Preview: Cinderella at Darlington Civic Theatre

BRENDAN SHEERIN AND NIKI EVANS JOIN ASHLEIGH & PUDSEY IN CINDERELLA - THE GREATEST PANTOMIME OF THEM ALL!

Cinderella

Darlington Civic Theatre

Saturday 5 December 2015 to Sunday 16 January 2016

Channel 4’s popular TV show Coach Trip’s Brendan Sheerin and X Factor finalist Niki Evans have joined the cast of this year’s spectacular family pantomime Cinderella at Darlington Civic Theatre. The news follows the theatre’s recent announcement that Ashleigh Butler leads the cast as Cinderella, with her talented four-legged friend Pudsey.

Veteran travel expert Brendan Sheerin became a household name through Channel 4's runaway hit reality programme Coach Trip, having started his travel career in Costa Brava in the late 70s. Coach Trip and Celebrity Coach Trip catapulted Brendan to fame, with more than 300 episodes having aired since the series started in 2005. Brendan’s other TV credits include Brendan's Magical Mystery Tour and Brendan's Love Cruise. Brendan has written about his travel adventures in his autobiography titled My Life: A Coach Trip Adventure.

Niki Evans, who rose to fame in the fourth series of ITV’s The X Factor will play The Fairy Godmother. Niki has performed extensively as a solo vocalist and has recently toured the UK as Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers and as Paulette in Legally Blonde the Musical. Most recently she starred in Cool Rider, the concert-production of Grease 2 in the West Endand has starred in a number of critically acclaimed pantomimes.

Michael Harrison, executive producer of Cinderellasaid “Brendan brings his big personality and infectious humour to the stage alongside Niki who has such a fabulous voice and wonderful stage presence. We’re delighted that they have agreed to be part of our spectacular Darlington production this year. With such a strong cast already in place this year’s pantomime is going to be a real treat for all the family.”

Lynda Winstanley, Director of Darlington Civic Theatre said “We are absolutely thrilled to announce this additional casting for Cinderella. With Ashleigh and Pudsey already creating a great buzz around the town, Brendan and Niki will both be a huge hit with audiences of all ages.”

Tickets:

Tickets are already on sale for Cinderella, which runs from Saturday 5 December 2015to Sunday 16 January 2016. For tickets and more information visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk or call 01325 486555.

Preview: Cinderella at Darlington Civic Theatre

ASHLEIGH & PUDSEY TAKE THE LEAD

IN DARLINGTON CIVIC THEATRE’S PANTOMIME, CINDERELLA

Cinderella

Darlington Civic Theatre

Saturday 5 December 2015 to Sunday 10 January 2016

Darlington Civic Theatre has announced that Britain’s Got Talent winning act, Ashleigh and Pudsey, are to star in this year’s magical family pantomime, Cinderella.

Ashleigh and Pudsey

Will Star in Darlington Civic

Theatre Pantomime Cinderella

Described by Simon Cowell as “one of my favourite ever acts”, since winning Britain’s Got Talent Ashleigh and Pudsey have been in phenomenal international demand. They have presented two series of their own TV show for CBBC, Who Let the Dogs Out, appeared on American television shows including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, America’s Got Talent, Good Morning America and E! News and released Pudsey: My Autobidography - which sold-out within three days. A shorter version of the book, A Pup Story, was released for younger fans, which was accompanied by a book-tour across the country.

In 2014 Pudsey the Dog: The Movie was released and screened in 400 cinemas across the UK, with Pudsey being given his voice by David Walliams. Alongside their many appearances on screen, Ashleigh and Pudsey are no strangers to the stage, having starred in pantomimes for the past three Christmas seasons.

Cinderella is staged by the world’s biggest pantomime producer, Qdos Entertainment, who bring with them a reputation for large-scale shows packed with special effects, family-friendly comedy and world-class production values. Last year’s show, The Chuckles of Oz, which was created in Darlington especially for Civic Theatre audiences, is now successfully touring across the UK.

