in having taken a fancy to the Prince. But which one will be the Awaking Beauty? On a slightly less festive but equally entertaining note, Ayckbourn’s Season’s Greetings, a recent hit at the National Theatre, sees a dysfunctional family Christmas descending into rows and rivalry, climaxing in a potential crime scene. The site also allows you to check fee codes and apply for a licence quotation for performance. Leaflets providing further details of pantomimes and seasonal plays are available to download and print.
JOHN MORLEY
Britain’s pantomime king, his scripts are classics of their kind, based on his magnificent London Palladium originals. Then, of course, there is the Guiness Book of Records entry for Babes In the Wood at Nottingham Theatre Royal which ran until June! If old fashioned tradition is what you look for in a panto, John’s scripts are perfect for your group. His treatments of nearly every unusual subject are still the first choice for societies worldwide. Scripts are available through Samuel French or NODA.
The Ousting of the Ogre Bogle. Jack the Giant Killer and this year’s Puss in Space Boots have all had their original ingredients to make them that bit special. He also produces versions of the classics such as Aladdin, Cinderella, Babes in the Wood- essentially whatever you want. Music is vital to pantomimes and Tony has worked with several very talented composers to provide original scores; however, with the advent of downloadable backing tracks, well-known songs can be fitted into your show, with either the original lyrics or with new ones. If you are new to the panto business, he can also provide advice on staging, having directed and designed many of his shows, from village halls to large-scale theatres. Rather than reproduce something old, why now have something- if not brand-new- there are no new jokes!- at least something to suit you and yours. www.pantosdirect.co.uk
JOHN OWEN SMITH
It started, as these things so often do, by getting someone out of a hole. His local Am Dram club were short of a panto script, so John Owen Smith was persuaded to write them one. That was in 1988. Since then his Puss in Boots has been translated into Spanish and staged in New York and he has written ten other pantomime titles, half a dozen historical plays and a smattering of murder mysteries and other short plays. Operating as a one-man industry out of his house in Hampshire, John’s main line of business is in publishing local history books, and many of his scripts include a historical theme – for instance in his Robin Hood we find King Richard and his queen returning from a Mediterranean crusade, getting closer as the show goes on, until they arrive at Nottingham just in time to put paid to the dastardly Sheriff. He writes his scripts to allow for local variations, and in particular is happy to release the text in electronic form for directors to make their own amendments and print their own scripts. As a publisher himself he sees that the profit from printing, stocking and selling paper scripts is small compared with the royalties received from performance. He would prefer to get a script used rather than put barriers in the way of potential directors, and this seems to be borne out by the enthusiasm of his customers to receive scripts in this form. Having become known locally as ‘Jo who writes pantomimes’, he was asked by his District Council to write a community play based on a historical theme. Thus began a new theatrical challenge, to portray nonfiction on the stage. [see ‘Bringing Local History to Life’ — Amateur Stage, January 1994] The result was not only a success for John as a playwright but also helped to develop a spirit of co-operation between a number of local amateur dramatic organisations who were involved in the project – a bonus which has continued in his part of East Hampshire to the present day. And his most recent offering? MacHamlet – the pantomime that dare not speak its name! To be premiered by his local Am Drams at a ‘Bard’s Night’ feast on St George’s Day this year. After that, you’re welcome to try it yourselves. www.johnowensmith.co.uk
FULL HOUSE ONLINE
Fullhouseonline is the new look Full House Productions the pantomime script service popular with groups large and small during the 1990’s. With over fourteen titles to choose from with others being added each year there is something for everyone. As well as receiving your downloadable service. For one amazing price you receive a master script, licence to perform, permission to video, a master set of tickets for each performance and a master poster. enquiry@fullhouseonline.co.uk
JOHN CROCKER
John’s pantomimes have been performed all over the world. John and his son Ben have worked on keeping the scripts modern and current. Whether your requirements are for larger casts or smaller casts John’s scripts cover your requirements. If you want to veer off the more traditional subjects you are advised to look at his Potted Panto and the Frankenstein Monster Show - both hugely entertaining. John Crocker’s scripts are available through Samuel French.
PANTOSDIRECT
Pantosdirect was founded several years ago with the specific aim of providing pantomime scripts to suit all companies, to have them tailormade to fit your potential cast. Tony Cottrell has thirty years’ experience of writing and staging pantomimes, a number of them to unusual themes; they all have the traditional elements- the dame, the principal boy, the baddies, comedy and music but The Scallyman’s Beautiful Daughter,
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playscripts | amateurstage
ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES Jo Smith johnowensmith.co.uk
Each page of this script is marked with a copyright stamp and dated 1993, though there is also a statement that this edition is 1997. I was a little surprised to receive a piece for review that was originally written 20 years ago, but the story is, of course, much older than that so it shouldn’t really be a problem. Most pantomimes follow a storyline with which we are already familiar and are expected to contain certain traditional elements. This version of Ali Baba begins, as we might have anticipated, with Scheherazade commencing the 1001st story of Arabian Nights. With the Sultan and his executioner sitting comfortably, Scheherazade begins and we are transported to a street scene and the townsfolk start their opening song. Indeed, much is how we might expect it to be: Ali Baba is good natured but lazy; his brother, Cassim, is smarter but greedier; there is a cave that houses the riches of the forty thieves that can only be accessed by calling out a certain phrase, but there are also some nice original touches. I have never seen a version of this panto where there really are forty thieves and here the author explains it quite neatly. First we meet six of the thieves then we meet a seventh whose name is Thirty-four. Thirty four and six is forty, is it not? There is actually more to Thirty-four than meets the eye because she is Morgiana, Cassim’s slave girl in disguise and, with Cassim trapped in the cave, she is able to obtain a promise that secures her freedom and ensures that she, and all the other good folk, have a happy ending. Other than a mention of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta there isn’t really anything to age this panto because there are none of the references to popular culture that are often found in pantomime scripts. However, there are plenty of opportunities to insert these if required and, though songs are included, these could also be changed to suit the director’s preference. Over all, I would say that if you are looking for a good, clean, traditional panto script Jo Smith’s version of Ali Baba is well worth considering.
