And in a puff of glitter, sadly that’s my PwC Panto stint done for another year.
I know that I say this every year, but I continue to be blown away by the pure talent in the panto. It is so professional. It’s hard to believe that every part is done by amateurs: cast, wardrobe, choreography, directing, hair & makeup, staging, props and probably more that I’ve missed.
I am delighted that the panto actually went ahead this year, despite Covid. I missed it terribly last year and I’m now awaiting the inevitable panto blues to hit. Interestingly, this year I discovered that people who I thought were panto old hands were newbies in the same year as me - 2018. I learnt that I’m too old for clubbing (especially when I’m sober and only drinking water) and I still hate sticky floors! I also know that none of this would be possible for me without Cliff holding the fort at home and I’m very grateful to him for that.
I decided to do something different this year and joined the props team. I LOVED it. I put my new fibreglassing skills to use and made extra large carrots for the White Rabbit and even worked out how to make one vibrate! Who doesn’t need a vibrating carrot?! I lost myself in a cloud of polystyrene dust making mushrooms and this was all before we even got to the theatre. At the theatre, after a moment or two of panic not knowing when or where any of our amazing props were supposed to be, I soon got into the swing of things and enjoyed running about with all manner of things - massive feet, Jay’s beautiful huge crème egg, cakes, shaving foam, fabulous flamingo tails and those bl@@dy letters (as they will now fondly be remembered). And for those of you questioning my use of the word “running”… in true panto style, “oh yes I was”! Act 1 was manic for props but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I had great fun writing notes for Alice & co on their clipboards, frantically setting up tea party tables with help from my favourite sleepy Dormouse and even sewed a spot on a Caterpillar. I laughed with old and new panto friends and realised that actually there is such a thing as a stupid question. It came from me during a moment of stressful madness to Camilla: “Is it a red or black spade we are looking for?” 😂 I still have no idea why it was always a spade staff that went missing.
It’s a great feeling to walk into a building and think “This is right. This is where I’m meant to be”. That’s what theatre does for me and to have the opportunity to bring some of the delight, wonder and joy of a theatre to so many children is something that I will always be grateful for. Every year #pwcpanto gives away over 8000 tickets to inner city schools and community groups, who otherwise would not have a chance to see live theatre. Hearing the excited screams and singing from the children as the curtain goes up on opening night is just wonderful and makes me grin from ear to ear, much like our beautiful Cheshire Cat.
As the curtain falls for another year, I leave you all with a quote from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland that, for me, sums up panto: “There is a place, like no place on earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger. Some say, to survive it, you need to be as mad as a hatter. Which, luckily, I am.”
