Dronfield Eye issue 203 November 2022

EYE on what’s on
Wakey wakey!
It’s panto time
It might have a new venue this year but
Chesterfield Theatres’ popular Christmas
pantomime promises to be as fun-filled as
ever. Deborah Wain meets the cast
W
HILE the Pomegranate Theatre is closed as
part of a multi-million pounds upgrade,
performances will switch to the nearby Winding
Wheel. Sleeping Beauty will be the first family
panto to be staged at the Winding Wheel in its
history.
Venue manager, Anthony Radford, said staff would be
making various changes to accommodate the show, starring
actress Michelle Collins, as the Bad Fairy.
He said: “We were absolutely committed to keeping the
panto alive while work goes on at the Pomegranate.”
Michelle, who played EastEnders’ Cindy and Coronation
Street’s Stella, has appeared in panto a number of times but
Sleeping Beauty will be her first show in the North of
England.
She said: “I like getting out of London and from what I’ve
seen of the area, people are really friendly here and the
countryside is beautiful.
“We have a really strong cast and I’m sure that it’s going to
be a lot of fun.”
While best know for her work in TV soaps, Michelle said
she enjoys being an “all-round actor” appearing recently in a
play and a film, and panto is very much part of the mix.
“You’ve got to put as much energy into panto as any other
job you do,” she commented.
Michelle added that this year would hopefully be a return to
a more “normal” panto experience following the Covid-19
pandemic.
And that with the cost-of-living crisis biting for many, it will be
more important than ever to offer families some escapism.
She said: “I think people are being careful about spending
money and so you have to give them something really special.
“There’s nothing nicer than seeing the joyful look on the faces
of kids and hearing them laugh.”
Established
Sleeping Beauty will bring three of its cast members back
together; Scottish singer Jai McDowall, who won the fifth season
of Britain’s Got Talent and plays the hero, Lloyd Warbey, host of
Disney’s Art Attack, who is the fool, and Dame, Andre Vincent.
The trio have worked together in panto before so have an
established rapport.
They promise lots of laughs for youngsters and their parents
and grandparents.
Lloyd, who appeared in his first panto aged just seven, said:
“After everything we’ve all been through in the last few years, we
need a bit of cheer and panto is the right medicine.
“Every show is different and I really enjoy the audience
reaction. You don’t get the show proper until the audience is in
and then it evolves.”
Jai added: “You find out what works and what doesn’t as you
go along and tweak it here and there.”
With an intense run of performances, Jai and Lloyd both plan to
spend Christmas itself in Chesterfield. Lloyd’s birthday is on
December 23rd so he will also be celebrating that locally too.
Jai is looking forward to family and friends travelling down
48
All set to bound onto the Winding Wheel stage in
Sleeping Beauty are, from left: Lloyd Warbey, Olivia Bailey,
Jai McDowall, Andre Vincent and Michelle Collins
from Scotland for the show.
“A group of friends plan the whole New Year around where I
am doing panto and come for the weekend,” he said.
Andre, whose background is in stand-up comedy, is relishing
the chance to don a outrageous frock and play the Dame, his
fifth appearance in that role.
He tells older audience members that they can expect some
chuckles about unfolding current affairs.
“Last year, the Christmas parties at No 10 very quickly got a
mention in pantomimes around the country,” he commented.
When he played the Dame last year, Andre had an amazing 13
costume changes but has yet to find out how many times the
character will swap outfits this year.
Olivia Bailey, Princess Aurora, hails from Nottingham, so she is
performing a little closer to home.
“As a child, I went with my family to the Theatre Royal to see
the panto every year. I would curl my hair and want to look like a
princess and now I am a princess!
“You’re living in a bubble of panto for a few weeks but it feels
like a lovely job to have,” she said.
The production of Sleeping Beauty promises an adventure for
all the family, with exciting special effects depicting Princess
Aurora’s 100-year sleep, glittering costumes and lots of traditional
audience participation in what’s shaping up to be Chesterfield’s
biggest and brightest panto yet.
Sleeping Beauty runs from 6th December to 3rd January.
Tickets can be purchased online at
www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk/panto or by calling the Box Office
on 01246 345222.