Theatre Interview: Lucy-Jo Hudson - "Snow White Is Going To Be A Lot Of Fun"

Written By: Mark Armstrong

HI-HO! Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs is coming to St. Helens Theatre Royal this Christmas, where a combination of hilarious jokes, classic songs, eye-catching dance moves and colourful costumes, along with one of the most familiar stories ever told, all come together for one fantastic pantomime experience. Plus, Johnny Vegas will star as The Magic Mirror, one who is not afraid to speak the truth! Also appearing in the role of Snow White will be Lucy-Jo Hudson, who has built quite the career in acting, dancing and singing, from the cobbles of Coronation Street to the wildlife of South Africa! We spoke to Lucy-Jo about her forthcoming appearance in Snow White, as well as her career highlights so far and her future ambitions. We also ask Lucy-Jo: what's the worst Christmas present that you've ever had?

First of all, tell us about your role in Snow White.

So, I play Snow White, and having read the script, I've noticed that Snow White has got a bit of banter about her. It's really funny, and she tries herself to be funny but she's not. She's also got her best friend Muddles, and they're really cute together. Obviously, Snow White also meets the Seven Dwarfs, she leaves the Kingdom because her step-mum is trying to kill her. When you think about it, it is a dark storyline, but the show is very light, with it being a panto. Then she meets the Prince and falls in love, and they live happily ever after!

Have you always been a fan of pantomime?

Yeah, I used to go and see pantos when I was a kid, and I would sometimes be one of the dancers when I was a toddler. And after I left Corrie I did Cinderella, which was the first proper panto that I did at the Lowry Theatre. I've not done anything in panto since then so I'm a bit nervous about getting into singing and full-on dancing again, but it'll be good fun, and everybody seems to love panto, so I'm excited.

I understand you have a fair amount of theatre experience yourself?

Yeah, I used to perform in theatre before I got into acting. I was mainly a dancer in theatre, so I did the dancing, a little bit of singing, and then it was straight onto acting. My career sort of changed once I got onto telly quite quickly.

You really made your name as Katy Harris on Coronation Street. What were the highlights of your time on the soap, and were there any scenes or storylines which you found difficult to perform?

It was so long ago now! The most difficult storyline was actually the one which led to me leaving, when Katy had to kill her dad and then she overdosed on sugar because she was diabetic, which led to her going into a coma, and then she passed away. They were pretty dark scenes, and they took quite a toll on me personally. I was crying 24/7 on set, so it's hard to leave that at work, and you end up taking it home. So, towards the end of my career at Corrie, I think that was the hardest bit, just because it was quite a heavy storyline for me. It was brilliant, amazing and challenging, so I did love it, but I was sort of ready for it to end as well. I loved my time there, though: my mates are still there, I met my hubby (Alan Halsall) when doing Corrie and he's still there. So, I still have a lot of love for Corrie; it's like family.

From there, you moved onto Wild At Heart, where you became a regular character as Rosie Trevanion. Are there any interesting stories you can tell from filming in South Africa?

Oh, there's so many! The animals never played ball. We'd be waiting for an hour for an elephant to turn up, and then it would decide that it didn't want to and it'd storm off set, so we'd be like "Okay, we're not doing that scene!" Giraffes would fall into the water, and this one day we had to finish by helping to dig this giraffe out of a pool that it had fallen into. Lions were escaping on-set (laughs) ... it was chaos! It looked magical and really easy on telly, but it was one of the hardest jobs that I've done, because the heat was intense, but we had to work around the animals, and they just didn't want to be on-set a lot of the time! So, it was brilliant, and it was amazing to be working up close and personal with the animals, but if they didn't want to do it, they'd let you know about it!

Earlier this year, you appeared on Dance Dance Dance, where you finished 2nd. How was that experience?

It was amazing! Harder than I thought; I thought I'd get in there and be like "Yeah, I can do it!" Oh my God, I was dying; by the end of the first week, I was done! I genuinely loved that; I started off in dancing, and I still have a passion for dance, even though I hadn't done it for over 18 years. So I wanted to do it. I had to push myself to some limits, but I really, really enjoyed it. That also got me back in panto, because being on stage made me want to do panto.

What are your future ambitions within your career?

I've just filmed a BBC drama which is out next spring with Robson Green. So, that opened a door for me getting into dramas that are quite serious, which I really want to do more of, things like the short six-parters. So, I loved that and I'd like that to continue.

Of course, this panto will be taking place over the run-up to Christmas. Can you tell us what the worst Christmas present is that you've ever received?

I can't wait for Christmas; if I could have my Christmas tree up all year round, then it would be up all year round. I love the lights, I love the songs; I love everything about Christmas! So, panto is perfect for me. As for my worst Christmas present ... I think I got a bangle from one of the markets, and it ended up going green after like one day. That was from an in-law, I won't say who, and I obviously don't have that anymore! (Laughs)

Finally, why should the St. Helens audience come to see Snow White?

For a start, it's got Johnny Vegas in it as the Magic Mirror. The cast are lovely, the script is very funny, and St. Helens Theatre Royal is a very intimate theatre, so you're gonna feel like you're a part of it. The songs are mega for all the kids, and it's gonna be a lot of fun. So, I think it will be magical, and it's the lead-up to Christmas where you'll want to see a panto, so you must come down!

Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs runs at St. Helens Theatre Royal from Saturday December 2 to Sunday January 7 2018. To book your tickets, click here.

