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: 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.

Pantomime Review: Beauty and The Beast (St. Helens Theatre Royal)

Image Source: The Reviews Hub

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Pantomime
Genre: Comedy
Date: April 1 2017
Location: St. Helens Theatre Royal

Beauty and The Beast is all the rage right now, given the recent cinematic release of the newest Disney adaptation, and so it's very good timing to see a good old-fashioned pantomime version of the classic tale for the Easter season.

The St. Helens crowd was treated to plenty of comedy capers with this Beauty and The Beast performance. Belle (Amy Thompson) rejects the advances of Gaston (Philip McGuinness), who is supported by his evil mother Madame Botox (Hannah Potts), and instead wishes to fall in love with the handsome Prince (Richard Hazlewood). However, the wicked Madame Botox uses poison to turn the Prince into a Beast, who becomes a hideous and terrifying creature.

Nevertheless, this doesn't stop Belle who, with support from French Frank (Liam Mellor) and Potty Polly (Simon Foster), manages to enjoy food and a dance with the Beast/Prince, appreciating him for what he is on the inside rather than on the outside. But there remains questions as to whether Belle and the Beast can truly fall in love, especially with Gaston and Madame Botox lurking around; fortunately, Fairy Rose (Nikki Grahame) is on hand to provide a helping hand to the good guys when needed.

The show is a lot of fun, delivering a lot of laughs from the one-liners by Frank to the amusing audience interaction scenes to the general silliness of certain moments throughout the story. The settings were very good, and the costumes are excellent, especially for Belle, the Beast and Fairy Rose; their attires perfectly match what audience-goers would expect from this retelling of a classic tale.

There are plenty of songs during the show, some of which are slightly modified versions of current chart hits to tie in with the story, whilst others are panto favourites played purely for laughs (such as Frank's "One smart fella, he felt smart" tune towards the end). I felt that the show was a little on the short side, with things wrapping up inside two hours, but amongst the young children and also the adults on hand, the show couldn't have been much better, and to them the running time seemed to be just right.

Easter pantos are becoming more and more prominent, so there's a decent chance that you'll find yourself heading to one this year. If you do, Beauty and The Beast at St. Helens Theatre Royal is one of the best options you could find, delivering all the fun and frolics that one would expect from a classic pantomime.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10 - Excellent

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.