Managing Director of Qdos Entertainment’s pantomimes division, Michael Harrison, said; “The success that Ashleigh and Pudsey have enjoyed since winning Britain’s Got Talent is tribute to the popularity and versatility of the act. Everyone from The Queen to the cinema-going millions have enjoyed Ashleigh and Pudsey’s tricks and routines, which will feature heavily in this year’s panto.”

Lynda Winstanley, Director of Darlington Civic Theatre said “We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Ashleigh and Pudsey will be with us for Cinderella and I am sure they will be a great hit with audiences of all ages.”

Tickets:

Cinderella runs at Darlington Civic Theatre from Saturday 5 December 2015 to Sunday 10 January 2016. For tickets and more information visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.ukor call 01325 486555.

Preview: Theatre Royal’s Rita Marks 30 Years As A Panto Dame

Theatre Royal’s Rita Marks

30 Years As A Panto Dame

Chris Hayward, A.K.A ‘Dame Rita’ – the opulently dressed star of the last eight record-breaking pantos at Newcastle Theatre Royal, is this year celebrating 30 glorious years as a panto dame.

Widely regarded as one of the leading lights in pantomime, Chris is renowned for his lavish outfits, wigs and multiple costume changes (14 in total for this year’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), all of which are designed by himself.

Aged 50, and from Newcastle, Chris starred as dame for the first time when he was just 19 years old, playing one of the ugly sisters in Cinderella at the Charter Theatre in Preston.  Not a year has gone by since when he hasn’t donned a wig and heels for the festive season in theatres the length and breadth of the UK and even around the world.

This year, playing ‘Dame Rita the Cook’ in Newcastle Theatre Royal’s record breaking Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, marks three decades as mistress of the boards for Chris.  In his career he has played one of Cinderella’s ugly sisters no less than 14 times and had multiple turns as Widow Twankey, The Queen , Nurse, Cook, Baroness, Empress and many more iconic dame characters.

Chris’s legions of fans also adore him for his family-friendly jokes and loveable on-stage persona.  Since his return to the region in 2006 when he starred in Aladdin at the Theatre Royal alongside Faye Tozer and panto favourites Clive Webb and Danny Adams for the first time, his local fan base has grown meteorically.  His entrance onstage is universally greeted with a chorus of “Hiya Hinney” from the audience and his finale hat and dress are always a source of much anticipation.

Chris's Nana

Rene Mills in 1937

Born and brought up in Byker, Chris comes from a long line of performers.  Infact, the Hayward clan is something of a theatrical dynasty.  Chris’s Great Auntie Helen Mills performed as a dancer in pantos Mother Goose and Robinson Crusoe at Newcastle Theatre Royal in the 1940s, but it was his beloved Nana Rene Mills who was his greatest inspiration, and whose photo is a permanent fixture on his dressing room table.  A renowned big band singer all over England in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, Rene oversaw Chris take his first steps onto the stage at Newcastle Tyne Theatre in Annie Get Your Gun and The King and I at the age of 13.

Chris has performed Dame in all the UK’s biggest Theatres from High Wycombe to Hull, Bradford to Woking.  His work has also taken him as far afield as Dubai where 17 years ago he played at the World Trade Centre there in front of a sheik and his huge entourage. 

Chris’s many other professional performances include summer season, cabaret and revue working with Danny La Rue, Jim Davidson, Barbara Windsor, Bobby Davroe to name but a few.  He also appeared in the West End’s Cockney Club and his TV credits include Bergerac, Super Gran, The Little and Large Show and many more. 