Theatre Interview: Cheryl Fergison & David Heath - "You Come Out Of This Show With A Feel-Good Factor"

Image Source: Bill Elms

Written By: Mark Armstrong

The Wizard Of Oz is a timeless classic of a story, which celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2019. Before that, though, Dorothy and company are coming to life on the stage in an exciting pantomime for all of the family to enjoy. The show heads to the Epstein Theatre in Liverpool next weekend, but before then, we spoke to two of the stars from this production, Cheryl Fergison and David Heath, on their characters, their careers and their futures!

First of all, tell us about your characters in The Wizard Of Oz.

Cheryl Fergison: I'm playing the Wicked Witch Of The West, which I thoroughly enjoy because, since Heather Trott was such a nice character in EastEnders, it's really good to be playing a baddie and making lots of children cry for a little bit! (Laughs) It's a great part, and I get to be quite nasty in a cheeky kind of way, so I like that.

David Heath: I get to play the lovable Scarecrow. So, I'm Dorothy's first friend that she gets to meet. He's quite funny, quite dozy, and I love the character; I can act silly and not be serious, so that's good! (Laughs)

What previous pantomime and theatre experience do the two of you have?

Cheryl: This will be my third time working on this particular show. I only come back to shows that I really enjoy doing. I'm also about to do a panto in Carlisle; I've been doing panto for the last few years since I left Eastenders. But I do a lot of shows; I'm touring on a show called Menopause: The Musical next year, which I've been touring on for the last couple of years as well. So, there's a lot of theatre for me at the moment; I've done the odd bits of telly, but it's mainly theatre for me right now.

David: I've done pantomime myself, firstly as a dancer, and then I went on to playing different characters. It's nice to be playing the Scarecrow this time because I'm usually always the Prince, so I get to act a bit different and a bit sillier than in the Prince role. So, I do a lot of pantomimes. I've got one at Christmas also, but this one is just brilliant and magical for the whole family. There's a lot of things going on; they've got fire, pyrotechnics, glitter and everything. It's a great pantomime to be in; it's fun as well, with lots of new songs. It's really good, and it's got a real dog as well.

Cheryl: It's a great show, it's very modern, it's good for the families, and also it's a chance to be a bit nasty to make some of the young people cry. Chantelle Nolan, the producer of the show, slotted in loads of stuff that's gonna be great for the younger ones. There's UV scenes, there's puppets, and that kinds of brings it back round for the ones who may cry, to realise that nothing is as scary as it seems. It's a lot of fun, it's a really fun show. It's definitely the one thing that people should see during half-term in one of the three venues.

David: There's also some great talent including singers and actors. The kids will know all of the different songs; it's just a fantastic production to be honest.

Cheryl, how did you land the part of Heather Trott in EastEnders back in 2007?

Cheryl: I was in EastEnders two years previously playing Heather. You can't go into the show again until two years later, and the story was that I'd been in prison with Kat Slater for a couple of episodes. So, two years later, they wrote the part of Heather, and the casting person there (Julia Crampsie) said "I know somebody who could do this." So, they offered it to me first, I went in and read for the part. I thought other people were going to come in and read for it, but luckily I got it. I was only meant to be in it for about five episodes, or something like that, but then five years later I was still in it! So, it was brilliant. I loved it.

You've also appeared on many other television shows over the last ten years. what have been some of the highlights of this part of your career?

Cheryl: I would say that every show that I could participate in was a highlight for me, because it means that you're working, which is very, very good! (Laughs) That's always good for an actor. I've worked for some amazing people, and I'm still learning. I love going into new places within theatre and television and learning from all my peers, and even from the younger performers. It's what keeps me going. I've had a lot of highlights; EastEnders is obviously the main highlight. But I always say that my career highlights are still yet to come.

David: I think it was meeting me!

Cheryl: Yeah, it was meeting you! (Laughs)

David, you made your name as a member of Eton Road on the first series of The X Factor. How was this experience, and was there more pressure given that, despite knowing each other for a long time, the group had only officially formed a few days in advance?

David: Yeah, there was a lot of pressure at the time, but we absolutely loved the experience. I was only young at the time, so I wish that I knew then what I know now. But the whole experience was just absolutely fantastic. We got to be on TV every weekend with our best friends and to perform on the live shows. Then, we got to do The X Factor arena tour straight afterwards, which was an unreal experience to be touring the country in every arena, and I got to present it as well, so it was just surreal. I couldn't believe that I'd just come out of college and went straight into all of that.

Your career has taken on different directions since then, and you are currently running a dance school named Attitude Dance. When did this begin, and what does your work involve?

David: I'd trained in a musical theatre course in college, and I got my teaching qualification there, but obviously I went straight onto TV and I didn't get to use it. So, once I'd done all of the things that came from it, I thought that I wanted to come back to my hometown and I wanted to perform. I wanted to give what I've learned to the children in my local area, and to get them off the streets. Where I live in Bootle had received such a bad name around it, so I wanted to show that there was good about the area. There's good talent there, there's good people there, so I decided to open a dance school. I've been running it for seven years now, and we teach all different styles including commercial, street, lyrical and ballet, and for the whole family we have fitness classes for all ages. The youngest kid that we have is 4, and the oldest lady that we have is 65.

What are the future plans for you both?

David: I'd love to keep performing; I love to perform, hence why I'm in The Wizard Of Oz. I also want to make my dancing school as big as possible, as well as to hopefully open a college in the future, and to move it onto the next generation in that way.

Cheryl: Just to keep getting work, that's the plan! (Laughs) Seriously, I am moving up to the North-West from London very soon, so I may keep an eye out for Corrie or Emmerdale, or maybe I could be a Hollyoaks babe, I don't know! (Laughs)

Finally, why should the Liverpool audience come to see The Wizard Of Oz?

