Oh Yes It Is! The Improvised Pantomime
sponsored by Mencap
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
Wed 13th - Sat 16th December 2017
We talk all things improv and panto with Ali James.
sponsored by Mencap
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
Wed 13th - Sat 16th December 2017
We talk all things improv and panto with Ali James.
Christmas is fast approaching which can only mean one thing in theatre land - it’s panto season. Oh Yes It Is! No really, Oh Yes It Is! The Improvised Pantomime is one panto coming to Southend which promises to be like no other you will ever see.
I catch up with Ali James, who originated the company, and she tells me that it’s her favourite week of the year; not least because she gets to perform in a theatre that she loves surrounded by her closest friends and family, including husband, comedian, John Oakes. They will all be taking to the stage to produce side splitting improv comedy to audiences of all ages.
Oh Yes It Is! began its panto life upstairs at The Alex pub in Southend in 2012, where Ali along with her group, Bang Yellow, put on an improvised panto. It has now evolved into - in Ali’s own words - “a crazy, spectacular, theatrical event” in its new home at the Palace Theatre’s Dixon Studio in Southend.
After a run of spectacular shows last December, Oh Yes It Is! is returning with even more chaotic, off-the-cuff Christmas cheer! With on-the-spot special effects, inventive costumes and spontaneous musical dance routines, the improvisers promise to take you on a wild ride into pantoland! Oh yes they will!
I catch up with Ali James, who originated the company, and she tells me that it’s her favourite week of the year; not least because she gets to perform in a theatre that she loves surrounded by her closest friends and family, including husband, comedian, John Oakes. They will all be taking to the stage to produce side splitting improv comedy to audiences of all ages.
Oh Yes It Is! began its panto life upstairs at The Alex pub in Southend in 2012, where Ali along with her group, Bang Yellow, put on an improvised panto. It has now evolved into - in Ali’s own words - “a crazy, spectacular, theatrical event” in its new home at the Palace Theatre’s Dixon Studio in Southend.
After a run of spectacular shows last December, Oh Yes It Is! is returning with even more chaotic, off-the-cuff Christmas cheer! With on-the-spot special effects, inventive costumes and spontaneous musical dance routines, the improvisers promise to take you on a wild ride into pantoland! Oh yes they will!
“The premise of the show,” Ali explains, “is that we get some ‘ask for’s’ from the audience, who then provide us with which show they would like to see. So they might like to see Cinderella, Peter Pan or Aladdin for instance. Then we get crazy stuff, like a creature that appears throughout it or a kitchen utensil or a location, like an Alpine ski lodge; so then we’ll have to set Cinderella in this lodge.”
One advantage of performing in the Dixon Studio is that the actors can get really intimate with the audience and Ali admits that seeing the whites of the audience's eyes certainly makes things more exciting and interesting.
Performing with Ali will be Jez Battersby, Ross Bishop, Wendy Morgan, Gemma Bennett, John Oakes and Davey Hal with guest players, Ashley Edwards and also Sue Harrison, a character comedienne, who is currently in the Olivier award winning Showstopper! The Improvised Musical with Ali, all of whom are hugely talented performers in their own right. Completing the team is Musical Director, Ashton Moore along with his 3 piece band and also the technical crew fronted by the Dixon Studio’s Luke Goddard.
“Everyone has to be on the ball but it helps that they’re all really good friends of mine.” Ali confides, not least hubby, John who takes on the role of show host and who will be keeping all of the players on their toes. “John has so much experience hosting comedy he’s brilliantly funny and quick witted.”
One advantage of performing in the Dixon Studio is that the actors can get really intimate with the audience and Ali admits that seeing the whites of the audience's eyes certainly makes things more exciting and interesting.
Performing with Ali will be Jez Battersby, Ross Bishop, Wendy Morgan, Gemma Bennett, John Oakes and Davey Hal with guest players, Ashley Edwards and also Sue Harrison, a character comedienne, who is currently in the Olivier award winning Showstopper! The Improvised Musical with Ali, all of whom are hugely talented performers in their own right. Completing the team is Musical Director, Ashton Moore along with his 3 piece band and also the technical crew fronted by the Dixon Studio’s Luke Goddard.
“Everyone has to be on the ball but it helps that they’re all really good friends of mine.” Ali confides, not least hubby, John who takes on the role of show host and who will be keeping all of the players on their toes. “John has so much experience hosting comedy he’s brilliantly funny and quick witted.”
“…it’s really fun to get the improvisers into as much trouble as the audience can…”
“All the skills are about justification and being able to provide reasons on the spot why certain things are happening, so it’s really fun to get the improvisers into as much trouble as the audience can. And John really encourages that,” Ali smiles, adding, “Personally, having been in the audience of a lot of improvised shows and having been part of Showstopper! as well, there’s nothing better for the audience than when it seems as though the improvisers cannot get out of a situation and then somehow they do. It’s really fun.”
I wonder if they ever sometimes secretly pretend that they’re in a fix, to which Ali replies with an adamant, “No, actually! We genuinely are most of the time. And then suddenly one of us will come up with an idea.”
“I think what’s addictive about improvisation for me, is that moment when we’ve got nothing - thinking ‘how are we going to do this' and then having the power of that group mind, that hive mind coming together to save the day.”
“A lot of the work we do with the panto is about the conversation you’re having with the audience and how every show is different; especially with the kids shows which obviously have to be a really different tone to the evening shows.”
Indeed, I imagine that some of the adult shows can end up being a little bit on the naughty side.
“Yeah, again if that’s what that audience feels like. Our last Saturday night last year was just so naughty. It was hilarious because of what they [the audience] had asked to see. We were like, right guys, let’s get into this,” she laughs.