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK II Doc Watson www.doc-watson.com
As this pantomime begins Jack is scurrying down the beanstalk with Tracey the hen in his arms. Having reached safety he takes a few mighty thwacks at the beanstalk with his axe which brings the vegetation, and the giant, crashing to the ground. Jack is a hero! But not for long. Bits of giant are lying all over the place: crops are ruined, livestock is crushed and Tracey the hen turns out to be pretty useless. She might have laid golden eggs in the land of the giant but down here all she produces is plain old brown and white ones and no amount of feeding her Golden Wonder crisps, Golden Churn butter, gold top milk or Golden Grahams cereal can make her change her ways. All is gloomy when a messenger arrives. This is Sir Plus from Camelot who tells Jack that King
Arthur has heard of his exploits and is on his was to see him. Unfortunately there is another messenger who has news that is less welcome. A mysterious bag lady arrives in the village to warn that the giant’s brother, Blunderbore, is on his way to avenge his brother’s death. This he does by kidnapping Kate, a maiden who is, of course, in love with Jack and the adventure begins. King Arthur presents Jack with a medal for his bravery which the bag lady swaps for three items that will help Jack in his quest: a Cap of Knowledge, Shoes that Go Fast and a Cloak of Invisibility (good luck with that, special effects people). On receiving the medal the bag lady is transformed into a white witch and Jack puts on the shoes and makes his way to the land of Blunderbore. Here Kate is preparing for dinner, or, should I say, being prepared for dinner, when Jack arrives in the nick of time and, making use of the things he received from the bag lady/white witch, is able to defeat the giant and give us a happy ending. The writer tells us that there is some doubling in act two but only specifies that King Arthur becomes Blunderbore and that the Dame becomes Eebeygum, the cook. We are instructed to work out the rest of the doubling for ourselves and I cannot really understand what he was trying to achieve by making us do this. But, that aside, I enjoyed reading this pantomime very much. There is a lot of inventive comedy and a freshness that makes this script stand out
SHEER LUCK HOLMES
Bob Heather and Cheryl Barrett Lazy Bee Scripts It is 1855 and in a foggy London street we meet three policemen, Arthur, Cone and Oil. After a plethora of puns we find ourselves outside the Candlestick Maker’s Arms in Baker Street for the opening song. Then, after more double entendres about sausages than you can shake a truncheon at, it is with some relief that we meet the dame, Dotty Watson. Dotty is Sheer Luck’s cook, housekeeper and – not many people know this – fellow detective. The next character on the stage is Baskerville, the dog, and he is followed by Sheer Luck himself who wastes no time in getting down to a bit of deducing. He can hear the sound of sweets being unwrapped and from this he is able to deduce that there are children in the audience. What is more, they sound like Werther’s Original sweet wrappers so this must mean that there are Grandmas and Granddads as well. Elementary, but should produce a few chuckles. Other characters include Hugo, a European prince, and Wendy, Dotty’s daughter, with whom Hugo is instantly in love. Then there is the villain of the piece, Mary Arty, who kidnaps Hugo and Wendy and, assisted by a butcher who is not everything that he appears to be, steals a number of priceless pieces of art. Can Sheer Luck unravel the mystery and free Hugo and Wendy? Of course he can! Using the Sherlock Holmes character as the basis for a pantomime is an excellent idea and
offers plenty of opportunity for comedy derived from bungling burglars and plodding policemen. Also, the suggestion that the show should be closed with a Gerry Rafferty song certainly meets with my approval.
SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS Bob Heather and Cheryl Barrett Lazy Bee Scripts
In Bob Heather and Cheryl Barratt’s take on this most traditional of pantomimes the magic mirror, that declares the queen to be “the fairest of them all”, has become broken so Snow White’s friend, Bertie, has to pretend to be the spirit of the mirror by standing behind a replacement obtained from Oxfam. It becomes increasingly difficult for Bertie to deliver the answer expected of him especially as Snow White, with her jet black hair, becomes more beautiful every day. Eventually he is no longer able to keep up the pretence; not even his pet panda, Peter, can save him. There is “panda-monium” as Bertie fails to “panda” to the queen’s wishes, etc. Knockabouts Botchit and Leggit are handymen (they live just around the corner) and their arrival brings the opportunity for double entendres by the bucketful. Their lines are hardly subtle: their observation that the queen has “a good pair of knockers” and their boast of a reputation for “rubbing knockers, banging and screwing” are, I suppose, designed to appeal to older members of the audience but seem a little unsophisticated in what has been good family fun up until now. However, order is restored with the arrival of Old Ma Bumble who, for me, has the best and the most original lines in the show. Before very long, we are in the dwarfs’ cottage, the occupants of which all have names that suit their personalities even if these names are not the ones with which we are familiar. There is plenty of opportunity for audience participation with the “behind you”s and “Oh yes it is, oh no it isn’t”s all present and correct. The main slapstick comes from Botchit and Leggit’s attempts at DIY, but the most satisfying scene has to be where there is a bit of synchronised mirror image acting. There are twenty songs referred to in the script but, although there are a few suggestions about what might be suitable, only one, Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Tit Willow”, is specified. The script is littered with chances to mention local celebrities or place names and, although I have a few reservations about the double entendres, it has everything an audience would expect in a family panto.