David: I've brought my little niece to come and watch it. She came as Dorothy, and she was so amazed at the glitz and the fireworks. She's only two, and she never stopped staring at the stage, the fire, the fireworks, the colour, and she loved the music. Plus, as I mentioned, there's a real dog on stage, and the characters are so true to how they should be based on those playing them; Cheryl was so involved with her Witch character. So, I think that the show is just so magical, and it's supporting a Liverpool-run company as well.

Cheryl: I think it's one of those shows where you come out with that feel-good factor. You can come with your family, or you could come on your own. It is meant for everybody, and there's something in it for everyone, so everybody will identify with it, and the story is fantastic. So I think it's something that you must come and see; come out of your home, come away from the television, and just have a great memory with your family or your friends.

The Wizard Of Oz runs at The Epstein Theatre from Friday October 27 to Sunday October 29. To book your tickets, click here.

Theatre Interview: Claire Sweeney & Warren Donnelly - "There's Nothing Quite Like Pantomime"

Image Source:
St. Helens Theatre Royal

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Nothing beats a good panto. Whether you're young, old or somewhere in between, a pantomime is a great experience filled with capers, music, dancing and a fair few risqué jokes! Sleeping Beauty is the next such panto on the agenda, as it heads to St. Helens Theatre Royal. Before the cast down their hats, frocks and capes, we spoke to two of the main players in Sleeping Beauty, Claire Sweeney and Warren Donnelly, who provided an insight into the show and their backgrounds in pantomime, theatre and beyond!

First of all, tell us about your roles in Sleeping Beauty.

Warren Donnelly: Well, I'm the King, a nice jolly King who rules the nice jolly Kingdom, but who unfortunately tangles with the evil Carabosse. So, it's a very nice role, it's a funny role, there's lots of excitement and adventure, and I'm having a whale of a time doing it.

Claire Sweeney: I play the evil Queen Carabosse. She's an absolute horror! She's pure evil through and through, but by the end of the show, she sees the light and becomes good!

What previous pantomime experience do the two of you have?

Warren: There have been many, many great pantomimes. They're always great.

Claire: We've had one together; we did a panto together at the Liverpool Empire, so it's nice to be back working together again!

Warren: The one thing about a panto is that there's nothing else quite like it, so it's all good fun.

Claire, what led to your big break playing Lindsey Corkhill on Brookside in 1989?

Claire: I simply auditioned and got the part. That was it, really. I was a singer before that. I'd done loads and loads of singing, and I hadn't done any acting. Brookside was my first acting role, so I kind of learned on the job.

Warren, tell us about your career prior to earning the role of Stan Waterman in Shameless.

Warren: I was very lucky. I was just an actor auditioning for lots of things, doing a lot of theatre shows and some bits of television, and out of the blue, an audition came through for Shameless for what was meant to be one episode, and it carried on from there.

Claire, since leaving Brookside, you've appeared on many television programmes including Celebrity Big Brother and Loose Women. What were some of your highlights from this period of your career?

Claire: The highlight of my career was performing in Guys and Dolls on the West End, working opposite Patrick Swayze. That was definitely my career highlight.

As you mention, you've also built up quite the theatre career. which productions stand out as being particularly significant for you, and what is the difference between performing in a major theatre show and performing in a pantomime?

Claire: I suppose there is a lot more discipline in a major stage show, as it's a lot more regimental and stricter. We do need some discipline when performing a panto, but there is more freedom to go off-script and have a little bit more fun, I suppose. You also break the fourth wall with panto; you turn and talk to the audience, whereas when I was performing in Tell Me On A Sunday or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, you don't stop to talk to the audience.

Warren, you've also appeared in other television shows and movies. How was the experience of being on set for Going Off Big Time and Millions?

Warren: It was good fun. Going Off Big Time was really fun to shoot. It was the same with Millions; to be honest with you, for all the acting experience that I've had, I haven't had too many bad ones. It's good to be working, and it's good to be doing a variety of things in panto and film. They've all got their own disciplines; they're all about working hard and having fun. If you're an actor performing and you're working with nice people, you've got nothing to complain about!

Warren, you recently played Geoff Smith in Holby City. What are your future plans within television?

Warren: I'm doing a television job immediately after this pantomime, and then after that, who knows? It's the life of an actor; you go from job to job or you don't, but you're constantly looking for work, you're constantly pushing yourself and promoting yourself, and you see what happens. It's not like a lot of careers where you know what you're doing from one week to the next, or from one month to the next. Quite often, you don't know. You might think that you're doing nothing, and then you get one phone call from your agent and suddenly you're mad busy. So, I'm going to keep on doing what I've always done, and that's keeping on, as the old cliché goes.

Finally, tell us why people should come along to St. Helens Theatre Royal to see Sleeping Beauty?

Claire: Well, first of all, it's half term, so it's something great for the kids to do during half term, which is lovely! I have to say that the cast is phenomenal. I've been working with them all; Warren is a brilliant actor anyway, but the rest of the cast has just great talent. It's a beautiful show, there are great songs in it, and there's lots of laughter in it. I just think it's something brilliant for the kids to do during half term.

Warren: What always amazes me is that even though we're living in 2017, where children are so sophisticated, what the children and families still like is a good story that is well-told. There's songs, there's dances and there's loads of audience participation. Also, the Theatre Royal up here in St. Helens is lovely; it's a hidden gem. So over half time, why not get your kids out, take them to see a very good show, and you never know, they might decide in years to come to do a bit of acting, singing and dancing themselves. I used to go to pantos myself as a little boy, and I used to love it, so why not get them out of the house and see our show!

