Tag: Panto

Panto rehearsal

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Can’t show you the show, it’s a secret, but rehearsals continue for the pantomime we are putting on in February. (20th, 21st and two shows on the 22nd).

The show is Aladdin, where he has to find an old lamp, which is then taken from him together with his true love by an evil wizard. Fun ensues.

Tonight we were practising the dances (which is why I haven’t posted a photo). It was hard to get right, basically the choreographer is making it up as she goes along and we have to follow her moves. I’m not the most nimble and I can’t keep up. But we’ve got time.

Fingers crossed.

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Panto

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Have you heard of Panto? Or better known as Pantomime?

No? It’s something that goes on here in the UK around Christmas time.

Usually seen in a theatre it consists of brightly coloured sets, with brightly clothed people, messing about, telling an adventurous story while telling awful jokes and singing contemporary songs.

We do this in Penkhull, but for the at two years someone from the group has written the panto/pantomime, rather than buying in a script.

We started rehearsing last week. Lots of people who have done it before, greatful to get a couple of lines and be able to play act again. Most modern pantos seem to have commercial sponsorship, but in our case we just mention local shops. We don’t have advertisements in the panto, unless it’s jokey ones in the programme.

This time we are doing Aladdin. Set to open for four performances (too many for’s?) in February 2020, so the cast can take Christmas off!

Oh yes we can!

After the panto

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This is me in panto costume and makeup. I have not published photos of other cast members as I don’t have their permission. What a brilliant time! Two full shows today. That’s 8 hours in the hall. Trying to look serious , happy, perplexed, confused. Changing from being a villager to a Scottish villager, supporting Robin Hood in a wrestling match, capturing Robin Hood in Scotland. Visiting the court of Prince John and the Sheriff of Penkhull and being in the presence of King Richard. Squabbling with other villagers and getting into fights. All while watching the action as Robin tries to rescue Maid Marian when she is actually quite capable of rescuing herself. Add a mad sketch which shall not be revealed at the start of the second act, and large and small Loch Ness monsters chasing the cast round the hall.

So much more goes into putting on a show than the people acting. There is the stage crew who make and place props as they are required, including a mocked up wrestling ring. There is sound and lighting. There are the amazing people creating the costumes. The make up artists trying to paint the faces of almost 40 members of the cast. The people selling tea and drinks  Mostly though it’s down to a local woman who wrote and directed our version of Robin Hood. How she kept all the adult and junior cast going and persuaded us to put it on is beyond me.

So after  4 performances including 2 yesterday, that finished about 4 hours ago … Well all I can say is I’m glad I was in it and congratulations everyone. We’ve had really great feedback from audience members. I want to do it all again!

Waiting to go on…

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After 3 or more months of rehearsal it’s the first night of the panto at penkhull . Robin Hood is going to run round in a flap with  his merry men. Prince John, the sheriff of penkhull and the goons are taxing and harassing people. The villagers are assisting  Robin in his attempts to be macho.

I’m nervous. I need to hide!

I hope not to break a real leg! See you on the other side… DSC_1495

Panto rehearsal

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Help! The pantomime is getting closer “oh no its not!” it’s on in a month “oh yes it is!” and we are supposed to be word perfect and know the songs and dances… “oh no we don’t!”

Well last Fridays rehearsal was cancelled due to snow and this week a couple of the main cast were away or had injured themselves so some parts had to be read in. There are lots of things to remember for the whole cast. Like when to come back on stage for a crucial part of a song which we all missed! I don’t know how long 16 bars is! It’s a case if standing around muttering rhubarb rhubarb (to pretend we are talking) while the main characters act out the story.

It is funny (honest) but it’s hard to describe. It’s good that one of the cast has actually written  and I’d directing it. She’s so clever to do it. Plus organising over 20 children.  I don’t know where she gets the energy.

I won’t tell you all the story, but Robin falls for Marion, some Goons cause mayhem on behalf of the Sheriff of Penkhull who is cleverer than Prince John. Marion is Scottish and the panto has her travelling to her home land. However all ends well.  …

More scenery

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Continuing the travel theme for the panto. I finished a picture of the pyramids and the angel of the North.

The photos I’m working from are good because they have lots of contrasting orange and blues.

I’ve got the panels propped up on a chair with a cloth over it. This means it’s hard to get at the bottom of the boards

Anyway 5 down, lots more to go!

Awake

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I went to bed two hours early (the clocks changed on Sunday night to Greenwich mean time). So now I’m awake…it’s just after 5 am. I was shattered from rehearsing for two seperate things I’m in (only a choir member in one, and three lines in the other as well as singing in the chorus) nothing impressive, but it all takes time to learn. Somehow the rehearsals ended up on the same day, one an hour after the other. So came home, grabbed a sandwich and went out again.

Rehearsing for things can be boring, a lot of standing around if you have a minor part, or full on if you are singing to accompany a show and also going into the acting space. At one stage we have to try and intimidate the audience!

So…..I’m awake and buzzing. I’ve just had a decaff coffee, oh for the joys of cocoa..I will have to buy some. The songs we are singing are spinning, spinning, round in my head oh what a poor soul.

I’m going back to bed and hope to Dream a little dream…sounds like I still have a bit of teen spirit despite my age! Then of course I might shoop in my sleep instead of snoring as I still have this cold ? I would write some more clues to the songs we are singing, but I have forgotten…..a bit if late night/early morning amnesia I think…

Rehearsing again tonight for this weeks show..oh joy!

Panto

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We have just started Panto rehearsals again, people in the UK will know what that means, but some of my friends havent heard if it.

Pantomime has been a regular theatrical entertainment for many years. Sometimes it gets quite commercial and is sponsored by local shops or businesses but ours isnt. Which is good as It doesn’t affect the story.

Subjects include things like Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, or in our case we are doing Robin Hood. So, then there is a lot of comedy, children telling jokes, people dressed as monsters or wolves or ghosts and chasing the cast about. There are pratfalls and custard pies, bad villains and silly goons.

Generally someone gets captured or kidnapped and has to be rescued, either on a magic carpet or using a magic lamp or some other magical trick. That’s what happens in the Second Act. We have to learn lots of songs, usually slightly rewritten to fit the story.

There are the usual things, “it’s behind you” when something or someone is creeping up on our hero /heroine. Or the “oh yes it is” “oh no it isnt” bit where the audience knows something and one of the principal cast is trying to tell them they are wrong.

We have a brilliant wardrobe mistress who kits us out in costumes. The picture above is one of the cast dressed as a pot bank.  Our costumes are hard work for her, she and a small team make costumes for 30 to 40 adults and children.

There is also work making the sets and painting the scenery. It takes months to organise. Our show is usually on in January but that means rehearsing over Christmas week. So it has been decided to put it back till February 2019.

Maybe I will put some photos of it on here next year !