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Post by NeilVHughes on Dec 17, 2022 8:37:50 GMT
Finally came to my decision after waiting for the right tickets at the right price, a double Panto day on the 29th
Jack and the Beanstalk - Palladium (one of those rare single seat deals, stalls row F centre for not much more than the restricted C seats)
Mother Goose - Duke of York’s (Front row cheapie)
With the plethora of Christmas Carol’s this year opted for SRB at the Bridge on the 23rd for a change from my usual Old Vic, only drawback is that I will need to take my own mince pies.
Christmas themed Theatre sorted and should be a good one.
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360 posts
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Post by properjob on Dec 17, 2022 15:48:05 GMT
I had noticed many pantos end on December 31st. There are a few exceptions, the Birmingham Hippodrome one doesn't end until the end of January but it only starts this Saturday. I guess it varies from theatre to theatre. I suspect Birmingham Hippodrome having its own resident ballet company, has a run of the nutcracker to fit in at Christmas as well as Panto. |
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Post by talkingheads on Dec 17, 2022 16:22:01 GMT
I remember when pantos used to run until at least the middle to the end of January. I'm surprised most aren't running longer given how much cash they bring in.
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7,251 posts
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Post by Jon on Dec 17, 2022 16:40:09 GMT
I remember when pantos used to run until at least the middle to the end of January. I'm surprised most aren't running longer given how much cash they bring in. Maybe running longer is not cost effective. Some can run longer but I would assume Michael Harrison has crunched the numbers and worked out that those January weeks are a bit lean. Next year's pantos are either on sale or going to be sale. Wimbledon is getting Cinderella with Craig Revel Horwood while Southampton is getting Snow White with Diversity. |
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Post by anxiousoctopus on Dec 17, 2022 21:06:40 GMT
Saw the Mayflower panto yesterday (Goldilocks and the Three Bears)
What I liked:
- Sooty and Sweep. Every time they were on stage I just wanted more of them. Best bit was an extended bit where Sweep is upset and projectile-cries over the audience with jets of water from his eyes, it was genuinely hysterical.
- The 12 days of Christmas sequence in act 2. So obvious that the cast loved doing it, it really elevated the show.
- Adam Strong as the dame. Great audience work, some great looks and held the chaos together.
- Jason Donovan was a great sport and enjoyed being a villains (lots of jokes about Neighbours and Joseph).
- The visuals. The set, lighting, costumes, and the animal animatronics were stunning (especially the elephant)
- The variety acts (roller-skating acrobats especially)
- the dance sequences (especially Be A Clown and 42nd Street numbers)
- The obligatory bringing kids up on stage to say cute things, the kids were very good (no idea if it was an audience plant, but kids can just be organically funny sometimes)
What I didn’t like:
- The plot was paper thin, even for a panto. If it had been more openly a variety show with a thin plot line then it would have worked more, but the three bears plot held it back.
- The three bears. No insult to the performers but the bears as characters were pointless, slightly horrifying to look at, and weren’t really needed.
- Some of the jokes and magic sequences didn’t land. Also an incredibly iffy joke in a sequence of playing snippets of songs connected to lines of dialogue and they played a 2 second snippet of ‘two little boys’ by a certain disgraced TV presenter before reacting like ‘NO DONT PLAY THAT!’ (It was a bit of a poor taste reference imo)
Overall I’d give it 3/5 stars, but it was still a fun excuse to go to the theatre
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591 posts
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Post by lou105 on Dec 18, 2022 10:02:44 GMT
I saw Biggins in Darlington yesterday (family nearby). The show is Peter Pan but further down the timeline (Wendy pops back to Neverland,Peter has forgotten how to fly, can they find some fairy dust to save the day scenario). Biggins plays Mrs Smee, mother of Smee, who is the "Hiya kids" character. He is moving very cautiously these days, and was kept out of the most active elements like If I were not in panto now..by the device of the other characters shouting Not yet! every time he came on. He did the singalong with the kids very well and a nice duet with Captain Hook, but he stood still whilst the latter danced round him. Clearly recent health issues have taken their toll and the big cumbersome costumes won't help. A strong cast overall, notably Steve Arnott as a verbose Captain Hook and some acrobatic pirates. Some of the jokes were on the crude side for some tastes but overall a lively colourful show.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2022 14:07:26 GMT
I think shorter panto runs also help get big names in, easier to get people to commit to intense 3 to 4 week runs over December. Plus since Sunday shows have become the norm they can make money in less time. Better to have the December dates sell out than go jnto January with less full audiences
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7,251 posts
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Post by Jon on Dec 18, 2022 18:32:23 GMT
I think shorter panto runs also help get big names in, easier to get people to commit to intense 3 to 4 week runs over December. Plus since Sunday shows have become the norm they can make money in less time. Better to have the December dates sell out than go jnto January with less full audiences I imagine some venues make hand over fist from panto even with a fairly short run. I have notice that Wimbledon seems to be struggle with panto compared to other venues. |
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Post by properjob on Dec 18, 2022 20:32:14 GMT
A lot will depend on how many school groups there are in the area. Outside of the school holidays most pantos play 2 daytime shows a day for the schools market. There will also be shows at the weekends (sometimes 3 a day) and during the school Christmas holidays which will generally be afternoon and early evening and bring in families.