Sleeping Beauty runs at St. Helens Theatre Royal from Saturday October 21 to Sunday October 29. To book your tickets, click here.

Dane Bowers: "Peter Pan Is Going To Be Special"

Image Source: Twitter

Written By: Mark Armstrong

There aren't many things that Dane Bowers hasn't done, from singing to DJ'ing to starring in television programmes. But pantomime is a world that he is about to place a great focus upon as he performs in the role of Captain Hook in Peter Pan at the Epstein Theatre for the Christmas and New Year season. We spoke to Dane about the show, his career so far and why this production will take pantomime to - yes! - Another Level.

Firstly, tell us about your character in Peter Pan.

I'm playing Captain Hook, which I'm looking forward to. I haven't decided what kind of Hook I'm going to be yet, as there have been loads of Peter Pan films. With me, you can't really beat Hook, which starred Dustin Hoffman as Hook. So, I think that's where I'm going to get my inspiration from.

Will this mark your debut in pantomime?

No, I've done one before. I did a panto in Northwich a few years ago, where I was Prince Charming in Cinderella. So, I'm really looking forward to being a baddie, as you can have a lot of fun with it.

You're best known for being a part of the band Another Level. How did the formation of the group come about?

We actually went to a performing art's school. Two of us did, anyway; I went to The Brit School. And I didn't really sing; drama was what I did. Singing was something that I knew I could do, but it wasn't something that I really concentrated on. So I was lucky that I fell into it with another guy, Wayne (Williams), who had already met up with record labels. They asked me to be a part of this project, and it was the greatest choice that I ever made, I guess (laughs).

What would you consider to have been your favourite songs from Another Level?

Freak Me was obviously a big one because it was #1, and it was the song that people would look at now. But people forget that Be Alone No More was our first ever single. Jay-Z was on that tune, which at the time was phenomenal. We worked with Wu-Tang; I did a really good song which I loved with Calised, which was for Phil Collins' album that everybody did. It was us, Brandy and Lil Kim, so that was a good song. There's been some good ones, but Freak Me is hard to top.

Another Level reunited for The Big Reunion, but you chose not to participate, later becoming part of the 5th Story group which brought together multiple soloists. Tell us why you chose to go down this route rather than reforming the original band?

We were going to do Another Level, but two of the guys were um'ing and ah'ing about it anyway. At the time, Mark (Baron) was married to Louise Sugar, and worked for Alan Sugar, so for him to get that amount of time off would have been difficult, and one of the other guys lived in New York. They'd been asking us to do it for years, and we were close, but we just couldn't do it. So then the show (producers) asked me to be involved in this other group (5th Story). I'd done something like that before, but I knew the other people in it so I thought it'd be good fun, so I just said "Yes, let's do it".

Do you still keep in touch with the band members now?

I haven't for a while, actually. We're all pretty good friends, though. I saw Bradley not too long ago, though I don't think he was in that one (laughs). As I say, I'd been in another one for MTV before 5th Story. I'm still good friends with Gareth Gates; he's a good lad, and funnily enough he's the biggest p*ss-head on the whole show, so that's always fun! I haven't seen the others in a while, to be honest. We do get on, though; I'm in Dubai a lot at the moment so it's hard to catch up with them at the moment.

What plans do you have for the future?

As I say, I'm in Dubai; I have a TV production that I'm working on there. It's a show called Come Dine Dubai which is me going to different restaurants there and cooking with the head chefs, so that's looking good. I still DJ too; I'm gonna get some DJ gigs while I'm up here in Liverpool to keep that going. Apart from that, though, I can never decide what I want to do!

Finally, tell us why people should see Peter Pan.

I was saying before that for me, pantomime is a great institution in England; I think that every kid should go and watch panto. You need to get them away from the computer and to come and watch it. It's great for the adults too as well; Michael Chapman, who is writing the script, is very close to the lines so there'll be a lot of adult humour. So if you bring your kids, you're still going to enjoy it. Plus it's Peter Pan, which is going to be very different for a panto. We've all seen Cinderella and Snow White shows which are amazing, but Peter Pan is going to be special.

Peter Pan will head into the Epstein Theatre from Friday December 8 to Monday January 1 2018. To book your tickets, click here.

Claire Simmo: "Peter Pan Is The One Panto Not To Miss!"

Image Source: Claire Simmo

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Claire Simmo is one of the more recognisable voices in the city, due to her work on Radio City 2 alongside the likes of Simon Ross. But she has other talents that she can bring to the forefront, and they will be on display as she waves her magic fairy dust as Tinkerbell in Peter Pan, this year's big Christmas pantomime at the Epstein Theatre. We spoke to Claire about Peter Pan, her career in radio, and her least favourite Christmas present to date!

First of all, tell us about your character in Peter Pan.

My character is Tinkerbell. I think that Tinkerbell is my favourite role to play, because not only does she get lots of sparkle and lots of glitz, but she's also quite mischievous! She has this really innocent face, but she really gets away with murder! (Laughs)

Have you always been a fan of pantomime, and what other productions have you previously starred in?

I did my very first panto here when it was the Neptune, because I'd trained at Elliott-Clarke (Dance & Drama). I played Sleeping Beauty, and since then, I've done countless pantos in St. Helens Theatre Royal. I've played Tinkerbell before, and I've played Glinda in The Wizard Of Oz, plus I did a stint in Southport as well. But it's just so nice because I've waited so many years to work with (producer) Lee Kelly and it's never happened. So, this year when I got the call, I went "Yes!" because this is what I wanted to do. There's also such an amazing cast.

How did you break into radio, and what advice would you give to anyone looking to break into radio themselves?