Chris said: “The last 30 years seems to have gone by in a flash – I simply love what I do.  There’s nothing like the buzz of being onstage, and no more so than in panto – the highlight of the theatrical year.  I’ve had so many amazing experiences and worked with so many incredible talents. There have been highs and lows of course – I was hospitalised with a splinter in my bottom after being dragged across the stage by a faulty prop during Cinderella at the New Theatre Hull in 2000, and my shoes even melted to the stage once after I put out a fire from a faulty Fairy Godmother pyro at Darlington Civic Theatre in 1989.  At the Theatre Royal I feel like I’ve found my spiritual home though and working alongside Clive and Danny is a dream – they are incredible performers and great friends.  Plus, we put on a pretty good show – 95,000 people a year can’t be wrong! This is my true calling and I hope I’ll still be doing it in 30 years time…”

Tickets:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs appears at Newcastle Theatre Royal until Sunday 18 January 2015. Tickets are available from £12 (a booking fee of 95p - £1.95 will apply to most tickets) and can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 or select your own seat and book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Review: The Chuckles of Oz at Darlington Civic Theatre

There’s no place like Darlington

The Chuckles of Oz

Darlington Civic Theatre

Until Sunday 11^th January 2015

The Wizard of Oz is a firm family favourite that is regularly on television. The Chuckle Brothers are also family favourites and it is interesting to see what happens when these worlds collide.

Glinda The Good Witch (Beth Stobbart) happily lives in Munchkinkand, which is in the North, with lots of Munchkins. The show starts brightly with Pharrel William’s hit Happy which is a great platform for Stobbart. Dorothy (Lauren Varnham) appears from Kansas in her flying house that kills the Wicked Witch of the East. Not surprisingly this displeases her sister, who is the Wicked Witch of the West (Emma Francis) and the future doesn’t look good for poor Dorothy who simply wants to get home. Glinda and the Munchkins show Dorothy the yellow brick road which leads the way to the Wizard who will grant her wish to go home. So off she goes picking up a Cowardly Lion (Phil Corbitt), a Scarecrow (Adam C Booth) and a Tin Man (Danny Potts) who also needed dreams to be fulfilled.

Appearing between the scenes are Barry Elliott and Paul Elliott who add jokes, songs and funny skits. As soon as they appear the audience are up for their kind of high jinks. Highlights include acrobatics and a cooking lesson which, needless to say, doesn’t go as planned.

Another element of Darlington’s production, which seems to be uncommon in 2014, is a live band to back the songs rather than piped music. The show feels very genuine as a result, with the usual mix of popular songs, under the musical direction of Joe Morley.

A number of children’s shows recently have featured 3D animation sets and their inclusion seems to be more of a gimmick.  With Chuckles of Oz the two 3D sets seemed to meld better with the action and provided many laughs and screams as assorted creatures hurtled into the audience’s laps.

This show benefits from a much stronger narrative than many classic pantomimes. Varnham is engaging as Dorothy, her companions are loveable and the evil witch makes a suitable source of booing for the children. Special mention to Toto the dog who never puts a foot wrong.

It is the Chuckle Brothers that are the main draw and they don’t let the crowd down. Barry and Paul know what makes such an evening special for their many fans.

Chuckles of Oz is a great show which sparkles for the young and the young at heart.    

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo.

Tickets:

The Chuckles of Oz runs at Darlington Civic Theatre from Saturday 6 December 2014 until Sunday 11 January 2015.

Tickets are available from 01325 486555 or online at www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

Preview: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Ten Years At The Top For

North East Panto Duo

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Tuesday 25 November until Sunday 18 January

Clive Webb and Danny Adams, the incredible father and son act famously at the helm of the Newcastle Theatre Royal panto, are celebrating a decade entertaining the North East at Christmas.  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be their 10^th panto at the Royal.

Since they made their debut on the North East panto scene back in 2005 (alongside Jill Halfpenny in Cinderella), Clive and Danny’s fanbase has grown at a meteoric rate. Their extraordinary slapstick routines, unparalleled charm and classic old-school comedy have secured them legendary status in the region.  Super-fans even travel hundreds of miles from the far corners of Britain to see them every year.    

The winning combination of Clive and Danny, West Endproducer Michael Harrison and extremely high production values has led the Theatre Royal panto to break sales records every year since 2005.  With over 90,000 people now seeing the show each year and with booking up to 90% capacity before opening night, it’s often cited as the fastest selling panto in the country and one of the most successful in the world.