Therefore to play an extra week you would want about 8 shows (2 a day plus a rest day) of extra schools groups.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2022 15:25:42 GMT
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Post by h86 on Dec 19, 2022 15:54:47 GMT
There is no reason for Aladdin pantos to be seen less, producers just need to cast appropriately and not include ridiculous racist lyrics. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2022 16:26:04 GMT
There is no reason for Aladdin pantos to be seen less, producers just need to cast appropriately and not include ridiculous racist lyrics. In an ideal world I'd agree, but finding enough Chinese actors who are also name panto box office draws will be difficult to cast multiple productions across the country. Changing the panto setting to a non descript fantasy setting like the disney version would help. |
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7,251 posts
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Post by Jon on Dec 19, 2022 16:34:51 GMT
I'm surprised they didn't just set it in a non descript location.
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Post by talkingheads on Dec 21, 2022 9:23:10 GMT
Awful customer service from the Mayflower. I found out today that the train I'd booked to get home is no longer running, and the Mayflower categorically refuse to give the ticket amount back as a credit voucher. I've never encountered that before. Over £100 wasted. Not impressed.
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1,762 posts
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Post by fiyero on Dec 21, 2022 11:03:38 GMT
Awful customer service from the Mayflower. I found out today that the train I'd booked to get home is no longer running, and the Mayflower categorically refuse to give the ticket amount back as a credit voucher. I've never encountered that before. Over £100 wasted. Not impressed. I was wondering how many people would be caught out with SWR's current lack of late evening trains (last one is like 20:30!) Before Covid I wouldn't have expected a refund or anything when isn't the theatre's fault, things softened to encourage people back but sounds like they have got mean again. |
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Post by robertb213 on Dec 21, 2022 12:46:40 GMT
I've reviewed Snow White in Milton Keynes and worked Jack & The Beanstalk at the Derngate in Northampton (which I'll end up seeing 5 times I think). I'm not the biggest panto fan but both were very good.
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Post by h86 on Dec 21, 2022 16:51:47 GMT
Awful customer service from the Mayflower. I found out today that the train I'd booked to get home is no longer running, and the Mayflower categorically refuse to give the ticket amount back as a credit voucher. I've never encountered that before. Over £100 wasted. Not impressed. Is that awful customer service? Mayflower isn’t responsible for the train strikes. You bought the ticket, presumably didn’t get the added extra insurance you can get, if there is no other way for you to get there then it’s just hard luck. Theatres can’t keep on offering refunds or credit vouchers for people who can’t get to the theatre. They need bums on seats and if people can’t get there then why should the theatre return the money or give a credit. Just my opinion. |
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Post by talkingheads on Dec 21, 2022 17:30:02 GMT
Awful customer service from the Mayflower. I found out today that the train I'd booked to get home is no longer running, and the Mayflower categorically refuse to give the ticket amount back as a credit voucher. I've never encountered that before. Over £100 wasted. Not impressed. Is that awful customer service? Mayflower isn’t responsible for the train strikes. You bought the ticket, presumably didn’t get the added extra insurance you can get, if there is no other way for you to get there then it’s just hard luck. Theatres can’t keep on offering refunds or credit vouchers for people who can’t get to the theatre. They need bums on seats and if people can’t get there then why should the theatre return the money or give a credit. Just my opinion. During a cost of living crisis where I was only asking for a credit to spend at the same theatre, not a refund, to point blank refuse that I would consider to be bad customer service. |
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Post by aingidh on Dec 21, 2022 17:54:57 GMT
Off to Snow White at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh tonight. not seen a panto in a very long time so i'm excited!