As I say, I trained at Elliott-Clarke Dance & Drama for three years. I've always wanted to be on stage, and I've always wanted to sing. Then, I was just driving into work one morning, and I heard Kev Seedy on the radio saying that the travel girl was off and would anyone like to come in and have a go? So, I just went "I can do that!" I went in and did it and the rest, as they say, is history! I was literally just in the right place at the right time. It's a hard industry to get into nowadays, so you've got to be prepared to work a lot for very little money, and realise that you're totally replaceable at any time! (Laughs)

What would you consider to be the highlights of your radio career so far?

There are so many highlights of my radio career. A lot of mine relate to getting involved with the charities like Alder Hey and to work with When You Wish Upon A Star, and to do so many different things out in the city. I'm very lucky that we get to meet some of nice people, I get to go to the theatre all of the time. I just love what I do. I love every single part of my job.

Any interesting stories that you can tell from your career?

There was one time when I was on stage in panto, when I was working with Kurtis Stacey and we were doing Jack And The Beanstalk together. There was a scene where he had to bash into the back of me, and because he's quite a big, muscly lad, every night it would get harder and harder. Then, this one night, he bashed into me that hard that I whizzed across the stage, nearly fell off the edge and grabbed the scenery, pulled all the scenery down, and they had to stop the show! That is like my worst moment ever! After that, it was like "Here's 'break the scenery' Simmo!" That was possibly my most embarrassing moment, over in St. Helens Theatre Royal; they haven't let me back in since! (Laughs)

The panto will be taking place in the run-up to Christmas. Is this usually a busy time of year for you, and what is the worst Christmas present that you've received?

Oh, good grief! Christmas is the busiest time for me. I love Christmas; it's my favourite time of year. Probably the worst Christmas present I have ever had; a few years ago, they used to do Soap On A Rope. I remember getting this blue one off my auntie, and she was made up. If it had been pink, I probably could have gotten away with it! But it was blue, and she was like "Oh look, it can hang over the bath!" And I was like "I don't think so, no!" (Laughs)

Will your family and friends be coming to watch you in Peter Pan?

I've already bullied most of my family and friends into booking tickets to see the show! Everyone knows as far as I go that if I'm in a panto, then you have to come otherwise there'll be all kinds of trouble! But most of my friends and family do come and watch anyway. Normally, my daughter dances and she manages to get into the pantos, but she's like 5'9 now even though she's only 11, and she's too tall to get to audition this year! So, I'll be doing it solo this year, which is quite weird, but I'm looking forward to it. It's a break from the kids, yay! (Laughs)

Finally, why should the Liverpool audience come to see Peter Pan this year?

I think they should come because it is 22 years since Peter Pan has been done here at the Epstein. It's one of those shows that is different, and it's great for the younger boys as well because often, with Cinderella and Snow White, it can seem to be all-girly with the big dresses, but here you've got the male characters for the lads, while for the girls you've still got the sparkly Tinkerbell and the Wendy and the Tiger Lily. Plus, I'd imagine with Michael Chapman writing it that there's gonna be a few innuendos in it for the adults as well! (Laughs) I just think it's gonna be the one panto not to miss!

Peter Pan will head into the Epstein Theatre from Friday December 8 to Monday January 1 2018. To book your tickets, click here.

Leanne Campbell & Dean Sullivan: "The Perfect Production For The Perfect Venue"

Image Source: The Guide Liverpool

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Aladdin will be bringing a ton of Christmas cheer to Echo Arena Auditorium this winter, and it looks set to be the best pantomime yet at Liverpool's big arena. Two well-known Liverpudlians with vastly different backgrounds, Leanne Campbell and Dean Sullivan, are playing starring roles in the production, and so we sat down with both to chat about Aladdin, their careers to date and the wonderful world of pantomime!

First of all, discuss your characters in the Aladdin production.

Dean Sullivan: Well, I'm playing Abanazar. It's a part that I've played around six times before, so if I haven't got it right by the time that this show happens, I'm in trouble! (Laughs)

Leanne Campbell: And I live in his ring! (Laughs)

Dean: She robs my ring twice daily! (Laughs)

Leanne: I live in his magic ring, and I bring the goodness into the panto!

Have you both been fans of pantomime?

Dean: I've been in pantos for a long time. You've been doing pantos for a long time as well, haven't you?

Leanne: Yes, since I was a kid, and always in Liverpool. Well, I've gone slightly outside, but never too far away, because when Liverpool comes up, you jump at it. The audiences are just wild, the kids are amazing ... I think it's a real part of Liverpool's heritage now. I grew up going to the pantomimes with my nan and grandad, and people have routines to go on the likes of Christmas Eve. They wouldn't dream of not going to the panto with their kids on Christmas Eve, as it's part of the tradition.

Dean: So, we are the ones who work the hardest over Christmas! Two shows on Boxing Day!

Leanne: This year, we've got a nice little run, we finish on Christmas Eve so you've gotta be quick and book your tickets, because it'll all sell out really quickly. It's a massive venue, but I think there's so much love, from the people involved this year who've done it so many times before. The people are coming to watch them, and we're part of their Christmas.

What are some of the more memorable pantomimes that you've contributed to in the past?

Dean: That's a hard one. I think I've done all of the pantos that there are to do, from The Sheriff Of Nottingham to Babes In The Wood, and as I say, I've played Abanazar about six times already. Also, two years ago in Stockport, I was offered the Dame. If you are involved in any pantomime production, you'll know that the Dame works really, really hard. You're never really off the stage much besides when you're in the wings, putting on your next costume. So, it was a very busy show; I never stopped. So, I played the Dame and I loved every minute of it, but it nearly killed me.