THE BABES IN THE JUNGLE Anne Graham www.annesplays.com
Chopalog is in trouble. He is no longer able to find work as a woodcutter due to global warming: whenever he chops down a tree he is fined by the Tree Police. Meanwhile his wife, Ferocity, squanders money on liposuction and designer dresses but claims not to have enough money to put food on the table for her stepchildren, Hansel and Gretel. The children are sent into the jungle to pick mushrooms for tea but return empty handed and are sent to
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bed without any supper. The next day they are taken deep into the forest and abandoned.
quite funny enough to make it stand out in the crowd.
Meanwhile, Tomtom is searching for a treasure chest reputed to have oncebelonged to an ancient relative. He hopes that this will prove that his love for his fiancée, Lolly, is genuine and he is not just after her money. He bumps into Hansel and Gretel and is then joined by Lolly and together they stumble across a bungalow made of gingerbread in the heart of the forest. The children are so hungry they start to eat the house and are captured by weird creatures called Shapeshifters.
ALADDIN
Fear not! Chopalog has repented and is on his way to rescue his children. Furthermore, Tomtom has found the treasure chest and, in doing so, has become the new head of the Heckawi Tribe and a very suitable husband for Lolly. There is a reference to “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here” and I feel more could have been done with this, with a possible opportunity to have a bit of fun at the expense of Ant and Dec. Nonetheless, the author has put an entertaining twist on a well known fairy tale and I am sure that pantomime would be popular with a family audience.
WUSS IN BOOTS
Anne Graham www.annesplays.com We are in the village of Spotty Bottom and Katy, the dame, has hit hard times. In order to make ends meet she has had to take work as a cook for the Ogre Bogey, leaving her useless son, Walter, to look after the mill. Help arrives in the form of Wuss, Walter’s cat, who looks like he could be the hero despite earning his name through a fear of mice: he is a scaredy cat. Meanwhile, King Jonah is celebrating his silver jubilee and looking for a suitable husband for his daughter, Bridget, who Walter has met just the once but that was enough for him to fall in love with her. Katy also has an admirer: she is being pursued by Jerry but he is constantly being misled by Wuss who adopts a number of disguises to avoid detection. These include dressing as Katy and fooling Jerry who doesn’t seem to notice the whiskers. The story revolves around Wuss getting Walter to imitate a marquis so that King Jonah will allow him to marry Bridget, and rescuing Katy after the Ogre Bogey imprisons her. To achieve the latter Wuss disguises himself as an antique dealer but, having gained access to the Ogre Bogey’s castle, finds that Katy already has things under control with the Ogre Bogey deciding to give up being an ogre in order to pursue his childhood dreams of being a performer. With that the pantomime reaches a surprisingly rapid conclusion with marriage and babies on the cards for both Katy and Jerry as well as Walter and Bridget. There are lots of references to popular television shows in the script, such as ‘Strictly Come Prancing’ and ‘How Clean is Your Castle’, which I found quite amusing but the story is unremarkable and, although it bobs along quite nicely, I am afraid that I don’t think the script is
Tony Cottrell www.pantosdirect.co.uk In Old Peking, Police Sergeants Table and Tennis, better known as Ping and Pong, warn Aladdin that he must not look at Her Royal Highness Balroubadour but, when she enters, he cannot stop himself: she is so lovely. As the two members of Old Peking’s finest constabulary chase Aladdin and his brother, Wishy Washy, Abanazar summons his genie. He needs help to get hold of a magic lamp and it is in his interest to keep Aladdin out of clink because he is the only one who can enter the cave that houses the lamp. Once there, of course, Aladdin becomes trapped inside and after a quite amusing exchange with some ghosts they eventually manage to persuade Aladdin to RUB the RING. Now with the benefit of two genies, and rich beyond his dreams, Aladdin makes his way to the palace to claim Balroubadour as his bride. We are not quite finished though as Abanazar is back and offering new lamps for old; but good will triumph over evil and we have a happy ending. This pantomime has quite a few good elements, the best of which are an awful English family of tourists who are cringingly familiar, but the script contains a lot of errors. My copy came without a character list and with genie being spelt Geni, Genii and Genie I was left wondering if they were three different characters. It was something of a relief when the other genie arrived and they assumed the names Ring and Lamp. In the other pantomime submitted by this author for review the character Nanny is called Nurse on the early pages of the script and these are the kind of mistakes that really should not be in final drafts.
ALADDIN – A MAGICAL PANTOMIME ADVENTURE! Reece Sibbald www.reecesubbaldproductions.co.uk
Poor Widow Twankey! Her first two husbands died of mushroom poisoning. The third died of a fractured skull: he wouldn’t eat the mushrooms. Helping her run the laundry in Old Peking is her son, Aladdin. He is a lovely boy but not very bright: he is one prawn cracker short of a takeaway. Aladdin loves Princess Jasmine; Princess Jasmine loves Aladdin but they cannot be wed because he is so poor. Meanwhile, Abanazer arrives in Old Peking looking for The Chosen One: the only person who has the power to enter the cave that houses the magic lamp; a boy by the name of Aladdin. Some fun is had here as the band strikes up an Abba song whenever Abanazer starts to say his name: a joke that is repeated just three times to avoid becoming tiresome. They meet and Aladdin is persuaded to enter the cave but the boys and girls in the audience (hopefully) tell him not to give Abanazer the
lamp. Aladdin becomes trapped in the cave but, fortunately, Abanazer has given him a magic ring with which he is able to summon Scheherazade who tells him to rub the lamp to make a genie appear. So he does. (And he does.) And, all of a sudden, Aladdin is rich beyond his dreams and, with the power of the magic lamp, he will be able to marry Princess Jasmine. But wait! Abanazer is still around and he has set himself up in business as www.newlampsforold.com. Soon he has the lamp and is heading back to Egypt. The others follow and after a bit of trouble with some mummies (who are, of course, behind them) they track down Abanazer and force him to mend his ways. Despite a number of modern references this feels like an old fashioned pantomime. Most of the puns are quite ancient and an impersonation of Larry Grayson will surely be lost on much of the audience. However, there are a few good moments and the script provides a reasonably faithful telling of the Aladdin story.