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Post by anxiousoctopus on Dec 21, 2022 20:41:12 GMT
There is no reason for Aladdin pantos to be seen less, producers just need to cast appropriately and not include ridiculous racist lyrics. Completely agree. If a pantomime can’t secure Asian performers for at least Aladdin and Jasmine then they should do another panto that better suits their casting pool. You can still have Julian Clary (or other bigger name draws) as Spirit of the Ring and Widow Twanky, but having white lead performers in a story set in the Middle East feels weird |
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Post by FairyGodmother on Dec 22, 2022 1:09:09 GMT
I've been to Cinderella at the Stockport Plaza and really enjoyed it. Some new effects, and a very good Buttons. No children up on the stage though, I don't know if that's a hangover from covid still?
Two songs from Wonderland as well! I was quite surprised, it's not a musical I expect to hear popping up much.
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Post by sph on Dec 22, 2022 1:21:06 GMT
There is no reason for Aladdin pantos to be seen less, producers just need to cast appropriately and not include ridiculous racist lyrics. Completely agree. If a pantomime can’t secure Asian performers for at least Aladdin and Jasmine then they should do another panto that better suits their casting pool. You can still have Julian Clary (or other bigger name draws) as Spirit of the Ring and Widow Twanky, but having white lead performers in a story set in the Middle East feels weird But Aladdin the panto is not set in the Middle East, it's set in China. If I'm going to be totally cynical I must admit that the current anger from performers of a middle-eastern heritage is going to backfire on them somewhat when their chances of employment in this particular panto don't improve when this becomes apparent. But again, that's me being cynical based on my experiences with actors. As for the recent arguments regarding Aladdin. The current production under fire should not have used a song with lyrics welcoming people to "our oriental town". Someone should have pulled them up on that long before opening. When it comes to casting though, I just don't think panto casting is meant to be taken literally. If it was being done as a straight play at the National, I would say fair enough, but, it's only a panto. There aren't enough Chinese performers surely in the UK who are skilled panto veterans with a big enough profile to sell tickets. |
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Post by Jon on Dec 22, 2022 2:15:25 GMT
I don't think Aladdin is ever done like the original story in panto form in terms of setting and casting. Even places like the Lyric Hammersmith and Hackney Empire which are very diverse in terms of their casting have never used any Chinese performers when they did Aladdin.
If Crossroads were to do Aladdin at the Palladium next year and cast say Louis Gaunt as Aladdin and Gary Wilmot as the Emperor or Widow Twankey, nobody would really bat an eyelid.
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Post by FairyGodmother on Dec 22, 2022 9:20:33 GMT
Changing the panto setting to a non descript fantasy setting like the disney version would help. I was at primary school when we learned about One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, so this is slightly fuzzy, but I'm fairly sure it's actually a bit like that anyway. It wasn't "really" set in China, China was just sufficiently far away and not really known about that people wouldn't say "hang on, I've never heard of a sultan with a daughter called Badroulbadour." A bit like "in a small kingdom far away". So making the setting more generic is probably pretty true to the original story anyway! |
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Post by FrontrowverPaul on Dec 26, 2022 20:53:34 GMT
I've managed to see five pantos this year and gave four my personal five star rating, those being the offerings at the Marlowe Canterbury, New Wimbledon, London Palladium and Duke Of York's. Four stars for Hackney Empire which was nevertheless great fun as always.
Best of all Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe. Loved Carrie as I always do, brilliant ventriloquist, Ben Roddy is always so funny but the highlight was the wildest slapstick routine I've ever seen which had me weak with laughter. Could well get the best pantomime award for a second year.
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