Leanne: Would you ever play the Dame again?

Dean: I would, because it's great fun to do, but you really earn your money. It's hard work, as you have a busy old time. As Abanazar, I spend most of the time in the dressing room, which is great; I put my feet up and have a glass of wine, reading the paper ... I shouldn't have said that! (Laughs) But with the Dame, you're on constantly, all of the time. You really do earn your money because you are busy. It was a great part to play.

Leanne: It's lovely. There's all of the classic roles like Cinderella, Snow White - the beautiful role to play. The costumes are gorgeous and you get to sing the sweet songs as well. But my character in this show, the Slave Of The Ring, is the funniest character. Hopefully, I'm going to bring a lot of Liverpool to it, a lot of what people already know about me on Radio City. If you listen to me there, you'll know my sense of humour, and it's going to be a good old laugh. It's like me and him, tongue-in-cheek, and every show will be a different show.

Dean: So book your tickets now!

Dean, what would you consider to be the highlights of your time in Brookside as Jimmy Corkhill, and of your career in television post-Brookside?

Dean: That's an interesting question. People used to say to me that you were there for 18 years, so why did you stay for so long in that one part? I used to say that it was because of the scripts and the storylines. My contract used to be renewed every 12 months, and I would say to Phil Redmond "What have you got coming up? What's going to happen to Jimmy?" And they would always be fantastic storylines.

The two highlights on Brookside were definitely the drugs storyline, which ran for many, many years and had lots of different aspects to it, and the big storyline towards the end of the show, which ran for a few years as well, which was the mental health storyline. Jimmy was diagnosed with bi-polar manic depression, and that was a very, very interesting part to play. I didn't know anything about it at the time, so I conducted a lot of research into it. I didn't know much about drugs either, so there was research involved in that storyline too. Essentially, when we were doing those hard-hitting storylines, we had a responsibility to get it right. I used to say that I was only acting it, but there are people out there who are living it. so you had a sense of responsibility to them to tell their story, and to tell it correctly and with respect. They were the two big highlights, but I loved all of my time there over the 18 years, and it went by just like that.

Since then, I've played a few different bits and pieces, but there's been nothing that has really grabbed me. I've often made guest appearances in shows like Doctors and The Royal. But unfortunately, in playing and creating such a big, iconic character, you're often making a rod for your own back, because a lot of people are then a bit frightened of casting you in another role because they think that you can only play that one particular part. And it's nonsense because you're an actor, and you can play any role really. But I can never be taken away; I'll be down in the television history books. I've got all sorts of awards at home for playing the part. So, it's been fantastic.

What other projects would interest you for the future?

Dean: I'm leaning now towards the directing side of things. I've directed an original show about the first World War poet Wilfred Owen. A friend of mine wrote all of the songs, and I directed them for a tour of the North-West, which was fantastic. I like being on the other side of it, and having the responsibility of a whole production.

Leanne, how did you break into radio, and what advice would you have for anyone reading this who would be looking to pursue a career in radio?

Leanne: Try and get an afternoon slot! (Laughs) Early mornings are killers. The advice would be to just go for it, but not necessarily down the usual avenues. I was a trained actress; I'd just filmed The Ward, I'd been off to London to train, I came back, and I was doing a play at the Royal Court when a gentleman waited for me at the stage door. He said that I'd built up a name for myself, as I'd played Annie at the Playhouse as a child, and people seem to know who I was, so could he introduce me to a career in radio? The answer was no, as I couldn't talk; was it a script or a play? No, I could just be myself. And it was scary, but it was the best thing that I've ever done, because I love it. It is exactly what I should be doing. To go down the same route that I thought I was supposed to be going down; sometimes, when you stray from that path, the best things happen. I went on to win a Sony award in London ...

Dean: Well, you are fantastic on the show!

Leanne: Oh, thank you! My tips, then, would be to just be yourself, don't try to be anybody other than yourself. Sometimes, you'll make mistakes, but that's just part and parcel of it. Just be you, and just be honest, and if people like you, then you're onto a good thing!

What are your thoughts on Pete Price scaling down his radio career?

Leanne: I think it's a great move for him. He's seventy-odd; I can't imagine myself being able to string a sentence together in my forties, never mind my seventies! The guy is a legend for doing it for as long as he has done and to still create a brilliant show. When he told me about it, I was like "It's good for you." It's got a retro feel to it for those who remember the heritage Radio City of vibe, and it was always on a Sunday night. I was guilty of doing the prank calls to Pete Price before I knew him; it's part of growing up, and now I'll happily encourage my kids to do the same! (Laughs) If he's only gonna be on on a Sunday, I'll just do one call so he doesn't know my number! (Laughs)

What is the difference between performing panto in a theatre and performing in an arena, as it will be in Echo Arena Auditorium for Aladdin?

Leanne: Well, it's in a theatre within an arena. So, it's going to have the same theatre vibe, it's not like we'll be plonked in the middle with the audience all around us; it's a real theatre set-up. It's a beautiful Auditorium, it's quite similar and like a larger version of the Floral Pavilion in Southport with the circular environment.

Dean: When I said to people that I was going to be playing the Echo Arena this year to star in Aladdin, they said "What, in the arena?" And I said no, it's got a separate, purpose-built theatre just like the Empire. the Royal Court and the Neptune (or the Epstein as it's called now).

Leanne: Disney have brought their children's shows here, I took my kids to see them, and it's the perfect venue for children. Especially if they're under 10, and if they're that little that they need to just have a little walk-about to stretch their legs, this is the perfect venue. So, if you've never brought your kids to the theatre before, for me this is the ideal place to bring those little ones. You can test the waters, see how they last and stuff. It's the perfect venue, and the perfect production.

Finally, what should the audience look forward to when they come to see Aladdin?

Leanne: Me and him! (Laughs)

Dean: It's a show packed with fun, songs and laughter.

Leanne: The music is outrageous, the sets are outrageous, the costumes are outrageous, there's magic for the children, funny moments ...

Dean: And you've got us!

Aladdin will fly into Echo Arena Auditorium from Friday December 15 to Sunday December 24. To book your tickets, click here.

Jessica Johann: "Everyone Is Really Excited For Aladdin"

Image Source: Twitter

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Aladdin will be flying into Echo Arena Auditorium this Christmas, and at the centre of it all will be Jessica Johann. A talented up-and-coming actress, singer and dancer currently studying at Liverpool Media Academy (LMA), this production marks something of a big break for Jessica, as she will be playing the part of Princess Jasmine, a much sought-after part which more than 300 aspiring actresses auditioned for. We spoke to Jessica to find out more about her role, her training and her future ambitions!

First of all, tell us about your character in Aladdin.

I'm going to be playing Princess Jasmine. She is the Princess who lives in this world with Aladdin, and eventually, she and Aladdin fall in love!

Are you a big fan of pantomimes yourself?

Oh yeah, of course! When I was younger, growing up, I would always come and watch the pantos in Liverpool, so I'm really excited to be a part of one!

The audition process sounded pretty tough in terms of numbers!

It was absolutely incredible! It was really exciting because there were so many amazing girls who were auditioning, and they were all really talented, so the pressure was on! It was a real competition, so I feel really lucky and I am very grateful that I was given the part.

How are things going with your studies at LMA?

It's going great! In LMA, we're always doing performances in the Epstein Theatre, in St. George's Hall and other venues. This is really, really good to get experience, especially when you are training. So, it's going really well!

What are your future ambitions within theatre?

Well, I hope to one day be performing on the West End or to eventually go into film and TV. I've got lots of dreams! I'm just working up to it, and we'll see what happens!

You'll be busy working in this pantomime production in the run-up to Christmas this year. Are you looking forward to Christmas more than usual for that reason?

All my family are so excited, and this panto is running up until Christmas Eve. So, once the panto is over, we're all going to celebrate and enjoy Christmas together, so it's going to be a very exciting December, definitely.

What other interests do you have outside of theatre?

Well, not much really! (Laughs) It's mostly theatre, but I have always loved dancing, singing and acting; they have always been my hobbies. I like art as well, and I like to paint sometimes. That's mostly what I do! (Laughs)

Will your family be coming along to see the show?

All of my family will be coming along to see me, definitely! They're all really excited. I'll have lots of friends from uni coming as well. So, everyone is really excited for the show.

Finally, why should people come along to see Aladdin?

I think that people should come along to see Aladdin because I don't think there is going to be a panto like it this year. The cast is unbelievable; we've got so many amazing people in this production. We've also got a flying carpet! I think it's going to be really exciting for the kids to watch, and for the family as well. It's gonna be a lot of fun, and you really don't want to miss out!

Aladdin will fly into Echo Arena Auditorium from Friday December 15 to Sunday December 24. To book your tickets, click here.

Nikki Grahame: "Beauty & The Beast Is Going To Be Such A Good Show"

Image Source: Bill Elms
Associates

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: St. Helens Theatre Royal

With Beauty & The Beast recently hitting cinemas, it's pretty good timing that an Easter pantomime production of the classic B&TB story would be coming to St. Helens Theatre Royal. Starring Amy Thompson, Nikki Grahame, Liam Mellor and more, the show promises a lot of fun, laughs, songs and possibly a few "egg-citing" surprises over the course of its Easter run. We spoke to Nikki about her role in the show, as well as her previous Big Brother experience and her hopes for the future.

First of all, tell us about your role as Fairy Rose in Beauty & The Beast.

My role is to make Belle and the Prince fall in love. That's my mission, and the Prince actually got poisoned and turned into a Beast, so if The Princess (Belle) falls in love with the Beast, she'll see the true Prince underneath. He'll transform from the Beast into the Prince, and they'll have their "Happily Ever After!"

I understand you have previous pantomime experience as a part of Cinderella at the Epstein Theatre in 2012, how was that experience?

I love the Epstein Theatre. Cinderella was such an exciting run, and I also just love being in Liverpool. I was the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, and I get to be the Fairy again. So, it's a very exciting time.

This will be your second panto in the North-West. What is it like to perform in front of the Liverpool audience, which will extend to St Helens for Beauty & The Beast?

I just love Liverpool, and the Scousers in general! Everybody is so friendly; I always notice the difference, coming from London to Liverpool, because everybody's so friendly here, whereas in London, everybody's stressed, it can be a bit cold. But here, everybody' so, so friendly, and it's so nice. So watching the audience reactions, seeing them laughing; it's so rewarding. It doesn't feel like work at all.

Tell us your thoughts on the cast for this show.

Everyone's been cast perfectly. It's a really, really great cast. I think we're gonna have a lot of fun with the accents and stuff. I was watching the rehearsals yesterday, just thinking "This is going to be such a good show!" Everyone's just really throwing themselves into it, and it's gonna be great.

You rose to fame as a contestant in Big Brother in 2006. Tell us why you applied to go on Big Brother and how you found out you had been chosen, and what were some of the biggest challenges of being on the reality show?