The show runs longer than every other panto in the region and now stands at a staggering 91 performances. By the end of this pantomime season Clive and Danny will have performed a total of 845 shows - more than any other artist in the 177 years of the Theatre Royal.

Clive and Danny said: “We have made some great friends over the years here at the theatre.  Michael Harrison, Chris Hayward, Steve Arnott, Philip Bernays and all the staff and crew at the theatre, who make this pantomime and theatre one of the best in the country.  We would never have imagined in a million years that we’d still be here 10 years on!  We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to YOU the people of the North East, because without you none of this could have happened!   Some of you have sat in the stalls year after year: taking abuse, insults, water, foam, pies...well guess what? This year’s no different!!! Ha Ha. So sit back and relax - if you dare!  And enjoy our 10^thTheatre Royal Pantomime; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

Newcastle born Producer Michael Harrison said: “I am thrilled to have assembled a first-class cast for this year’s pantomime.  West Endperformers, local talent, and of course our resident team of comedy stars.  Throw into the mix some terrific special effects and I hope we have a terrific show to celebrate the ten years Clive, Danny and I have spent at the Theatre Royal”.

Born in Sunderland, Clive started his show business career as a drummer in a pop group. He went on to perform in the Famous Robert Bros Circus where he stayed for seven years ending up as head clown. He was headhunted after auditioning for Opportunity Knocks and went on to appear in Crackerjack, The Sooty Show, Razzamatazz, How Dare You and Tiswas. In 1988 Clive became British Magical Champion – the first time a comedy magician has ever won the award.

Danny’s TV appearances include GMTV’s Mole in a Hole, Stars in Their Dressing Rooms, Angus Deaton’s It Shouldn’t Happen to a TV Presenter and The Tweenies. During 2008, Danny performed the very dangerous Houdini’s Milk Churn Escape and has also perfected the Human Cannonball.

The poster from the duo's first panto

 

The pair have toured extensively all over the UK and Europe and in 2007 they were awarded the CFA Best Comedy Act. At Newcastle Theatre Royal they have performed in two Cinderellas, two Jack and the Beanstalks, two Aladdins, one Robinson Crusoe, one Sleeping Beauty, and one Robin Hood (not to mention five seasons with Cirque du Hilarious and the 175th Anniversary Theatre Royal Gala Show!)   

Barnum - coming soon to Theatre Royal

This year also marks a decade that the show’s inspirational writer, director and producer Michael Harrison has worked together with Clive and Danny at the Theatre Royal. As Managing Director of Qdos Entertainment he also oversees 24 pantomimes each year and has produced nearly one hundred pantomimes for the company. Michael also produced The Bodyguard in the West Endand is currently producing the spectacular new production of Barnum‎ starring Brian Conley. His other musicals include Aspects of Love, The Witches of Eastwick, Chess, I Dreamed a Dream and Jolson and Co.

In 2015 he will produce the national tour of The Bodyguard, the North American premiere of Titanic the Musical‎, a new production of Annie starring Craig Revel Horwood and a brand new musical Mrs Henderson Presents.  In 2012 he was awarded a companionship to the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts by Sir Paul McCartney.

The pantomime features a truly stellar cast this year.  Emily Shaw plays Snow White.  Emily’s credits include Matilda the Musical as well as UK tours of Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast and Thoroughly Modern Millie.  Gary Watson from Sunderland plays The Prince.  His credits include Matilda the Musical, Mamma Mia, Cats and Walt Disney Productions’ new film Cinderella.  PeterPeverley is making his North East panto debut as one of the seven dwarfs after delighting Theatre Royal audiences in 2013 with his one-man show about the North East’s favourite comedian ‘the Little Waster’ Bobby Thompson. Another dwarf of particular note is Danny Rowe from South Shields whose first  profesional job was dancing for Take That in the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium in 2009 and then Born To Shine in 2010 on ITV.