BABES IN THE WOOD Tony Cottrell www.pantosdirect.co.uk
Shane and Sian are naughty babes who have run away from their nurse all the way from Bristol to Nottingham. Here the nurse, Nanny, encounters Little John in Sherwood Forest but her advances on him are disturbed by the arrival of Sir Guy and his henchpersons who represent the Sheriff of Nottingham. We then find ourselves at Goose Fair just in time for a song with numerous excruciating, but very funny, rhymes for the word Nottingham. Think Monty Python’s “It’s a busy life in Camelot, I have to push the pram a lot.” and you’ll get the idea. The sheriff moseys on down in his ten gallon hat before someone has a quiet word in his ear and he disappears off the stage to return dressed in something more suitable for the period. It seems that he is uncle to the babes and is to benefit from 100 gold pieces that his brother has left him in his will to look after them. However, in an unfortunate addendum(codicil, he stands to gain 1000 gold pieces if anything were to happen to the babes and they were unable to claim their share. As the sheriff puts it himself, the babes’ future is “DEAD certain”. The sheriff has a ward, Marion, who hears of his evil intentions toward the babes and sets off to find Robin Hood to ask for his help in protecting them. The henchpersons are instructed to take the babes into the woods and feed them to the wolves. Unfortunately the panto is set in England and there aren’t any wolves in the woods – only rabbits and they seem perfectly content eating dandelion leaves. With the babes apparently safe it only remains for the love interest to be resolved and as luck would have it Goose Fair traditionally holds an archery competition where Maid Marion’s hand in marriage is offered as a prize. Unfortunately, due to the new health and safety laws, archery is no longer allowed so instead they will hold a Strictly Country Dancing competition. Although Robin succeeds in sweeping Maid www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk | 27
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amateurstage | playscripts Marion off her feet all seems lost when the sheriff arrives and commands his men to seize Robin, boasting at the same time that the babes are ensconced in his dungeon. But there is a stranger amongst them: no other than King Richard (hooray) and we are assured of a happy ending.
Royal Guardian and that has gone to her rival, Brook. Her revenge is to put a curse on the whole of Lakelandia: there will be a drought that lasts for five years with no rain or water of any kind and all the animals shall perish. No livestock, pets or fluffy-wuffy bunny rabbits will survive.
There is lots of original and very good comedy in this script including Robin’s attempts at Romantic poetry, the sheriff’s occasional lapses into cowboy speak and, my favourite, a school scene with pupils called Stan Dup, Felicity (Cit) Down and her brother Neil. All in all this is a very well written and entertaining pantomime.
Five years later the citizens of Lakelandia have survived by drinking beer which they then, um, re-cycle to water the plants but there is still no sign of rain and King Pluvius has had enough. He promises his daughter’s hand in marriage to anyone brave enough to restore water to Lakelandia. The king’s daughter, Jill, is very beautiful and has long been admired by a humble boy from the village, Jack. His dreams could come true and he could marry a princess if he could only defeat the evil Dehydra.
CINDERELLA
Dave Buchanan Spotlight Publications Poor Baron Hardup has made an unfortunate choice of second wife. Godzilla in a frock, Henrietta Hardup is every bit as domineering as the baron is a wimp: when she tells him to sack his faithful servant, Buttons, he is too meek to argue. Meanwhile, Lady Hardup’s daughters, a gruesome twosome with the names Tiger Lily and Trixiebelle, are constantly at each other’s throats. That is apart from when they are indulging in their favourite hobby: making Cinderella’s life a misery. Buttons is in love with Cinderella and wants her to be happy so, when Prince Charming announces that he is to give? a party, Buttons does everything he can to ensure that Cinderella can go to the ball. With the help of a good, though rather incompetent, fairy, and via an unscheduled trip to Honolulu, Cinderella’s rags are transformed into a beautiful dress, her footwear becomes glass slippers and a banana becomes a fairy coach (apparently, pumpkins are out of season). To the ball and the palace reverberates to the theme music of Strictly Come Dancing before we meet three judges who look a lot like Craig Revel Horwood, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli. And the whole thing is introduced by, nice to see you – to see you nice, Bruce Forsyth. It’s all great fun but there can only be one winner, Cinderella, who succeeds in also winning the heart of the prince before disappearing at the stroke of midnight. Fortunately, and despite an attempt at deception by Trixibelle, Cinderella is the only girl around with size three feet and the discarded glass slipper fits. So Cinderella marries her prince, Buttons keeps his job and marries a nice girl from the village and even Baron and Lady Hardup live happily ever after. References in the script suggest that it was written with a particular group in mind but, with some small adjustments, it could be adapted for any group and is a faithful telling of the Cinderella story with a few entertaining and original twists.
JACK AND JILL – THE PANTOMIME Bob Heather and Cheryl Barrett Lazy Bee Scripts
Dehydra is feeling put out. King Pluvius made her Guardian of the Royal Fountain but that is no good to her. The position she wanted was
In order to break the terrible curse Jack must travel up to Dehydra’s lair, fill a golden pail with water from the Crystal Fountain and bring it back to Lakelandia. I wonder if it is possible for him to do this without having some sort of accident? Whilst a pantomime based on this particular nursery rhyme is unusual, the way the story develops will be very familiar as will most of the jokes. The script has quite a dated feel about it with some of the topical references not being terribly topical. For example, the phrase “Calm down, dear” would, I imagine, be lost on much of the audience. However it is a nice enough tale and there is some good comic tension played out between the king and the queen.
MOTHER GOOSE
Roger Cryer www.stagecostume.co.uk In the village of Much Piddling in the Pond, old Mother Goose is down on her luck but she is not the only one who is skint. None of the villagers can afford to pay their rents but, despite this, the squire is putting them up again. We learn that he plans to demolish the cottages to build a supermarket and employs a couple of henchmen to put the frighteners on anyone who gets in his way. M Goose has a son, Jack. She informs us that he is not really her son but a foundling. She found him on the doorstep one morning even though the note that she had left for the milkman asked for two pints of semi skimmed and a Yakult (misspelt Yokult in the script). Jack is in love with Jill, the squire’s daughter, and she is in love with him but, knowing what we do about the squire, is there any chance they could be together? Well, it is a pantomime. The squire’s plans go awry when M Goose suddenly comes into money. A good fairy gives her a present of a goose, Priscilla, that lays golden eggs. If he is to force M Goose out of her home he needs to her to part with the goose and so he conspires with the evil Demoness to appeal to M Goose’s worst instincts. She gives away the goose and all her eggs in the name of vanity. We have a happy ending, of course, after M Goose repents and offers to give up everything that she has to get Priscilla back. There are a number of quite elaborate special
effects that are carefully described and, if carried out correctly, should be pretty impressive and the script is packed with puns, often accommodated by the dialogue taking quite unlikely turns. I could have done without some rather uncomfortable humour derived from a character who is described as ‘camp’ but, in the main, this is a reasonable family pantomime.
ROBIN HOOD AND THE BABES IN THE WOOD Roger Cryer www.stagecostume.co.uk
In the village of Toad in the Hole, old Rosie Bottom is down on her luck. Pantomimes are, by their nature, formulaic, so this familiar beginning comes as no surprise but we are treading a different path before very long. The Sheriff of Nottingham is offering a reward of 500 crowns to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest of the outlaw, Robin Hood. Meanwhile, Robin himself is rather smitten with the woman who takes care of the sheriff’s wards; a woman that children know as Auntie Marion. Enter the wicked Lady Lakeland who, for reasons I must have missed, wants two of the children, the babes, Cedric and Eleanor, to be handed over to her care. She is just about to succeed when our hero saves the day, relieving the sheriff of his purse at the same time. Gosh – all this and it is only the end of the first scene. Lady Lakeland now demands that if she cannot have the babes in her care then they must be killed and the sheriff despatches a couple of his staff to do the deed. We find ourselves at Goose Fair where the babes are tricked into entering a magic cabinet from which they disappear and are soon on their way to the evil clutches of Lady Lakeland. Of course, Robin saves the day and is rewarded, by the newly arrived King Richard, with a knighthood and the keys to the castle where he, Maid Marion and the babes will, presumably, live happily ever after. Whilst the characters associated with Robin Hood lend themselves quite well to the panto treatment, I don’t think this opportunity has been fully explored here. There are also quite a few errors in the script; mostly typographical, but some which appear to be oversights. I cannot imagine that the author has forgotten that Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest but in the script the place is named after the football team – Nottingham Forest. There is also a reference to a boxer Amrit Khan which I’m sure should be Amir. I believe that mistakes like these, if that is what they are, could be quite distracting.
SNOW WHITE
Judy Shone enquiry@fullhouseonline.co.uk Lester the Jester is not very popular: no one likes him (ahh). They like him less than that (aahhh). This is the first of many opportunities for the audience to get involved with the result that they have almost as many lines as the cast in the first moments of this pantomime but, providing that they are prepared to play along,
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amateurstage | social networking
>social networking
getting the most out of facebook
Facebook represents an unprecedented method for theatre groups to communicate with their audiences around the UK and indeed world-wide but many groups are getting it wrong, reports Douglas Mayo. Over the past few years, the importance of Facebook to amateur theatre groups of Facebook has become obvious with some groups successfully reducing their overall spend on marketing by harnessing the power of social media in new and inventive ways, but many groups are misusing the technology and completely missing the point. Many groups are under the misapprehension that by simply setting up a Facebook group that they are on the social networking fast track. In truth, to make the most of Facebook, societies need to be looking at the platform on several different levels to properly promote their group and improve communications with their members. As many of you know, one of the most significant features of Facebook Groups and Pages is the ability to publish stories to members and fans’ news feeds. Whilst stories will not be visible to all users, Facebook wall stories can obtain a significant reach. So here’s a rough guide to how a group might ideally tackle Facebook to their betterment. The Facebook Group If you haven’t encountered Facebook Groups, there’s a good chance you haven’t spent more than an hour on Facebook. Facebook explains that groups are “for members of groups to connect, share and even collaborate on a given topic or idea”. A Facebook Group is one where you are asked to JOIN. The Closed Group represents the best network imaginable for cast and crew communications. By setting up a closed group you can invite people to join and communicate important information without the rest of the world having access. In terms of group activities this is great for arranging rehearsals, fittings, tech schedules. Most of this information is not of interest to the general public and should certainly not form part of your normal Facebook Page. You can choose to have a closed group for the society or theatre company or one for each show produced (which is possible) but it could get a bit cumbersome if lots of shows are produced over time. One of the best features of groups is the ability to send messages direct to members’ Facebook inboxes. Messages though are restricted once a group surpasses 5,000 members. If you are looking to build a group for marketing purposes, this feature will quickly become useless as the group surpasses a certain level.
The Facebook Page You see Facebook pages everyday. They are the pages that ask you to LIKE them. In contrast to groups, Facebook Pages “allow entries such as public figures and organisations to broadcast information to their fans.” If you are looking to set up your company’s “official Facebook presence” you should opt for Facebook Pages. Whilst both Groups and Pages are indexed by search engines, Facebook Pages provide administrators with greater search engine optimisation. In addition to being able to publish to fan’s walls or timelines, Facebook Pages also have the ability to target stream posts based on location in language. If you have successfully attracted fans from around the world, you may wish to distribute your English content directly to English speaking fans. Want to convert visitors to your company website into fans of your Facebook Page? Facebook provides all administrators with Facebook Fanbox widgets to help promote their Facebook pages. Facebook Groups on the other hand, have no similar feature. How it affects us For an organisation like Amateur Stage we thrive on the ability to like your Facebook pages from our Amateur Stage Facebook Page. Unfortunately we are unable to join Groups. When we publish our Break a Leg messages or any other messages on our Facebook page about specific groups, we like to link to you on Facebook and whilst we can do that with Facebook Pages, we can’t with Groups. In Summary Put simply, it’s time for many groups to step up and establish their Facebook Group for internal communications (your paying audience doesn’t need to know your audition call details) and a Facebook Page for communications with the outside world, your media soapbox as it were. Your Facebook Page must be up-to-date. Take a look at some of your competitors or to the Amateur Stage Facebook Page to see some of the clever campaigns being run using Facebook. The time has come to commit fully to Facebook as just one of the major social networking tools. It’s FREE so what have you got to lose. Chances are most of the people who will buy your tickets are right in front of you waiting to hear from you, so get moving.
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show diary | amateurstage
>show diary UK Production listings
ADMIRABLE CRICHTON, THE 16 - 18 May 2013 Rayleigh Operatic & Dramatic Society The Mill Arts & Events Centre Rayleigh, Essex 01268 771751 www.rods.org.uk AGNES OF GOD 04 - 06 Jul 2013 Woodford Players Woodford Community Centre Stockport, Cheshire 0161 242 2920 www.woodfordplayers.co.uk ‘ALLO ‘ALLO 09 - 11 May 2013 Garden Suburb Theatre The Bull Theatre Barnet, Barnet 020 7723 6609 www.gardensuburbtheatre.org.uk 29 May - 01 Jun 2013 Southside Players Chestnut Grove Theatre @ Chestnut Grove school Balham, London 07914657524 www.southsideplayers.org.uk
15 - 15 Jun 2013 Godalming Operatic Society The Electric Theatre Guildford, Surrey 01252 703376 www.godalmingoperatic.org ANNE’S DIARY 06 - 08 Jun 2013 Lees Street CC AMDS Lees Street Church Hall Theatre Manchester, Lancashire 0131 231 0004 www.leesstreetdrama.weebly.com
BAD GIRLS 30 Apr - 04 May 2013 Adlington Music and Arts Community Centre Adlington, Chorley, Lancashire 07507 012 080 www.adlingtonmusicandarts.com
ANNIE 23 - 27 Apr 2013 St Ives Music and Drama Society (SIMADS) Burgess Hall St Ives, Cambs 07516 484823 www.simads.co.uk
BALLAD OF RESURRECTION BOB, THE 27 Apr 2013 The South Devon Players Theatre Co Christian Community Centre Brixham, Devon 07855 090589 www.southdevonplayers.weebly.com
12 - 16 Nov 2013 Centenary Theatre Company The Brindley Theatre Runcorn, Cheshire 0151 907 8360 www.thebrindley.org.uk
AN EVENING of COMEDY & DRAMA 24 - 25 May 2013 Stewarton Drama Group Stewarton Area Centre Stewarton, East Ayrshire www.stewarton-drama-group.co.uk
ANYTHING GOES 22 - 27 Apr 2013 BOS Musical Theatre Group Blackfriars Theatre & Arts Centre Boston, Lincs 01205 363801 www.blackfriarsartscentre.co.uk
AND EVERMORE SHALL BE SO 24 - 27 Apr 2013 Stage Door Theatre Company The Windmill Entertainment Centre Littlehampton, West Sussex 01903722224 www.stage-door.org.uk
ASPERN PAPERS, THE 06 - 08 Jun 2013 Theydon Bois Drama Society Theydon Bois Village Hall Theydon Bois, Essex 01992812250 www.theydondrama.org
25 - 27 Apr 2013 Portishead Players Somerset Hall Portishead, North Somerset 01275 848364 www.portishead-players.org.uk Animal Magic and “The Zoo”
AUTOBAHN 16 - 20 Jul 2013 Sedos Bridewell Theatre London, London Online: sedos.co.uk www.sedos.co.uk
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BACK TO THE 80S 15 - 18 May 2013 Hertford Dramatic & Operatic Society (HD&OS) Hertford Theatre Hertford, Herts 01992 531500 www.hdos.org.uk
BENT 29 May - 01 Jun 2013 Table9 Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 07748336665 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk BLOOD BROTHERS 10 - 20 Jul 2013 Priory Theatre The Priory Theatre Kenilworth, Warwickshire 01926 863334 www.priorytheatre.co.uk BOUNCERS 05 - 08 Jun 2013 Knutsford Little Theatre Knutsford Little Theatre Knustford, Cheshire 01565 633000 www.knutsfordlittletheatre.com
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CALAMITY JANE 14 - 18 May 2013 Solihull Theatre Company Solihull Arts Complex Solihull, West Midlands 0121 704 6962 www.solihull-theatre.co.uk CALENDAR GIRLS 25 - 27 Apr 2013 HADS Harefield Amateur Dramatic Society St Marys Church Hall Harefield, Middlesex 01895 820672 www.hads.stinge.com 25 - 27 Apr 2013 The Attic Players The Attic Players, Community Centre Skelmorlie, North Ayrshire 01475568612 www.thematicplayers.co.uk 15 - 18 May 2013 Oxted Players Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 01883 724852 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk 25 - 29 Jun 2013 The Watson Players Guildhall Theatre Derby, Derbyshire 01773 882774 www.thewatsonplayers.org.uk CARMEN 19 - 23 Nov 2013 Guildford Opera Company Electric Theatre Guildford, Surrey 01483444789 www.guildfordopera.com CASH ON DELIVERY 17 - 20 Jul 2013 New Forest Players Ballard School New Milton, Hants 0845 166 8775 www.newforestplayers.com
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Keighley Playhouse - Up In Smoke
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To get your production listed, visit the Amateur Stage website and complete the simple online form. Please give as much notice as you can so we can ensure inclusion in these listings.