I have always been such a huge Big Brother fan. I still am; I haven't missed a series since it started, and obviously since being on the show myself. To have been on it, and to have been called on it was just a dream come true. I'm so honoured and lucky to have been able to do that; it's completely transformed my life, and I've had some incredible experiences from that, and I've been very, very thankful to that show.

As for the challenges: battling with the air conditioning, sharing the bedroom with 12 other housemates, there were lots of very unpleasant smells (laughs), the bathroom was putrid, there were hair extensions all over the floor - there were lots and lots of challenges! I look back on it with fond memories, though, and I'm still really good friends with quite a few of them, actually. I see Imogen quite a lot, and Aisleyne, they're always on the London scene, and we're friends on Facebook. I met up with Grace last time I was in Liverpool, she's up here with Mikey. I'm still friends with Glyn on social media, Pete too ... we all shared a really special experience together.

Tell us about the Nikki for JYY.London clothing range which launched in September 2015.

I got to try my hand in fashion, which was a lot of fun. That would be something that I would like to continue in the future.

What other future ambitions do you have?

Wow ... I'd love to maybe go in the jungle one day (for I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!), and prove everybody wrong, because I think everybody thinks that I would really struggle, but I would love to throw myself into it, and eat some bugs maybe! (Laughs)

Finally, what can the St Helens audience expect from Beauty & The Beast?

I think that the show is filled with energy, the costumes are just amazing and they're all hand-made, and it's gonna be a really uplifting, exciting, surprising show. It's gonna be great; the music is exciting, with some really catchy songs. Plus, Beauty & The Beast is the show of the moment right now, so it's the show to come and see!

Beauty & The Beast will be heading into the St. Helens Theatre Royal from Saturday April 1 to Sunday April 23. To book your tickets, click here.

Lee Brennan: "I Can't Wait To Get Started With Sleeping Beauty"

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Epstein Theatre

Christmas is long gone and the Easter eggs are starting to fill up the shop shelves, which can only mean that the Epstein Theatre's annual Easter pantomime is upon us! This year, it'll be Sleeping Beauty, and another star-studded cast will include 911 star Lee Brennan and home-grown actress Tina Malone. To find out more about how the Epstein Easter extravaganza will provide, we spoke to Lee about Sleeping Beauty, his role in the production and his time as part of 911 ...

First of all, tell us about your role as the Prince in Sleeping Beauty.

This is the first time I've played a Prince, actually. In the past, I've played Peter Pan and Aladdin. I'm gonna bring some energy, fun and cheekiness to the role, and of course I get to kiss the Princess, which is not a bad thing if you're the Prince! (Laughs). I'm looking forward to it; I can't wait to get started in rehearsals.

Who else will be starring alongside you in Sleeping Beauty?

Well, Liverpool will know Tina Malone obviously, she's playing the villain, and we've just got a great cast so we've also got the Fairy, the Princess, the Dame etc. I'm just meeting everybody today and we're gonna have a right laugh; I love meeting a new cast of people, and the more you work together, the better you become on stage as well. So, it's gonna be great.

As you alluded to, you have some previous experience in pantomime.

Yeah, I've done around seven other pantos. I've been Peter Pan four times and Aladdin three times now. So, this is quite a different role for me. With Peter Pan and Aladdin, it's all about big-time energy, and I'm flying around the place on the magic carpet. This one's probably gonna be quite chilled out! I'll still be giving out loads of energy though, even as a chilled-out kind of character. I'm sure that I'll be doing some dance routines as well, so that will be fun.

You are most famous for being a member of the band 911. How did the group originally form?

Jimmy (Constable), who's a Scouser, and "Spike" (Simon Dawbarn), who's from Warrington, were professional street dancers together back in the day, and they used to have a show on ITV called The Hit Man and Her. So, they kind of built up a teen following, and their management helped them to get gigs. I wrote a letter to my radio station in Carlisle (CFM Radio), who were booking Jimmy and Spike for a gig at the time. Their management saw the letter that I wrote to the radio station, and got me to meet them. From there, we met a few more times, and we decided to move in together in Glasgow and start up 911. It was quite organic how it came together; there were no auditions or anything.

Where did the name 911 come from?

Our management had the name already. When I had my first meeting with them, they said that the band was going to be called 911, and I was like "That's cool, a short and sweet and catchy name to remember". So, it came from our management, and they got it from the American emergency services.

What were some of your favourite hits from 911's original run?

Bodyshakin' is probably our biggest fan favourite hit. I love performing that, and it has a great dance routine to it as well. I wrote a song called The Journey, which came from the same album (the first album that we had was called The Journey), and that was about a childhood experience. I had cancer a couple of times when I was a kid, and that song was about that, so that was one of my personal favourites. It's got real meaning to it.

How did it feel to get the band back together as part of The Big Reunion television show and resultant tour?

It was amazing. As soon as ITV approached us, we were like "Hell yeah!" It gave us an opportunity to talk about a lot of things between each other in the band that we hadn't spoken about before. We were really brutally honest with each other about how we felt back in the day, and it kind of cleared a lot of things up. It helped us move forward together as a band, and we've got a lot more respect for each other now.

Finally, what should the Liverpool audience expect from Sleeping Beauty?

It's a great show for all ages, as most pantos are, and doing an Easter panto is great; I'd never heard of an Easter panto before, but it's gonna be amazing. There'll be lots of fun, lots of silliness, lots of singing, lots of dancing, and a good storyline; Sleeping Beauty's a great story! It's gonna be a great family show, so everybody needs to get down and enjoy it, plus the Epstein Theatre is a beautiful theatre to perform in as well.

Sleeping Beauty will be panto'ing its way into the Epstein Theatre from Friday April 7 to Sunday April 23. To book your tickets, click here.