Very special guests in this year’s show are The Acromaniacs - agroup of fast and hilariously funny international gymnasts and tumblers whose slapstick acrobatic act is constantly in world-wide demand. 

Danny’s brother Michael Potts returns for his 7th Theatre Royal panto by overwhelming public demand, this time as The Castle Idiot.  And of course never forgetting the North East’s favourite and most beautifully attired panto dame Chris Hayward in his 8^th consecutive Theatre Royal panto, this time as Dame Rita the Cook, as well as the region’s number one panto villain Steve Arnott as The Wicked Queen.  It will also be Steve’s 6th consecutive year.

It’s a must to book your tickets NOW, as the show has once again trumped all previous year’s sales and is set to become the fastest-selling pantomime in the theatre’s 177 year history.  Already, over 83,000 tickets have been sold and two additional performances have already been added due to continuous growing demand - on Sunday 18 January at 1pm and 5pm.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – ‘The Fairest Panto in all the Land’ is proudly supported by local Media Partner Heart FM.

Tickets:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tuesday 25 November until Sunday 18 January 2015. Tickets are available from £12 (a booking fee of 95p - £1.95 will apply to most tickets) and can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 or select your own seat and book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk.

 

Tickets for Clive and Danny’s 11^th panto at the Theatre Royal - Dick Whittington (Tuesday 24 November 2015 – Sunday 17 January 2016) go on sale from Tues 25 Nov, 2014.  Friends of the Theatre can book now.

Preview: The Chuckles of Oz at Darlington Civic Theatre

           

The Chuckles of Darlo

The Chuckles of Oz

Darlington Civic Theatre

Saturday 6 December – Sunday 11 January 2015

The Chuckle Brothers take to the Yellow Brick Road,
in Darlington Civic Theatre’s 3D pantomime, The Chuckles of Oz.
Real-life brothers Paul and Barry Elliott, better known as The Chuckle Brothers, return to panto in Darlington after the massive success of Aladdin last year. The brothers will be joined by The Tin Man (Danny Potts), The Cowardly Lion (Phil Corbitt), The Scarecrow (Adam C Booth) and Glinda The Good Witch (Beth Stobbart).

The Chuckle Brothers are known to generations of children for their popular prime-time children’s television show Chucklevision, of which more than 290 episodes were made. The series proved to be so successful BAFTA presented Paul and Barry with an award for ‘services to British children’s television’. During the mid-nineties Paul and Barry also recorded three series of their own TV game show including a Christmas special, aptly titled To Me, To You after the brother’s legendary catchphrase.

Most recently Paul and Barry have toured the UK in their own shows including The Ghostly Shadows, The Pirates of the River Rother 2 and A 2014 Space Oddity. Ever in Demand the boys are often seen on TV programmes, including in recent years as contestants on Celebrity Coach Trip (C4) and Pointless (BBC).

Phil Corbitt, Danny Potts and Beth Stobbart will be known to local audiences, having shared the stage with The Chuckle Brothers last year in Aladdin.

For veteran television and stage actor Phil Corbitt this will be his fifteenth panto appearance, although for the first time as Lion! Danny Potts made his mark in the world-famous Hippodrome Circus where he headlined the show Excape at only 19; since then he has appeared in many stage-shows, most notably as Jimmy in Simon Stephens’ Bluebird, Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew and his acclaimed performance as Charles J Guiteau in Assasins. Local actress Beth Stobbart has been no stranger to the Civic Theatre since last year’s pantomime, combing her performance work with teaching at the local ArtsSpark youth theatre.

Adam C Booth, who plays The Scarecrow, returns to Darlington Civic having played Buttons in Cinderella, and joins The Chuckles of Oz having recently completed a national tour of Betty Blue Eyes.

Tickets:

The Chuckles of Oz runs at Darlington Civic Theatre from Saturday 6 December 2014 until Sunday 11 January 2015.

Tickets are available from 01325 486555 or online at www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk