Sunday, 27 November 2011

End of Week One

Our first week of rehearsals went really well and it's going to be a great show.

Chris Jarvis and I went to the switching on of the Christmas Lights over in Christchurch last night, which was great fun. The town centre was absolutely crammed and everyone we spoke to said they'd already booked to see the panto.

Had a wonderful day off today. The weather was fantastic; a lovely walk along the beach at Boscombe and Sunday lunch at Aruba on Bournemouth pier (They're sponsoring the panto so I'm hoping we can have a panto party there at some point in the run... hint,hint.)

Saturday, 19 November 2011

Packing for panto

Getting stuff ready to pack into car  for drive down to Bournemouth tomorrow. Hope it all fits. Got to leave some space for Lynette and Winnie (the yorkie-poo) this year. Might have to strap one of them to the roof (but which one?)
Got two new costumes this year - one I bought on ebay (thanks to Pat Moss for altering it to fit and adding a zip in the back), and one designed and made by Jeannie Day (my wardrobe mistress from last year in Basingstoke) which is ab fab. Thanks Jeannie.
Oh yes, I also had my two (hard) wigs refurbed by Kevin & Gerry at Wig Art so a big "thank you" to them too ( http://www.wig-art.co.uk/ )

Friday, 9 September 2011

Bournemouth Pavilion 2011

After spectacularly breaking box office records with ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ in 2009, and following the overwhelming success of ‘Cinderella’ last year - UK Productions brings you a giant production of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ for this year’s Bournemouth Pavilion Pantomime.

Make sure the whole family is full of beans this Christmas and follow the hilarious tale of the ups and downs of young Jack Trott played by Deborah Stevenson (The Impressions Show & Coronation Street), the boy who manages to sell the family’s only valuable possession, Daisy the Cow, for a handful of beans (and they weren’t even Heinz!). He ends up having to climb a giant beanstalk into the clouds and a whole heap of trouble, to retrieve the cow and to try and impress the King.

Jack is helped and hindered along the way by his less than bright brother Silly Billy played by CBeebies star and Bournemouth panto favourite Chris Jarvis, the Good Fairy, Kate Weston from Wave 105, and his long-suffering mother Dame Trott played hilariously by one of the country’s top panto dames, Nick Wilton better known as Mr Lister from Eastenders.

Join Jack on his quest to defeat the evil Giant Blunderbore and his nasty henchman Fleshcreep played by Brian Capron (Coronation Street’s bad boy Richard Hillman), to win not only his fortune but also the hand of the Kings beautiful daughter.

The whole production is complimented by lavish costumes and a sumptuous set and promises to be another spectacular success from producers UK Productions.

It’s a giant of a pantomime…don’t miss it!

Click here for more info:

Thursday, 10 March 2011

2011/2012 Season - Booked!

Hooray! Booked today for panto this Christmas - my 12th consecutive year as Dame - "Jack and the Beanstalk" for UK Productions at Bournemouth, with Chris Jarvis (who is also directing), and Debra Stephenson.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Review (4)

Basingstoke's Anvil is home this Christmas, as usual, to a traditional panto story. Sleeping Beauty offers the elements that we are all used to with good and bad fairies (in the hands of a couple of stars), a dame and a pair of young lovers. With the good folk of the village played by local youngsters and a whole load of jokes about X-factor and Strictly Come Dancing, this show faithfully touches all the bases...
Nick Wilton provides a bustling Nurse Nelly with more than a bit of a bruiser about her (and) outfits satisfactorily outrageous and over the top.


http://www.reviewsgate.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5401

Friday, 17 December 2010

Review (3)

UK Productions has always provided conventional pantomimes and this year’s traditional offering at the Anvil has the long established stamp of habitual routine all over it. And if the format works, why not? It’s fun, lively, colourful and has enough audience participation and euphemistic gags to satisfy both children and adults respectively.
There is an almost manic obsession to include every traditional aspect of panto, from those age-old routines of the echo trick, the mirror ‘ballet’ and kitchen slapstick, but it is also deeply satisfying that these well-loved veteran novelties of our great British theatre are upheld.
Wendy Craig is perfect as the Good Fairy with Andrew Agnew working enthusiastically as Silly Billy, Nick Wilton as an excellent Nurse Nelly and Michael Chance as the comical King.


http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/30659/sleeping-beauty

Review (2)

The Anvil's pantomime is a true festive feast of fun for all the family. Director Maurice Lane's Sleeping Beauty is a spectacular show filled with dazzling special effects, beautiful costumes and a dream cast.
Every panto needs a Dame and Nick Wilton was the superlative Nurse Nelly with the most outlandish costumes and so many of them. The rapport between Silly Billy and Nelly was effervescent.


http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/sbeautyanvil-rev.htm