CATS 22 - 27 Apr 2013 MAODS Next Generation Youth Group George Lawton Hall Mossley, Lancashire 01616333062 www.maods.org
DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, THE 16 - 18 May 2013 The Centralian Players Henderson Hall Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire 01923 227392 www.thecentralians.co.uk
FIVE BLUE HAIRED LADIES SITTING ON A GREEN PARK BENCH 13 - 18 May 2013 Droylsden Little Theatre Droylsden, Manchester 0161 370 7713 www.droylsdenlittletheatre.co.uk
GLORIOUS 17 - 21 Sep 2013 Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Trust Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Trust Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire 01234 269 519 www.sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk
CHESS 03 - 08 Jun 2013 Pershore Operatic & Dramatic Society Number 8 Community Arts Centre Pershore, Worcestershire 01386 555488 www.number8.org
DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 28 May - 01 Jun 2013 Cheltenham Operatic & Dramatic Society The Everyman Theatre Cheltenham , Gloucestershire 01242 572573 www.everymantheatre.org.uk
FLINT STREET NATIVITY 25 - 30 Nov 2013 Droylsden Little Theatre Droylsden, Manchester 0161 370 7713 www.droylsdenlittletheatre.co.uk
CHRISTMAS CAROL, A 02 - 07 Dec 2013 Erewash Musical Society Duchess Theatre Long Eaton , Nottinghamshire 01332 875350 www.erewashmusicalsociety.co.uk/
ENRON 10 - 14 Jul 2013 Sedos Bridewell Theatre, London Online: sedos.co.uk www.sedos.co.uk
FOOTLOOSE 11 - 16 Nov 2013 Cassio OS Watford Palace Theatre Watford, Herts 01923 225671 www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk
GMDF ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL 2013 03 - 08 Jun 2013 Greater Manchester Drama Federation Hyde Festival Theatre Hyde, Cheshire 01204 63673 www.gmdf.org
ENTERTAINING ANGELS 13 - 15 Jun 2013 Loughton Amateur Dramatic Society Lopping Hall Loughton, Essex 07552 736 110 www.lads.org.uk
FOUR WEDDINGS AND AN ELVIS 24 - 27 Jul 2013 Stage Door Theatre Company The Windmill Entertainment Centre Littlehampton, West Sussex 01903722224 www.stage-door.org.uk
EQUUS 10 - 13 Jul 2013 ProAct Theatre Company Redgrave Theatre Bristol, Bristol 0844 826 1699 www.proacttc.co.uk
FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, A 13 - 18 May 2013 Runway Theatre Company Eastwood Park Theatre Giffnock, East Renfrewshire 0141 577 4970 www.runwaytheatre.co.uk
CLEARING, THE 30 May - 08 Jun 2013 The Miller Centre Theatre Company Miller Centre Theatre, Caterham Caterham, Surrey 01883 349850 www.millercentretheatre.org.uk CLYBOURNE PARK 30 Apr - 04 May 2013 Putney Theatre Company Putney Arts Theatre Putney, London 020 8788 6943 www.putneyartstheatre.org.uk COMPANY 19 - 23 Nov 2013 Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Trust Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire 01234 269 519 www.sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk
FAME JR 11 - 13 Jul 2013 Erewash Musical Society Youth Group Duchess Theatre Long Eaton , Nottinghamshire 01332 875350 www.erewashmusicalsociety.co.uk
CROWN PRINCE 22 - 25 May 2013 Hull Playgoers’ Society Young Hearts Theatre Hull, East Yorkshirre 01482879967 www.youngheartstheatre.co.uk
FAWLTY TOWERS 11 - 13 Jul 2013 Athenaeum Limelight Players (ALPs) Athenaeum Centre Warminster, Wiltshire 01985 213891 www.theath.org.uk
GASLIGHT 15 - 18 May 2013 Bartholomew Players Eynsham Village Hall Eynsham, Oxfordshire 07721 744020 www.bartholomewplayers.tk GHOSTS 24 - 27 Apr 2013 Adel Players Adel Memorial Hall Adel, West Yorkshire 0113 275 5585 www.adel-players.org.uk
COSTUMES
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COSTUME HIRE, SHOWS KING & I, PHANTOM, LES MIZ, OLIVER, FIDDLER, Pic KISS ME KATE, FOLLIES, PINAFORE, ANNIE, ALL PANTO SUBJECTS, ORIENTAL COSTUMES www.bpdcostumes.co.uk P: 01273 481004
GOD OF CARNAGE 19 - 22 Jun 2013 Lindisfarne Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre Westcliff on Sea, Essex 01702 351135 www.southendtheatres.org.uk GOTTA SWING 19 - 22 Jun 2013 PADOS PADOS House Manchester, Lancashire 0161 7737729 www.pados.co.uk GREASE 30 May - 01 Jun 2013 Acorn Theatre Company Intimate Theatre (St. Monica’s Hall) Palmers Green, London 020 8807 1810 www.acorntheatre.com 14 - 17 Aug 2013 Kenley Holiday Workshop Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 01883 331400 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk 23 - 26 Oct 2013 HSAP Harrogate, North Yorkshire 01423 502116 www.hsap.co.uk
ADVERTISE YOUR SHOW
HERE FOR JUST £25 Call (020) 33718849
Keighley Playhouse - We’ll Always Have Paris
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GUYS AND DOLLS 13 - 16 Nov 2013 Southend-on-Sea Operatic & Dramatic Society Cliffs Pavilion Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex 01702-351135 www.southendoperatic.com
