A cast of players will set sail for a laugh-out-loud panto at Louth Playgoers in the New Year.
Dick Whittington and the crew of Marlin Monroe, will thrill audiences thanks to the depth of talent which will bring the show alive. It is a first time for directing a panto by the talented, Rich Precious, who is a regular mainstay on stages in Louth and Grimsby.
He has directed before, including the popular, John Godber play, Bouncers, which he toured around local venues. However, it is a debut in the panto director’s chair. Not that there is any sitting down, as creating a cast, lights, music, action and the whole shooting match is a skill which has required full-on direction.
Rich, often seen as the best panto dame this side of Blundell Park, along with co-director Felicity Warren have knitted together an amazing patchwork of skilled crews responsible for chorus, sets, sound and lighting, musical performers, dancers, actors, young and not-so-young, a ship and even a Sultan’s Palace.
The Marlin Monroe, which takes its name from the Hollywood bombshell, will be part of the set at the Playgoers Riverhead Theatre on Victoria Road. Audiences will enjoy how Richard Whittington sets out on his adventures with his cat, Tammy. The show, written by the talented by Philip Marshall Jnr has also put a new spin on an old show and sees our hero, Dick, heading to seek his fortune slightly further afield from the traditional London Town.
The cast has a real depth of experience, with new faces and old helping create and bringing the exciting project to life. Panto debuts include Emma Wighton, who leads the line in her role as Dick. Emma is fresh from her leading role in Beauty and the Beast at Retford and is no stranger to the Riverhead stage either having played the lead in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s one woman show Tell me on a Sunday last year.
Jed Spittle and Louise Ray, who have only just arrived in the area, take on the role of the Sultan and Queen Rat respectively and both bring a wealth of performing experience with them. Everyone is excited to see the return of hugely experienced, Jamie Smith bringing Dame Hela Hooternanny to life. But be warned – he/she is a little unpredictable and isn’t afraid to encourage audience participation.
In the mix is also the experienced Georgia Pearson and writer Phil Marshall Jnr bringing laughs aplenty with comedy duo Snicker and Gaffaw, Laura Harris is coming out of retirement and donning her Fairy gown again and Sophie Browne comes straight from playing Bet in the company’s show Oliver in May to be Dick’s love affection, Alice.
Ellie Johnson is now an experienced and regular face at Louth, From panto last year to Oliver and now panto again, she gets to bring Dick’s dim-witted brother Dom to life, and how well she does it! The all important unsung hero, Tammy the cat will be a shared role for Halle O’Hare and Evelyn Lovelle.
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A chorus of 35 including 23 youngsters, and choreographed by the professional Alice Murray, help create that special panto atmosphere with the juniors being in two teams, performing on alternate nights.
If that wasn’t enough to cram onto the stage, bringing in even more colour and movement to the show is Studio 2000 with fantastic choreography by Nicky and Chloe Goldby.
Rich said: “Everyone brings so much to their parts and all the cast have put in an exceptional amount of work since we started rehearsals in September. I am delighted to have such a core strength of principal characters. Having that strength at the centre of your cast is vital and you can see how everyone else gains from that strength and in turn helps them develop their own characters and roles.”
“It doesn’t matter what role people have got or play. Whether it is in the chorus, a smaller role with a few lines, or a lead role, pantomime is a huge team effort and relies on every single member to bring it alive.”
He thanked parents and carers for bringing the performers to rehearsals, sometimes twice each week. “Young people are often presented as always on their home devices and tech. But coming to the theatre to experience being part of a team and feel the energy of the stage is amazing. I remember walking up the steps to the Caxton Players stage when I was 11-years-old in a Don Wringe production of Zodiac. Feeling those nerves and excitement is something that stays with you forever and I hope for the younger members being a part of this project will be something they remember too.”
Richard said: “For me, it’s important to recognise that a project on this scale is simply not possible without a good team being in place from the very start and I’m indebted to Des Smith my producer and Nikki Law our Musical Director to help make it work. The work, effort and hours spent that goes on in the background is phenomenal. However, even now, that effort is evident with what I’m seeing in rehearsals.”
Richard also wanted to highlight the unsung heroes of the show. “The set builders, painters, props, lighting and sound operators and those working back stage. They are all so massively important. Without them, there is no panto. As performers you get to see the audience, hear the applause and take a bow. However there are others that don’t get to do that, but they are all just as important and a part of that team”. Rich also praised the band led by Producer Des Smith and Stuart Spendlow, who are joined this year by more talented new faces in Gareth King and John Noden who will play live music every night of the pantomime.
It starts on January 9 and runs until January 19. Tickets are priced £9 for children and adults £15, with £13.50 entry for theatre card members. These can be booked by checking out www.louthriverheadtheatre.com or calling 01507 600350.