HOLLOW, THE 29 May - 01 Jun 2013 Belmont Theatre The Pump House Theatre, Watford Watford, Hertfordshire 08455213453 www.belmonttheatre.co.uk
INTO THE WOODS 25 - 28 Jun 2013 Stars Musical Theatre Group The Gwyn Hall Neath, wales 0300 365 6677 www.gwynhall.co.uk
GYPSY 18 - 25 May 2013 Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Trust Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire 01234 269 519 www.sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk
HONK!JR 11 - 13 Jul 2013 Jopsox Plowright Theatre Scunthorpe, North Lincs 08448542776 www.scunthorpetheatres.co.uk
HAYWIRE 27 - 29 Jun 2013 Riverside Players The Memorial Hall Old Windsor, Berkshire 07717 671765 www.riversideplayers.com
HOT MIKADO 22 - 27 Apr 2013 Huddersfield Light Opera Company Lawrence Batley Theatre Huddersfield, West Yorkshire 01484 430528 www.thelbt.org/Hot-Mikado
JEKYLL AND HYDE 26 - 28 Sep 2013 Backstreet Theatre Company Prince of Wales Theatre Cannock, Staffordshire 07884 431346 www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/ info/100009/leisure_and_culture/131/ prince_of_wales_theatre
HELLO, IS THERE ANYBODY THERE 08 - 11 May 2013 Avenue Thestre Productions Avenue Theatre Sittingbourne, Kent 01795 471140 www.avenuetheatre.co.uk
27 Nov - 07 Dec 2013 Sedos Bridewell Theatre London, London Online: sedos.co.uk www.sedos.co.uk
HERBAL BED, THE 26 Apr - 04 May 2013 Stoke Repertory Players Stoke-On-Trent Repertory Theatre Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire 01782 209784 www.stokerep.info HI-DE-HI 12 - 15 Jun 2013 Wick Theatre Company Barn Theatre Southwick, West Sussex 01273 597094 www.wicktheatre.co.uk HIGH SOCIETY 01 - 04 May 2013 The Nomads East Horsley, Surrey 01483 284747 www.nomadtheatre.com HISTORY BOYS, THE 21 - 25 May 2013 Lindisfarne Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre Westcliff on Sea, Essex 01702 351135 www.southendtheatres.org.uk
HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES 24 - 27 Apr 2013 Ruislip Dramatic Society Compass Theatre Ickenham, Middlesex 01895 675343 www.ruislipdramatic.org IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, THE 12 - 20 Jul 2013 The Pantiles Players Salomons Southborough Tunbridge Wells, Kent 01892 534341 www.thepantilesplayers.co.uk INSPECTOR DRAKE AND THE PERFECT CRIME 04 - 05 May 2013 New Theatre Players Concordia Theatre Hinckley, Leicestershire 01455 611604 www.concordiatheatre.co.uk INTO THE WOODS 12 - 15 Jun 2013 Crossed key Musical Theatre Company Dovehouse Theatre ,Solihull Solihull, West Midlands 0121 704 6962 www.solihullartscomplex.co.uk
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JERUSALEM 24 - 27 Apr 2013 Harlow Theatre Company The Victoria Hall Theatre Harlow, Essex 0844 8700 887 www.harlowtheatrecompany.org.uk/ box-office KENNEL CLUB, THE 04 - 06 Jul 2013 Knutsford Little Theatre Knustford, Cheshire 01565 633000 www.knutsfordlittletheatre.com KISS ME KATE 15 - 18 May 2013 Maidenhead Operatic Society Desborough Suite, Town Hall Maidenhead, Berkshire 01628 671589 www.mos-uk.org 19 - 22 Jun 2013 Woodseats Musical Theatre Company Dronfield Civic Hall Dronfield, Derbyshire, 01246 290 499 www.woodseatsmtc.co.uk LARKIN WITH WOMEN 06 - 09 Nov 2013 Lighted Fools Theatre Company Riverhouse, Walton-on-Thames Walton-on-Thames, Surrey 01932-253354 www.thelittleboxoffice.co/riverhouse/ LES MISERABLES: THE MEMOIRS OF JEAN VALJEAN 05 Sep 2013 The South Devon Players Theatre Co Paignton Baptist Church hall Paignton, Devon 07855 090589 www.southdevonplayers.weebly.com
07 Sep 2013 The South Devon Players Theatre Co Christian Community centre Brixham, Devon 07855 090589 www.southdevonplayers.weebly.com LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS 04 - 13 Jul 2013 The Talisman Theatre Talisman Theatre Kenilworth, Warwickshire 01926 856548 www.talismantheatre.co.uk/littleshop.html LOCKED ROOM, THE 11 - 14 Dec 2013 Guildburys Theatre Company The Electric Theatre Guildford, Surrey 01483-444789 www.guildburys.com LOOK WHO’S TALKING 15 - 18 May 2013 Waterbeach Community Players Waterbeach Community School Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire 01223 880023 www.wcponline.org LOOT 15 - 18 May 2013 The Garrick ACE Centre Nelson, Lancashire 01282 661080 www.thegarrick.org LOVE OF FOUR COLONELS, THE 21 - 25 May 2013 The Nomads The Nomads East Horsley, Surrey 01483 284747 www.nomadtheatre.com LOVE STORY 19 - 22 Jun 2013 Good Company Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 07547 575513 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk 01 - 05 Oct 2013 Sedos Bridewell Theatre London, London Online: sedos.co.uk www.sedos.co.uk
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Guiseley Amateur Operatic Society - Guys & Dolls
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