I wonder if some audience members try it on a bit and try and push them to a point where they think that the improvisers won’t do what they’ve asked.
“Oh yeah, absolutely but then we accept and build - it’s hilarious - really fun.”
Oh Yes It Is! will be adding 2 childrens’ shows on Thursday 14th and Saturday 16th December at 2.30pm this year following the success of last year’s family friendly show.
I wonder if they ever sometimes secretly pretend that they’re in a fix, to which Ali replies with an adamant, “No, actually! We genuinely are most of the time. And then suddenly one of us will come up with an idea.”
“I think what’s addictive about improvisation for me, is that moment when we’ve got nothing - thinking ‘how are we going to do this' and then having the power of that group mind, that hive mind coming together to save the day.”
“A lot of the work we do with the panto is about the conversation you’re having with the audience and how every show is different; especially with the kids shows which obviously have to be a really different tone to the evening shows.”
Indeed, I imagine that some of the adult shows can end up being a little bit on the naughty side.
“Yeah, again if that’s what that audience feels like. Our last Saturday night last year was just so naughty. It was hilarious because of what they [the audience] had asked to see. We were like, right guys, let’s get into this,” she laughs.
I wonder if some audience members try it on a bit and try and push them to a point where they think that the improvisers won’t do what they’ve asked.
“Oh yeah, absolutely but then we accept and build - it’s hilarious - really fun.”
Oh Yes It Is! will be adding 2 childrens’ shows on Thursday 14th and Saturday 16th December at 2.30pm this year following the success of last year’s family friendly show.
“…the kids really love it…”
“In the family show we don’t take any suggestions from adults - it’s all from the kids. It’s a really different vibe - just playful and colourful and silly. We’ll have lots of audience interaction with us going up and in with them. We also get some of the children up on stage and make up some dances and songs. The kids really love it.”
You would imagine that with a show being based on improvisation that rehearsals wouldn’t be needed but Ali explains, “It’s a bit like being a footballer in that sense. You can have a kick about and practice your passing and goal keeping but every match will be different.”
One of the best things about improv is that each performance will be entirely different.
“That’s what’s so beautiful about it - that only that audience will ever see that show, which is so lovely and I think that’s why you feel a connection with that audience so much because it’s only for them.”
“It can be a really fun thing because every single one is a different world and you have to learn the rules and the tropes and the behaviours of that particular world and then that one’s gone and then it’s the next world - they’re all different.”
It seems to me that improvisation certainly isn’t a job for the faint hearted actor and Ali agrees, “It’s not. You really have to be pretty bold and clear all the time.”
Is it a skill anyone can learn?
You would imagine that with a show being based on improvisation that rehearsals wouldn’t be needed but Ali explains, “It’s a bit like being a footballer in that sense. You can have a kick about and practice your passing and goal keeping but every match will be different.”
One of the best things about improv is that each performance will be entirely different.
“That’s what’s so beautiful about it - that only that audience will ever see that show, which is so lovely and I think that’s why you feel a connection with that audience so much because it’s only for them.”
“It can be a really fun thing because every single one is a different world and you have to learn the rules and the tropes and the behaviours of that particular world and then that one’s gone and then it’s the next world - they’re all different.”
It seems to me that improvisation certainly isn’t a job for the faint hearted actor and Ali agrees, “It’s not. You really have to be pretty bold and clear all the time.”
Is it a skill anyone can learn?
“…The fundamental rule of it is to accept what somebody gives you and then build upon that…"
“Yes, it is. Weirdly, the basic principles of it spill into your life - you can’t help that. The fundamental rule of it is to accept what somebody gives you and then build upon that. So it’s really helpful for things like, for instance, if you get dumped - you can accept you’ve been dumped and then just build on the next stage of your life. Or you lose your job, or you don’t get a promotion - you can you just use that experience and develop from there as a person. So it’s really helpful for flipping around your view of the world in a way.”
So much is improvisation inbuilt into Ali’s life that she and John have even travelled to Chicago to attend the Improv Olympic which, Ali informs me, is like a mecca for improvisers all over the world and was an amazing experience for them both.
Who knew there were such things?
Ali has a wealth of experience in theatre having played such coveted roles as Evita, Alice in Alice in Wonderland and Swallow in Whistle Down the Wind in the West End as well as performing on cruise ships, doing radio plays and theatrical dramas including her first ever profession role with the Agatha Christie Rep at the Palace Theatre, Southend. She was also a dresser in London theatres and can boast that she was Don Johnson’s PA when he starred in Guys and Dolls in the West End. She currently also works as an acting tutor at Masters Performing Arts College.
So much is improvisation inbuilt into Ali’s life that she and John have even travelled to Chicago to attend the Improv Olympic which, Ali informs me, is like a mecca for improvisers all over the world and was an amazing experience for them both.
Who knew there were such things?
Ali has a wealth of experience in theatre having played such coveted roles as Evita, Alice in Alice in Wonderland and Swallow in Whistle Down the Wind in the West End as well as performing on cruise ships, doing radio plays and theatrical dramas including her first ever profession role with the Agatha Christie Rep at the Palace Theatre, Southend. She was also a dresser in London theatres and can boast that she was Don Johnson’s PA when he starred in Guys and Dolls in the West End. She currently also works as an acting tutor at Masters Performing Arts College.
"....I essentially ‘stalked’ Showstopper! because I realised that there was a company out there that could absolutely combine the two things that I was in love with..."
“I think that the work dressing and being a PA was what made me the team player I am now. I never once thought that the actor was more important than anyone else. I’ve never ever had that opinion, and I think that’s why when I found improv and it was so much about give and take and understanding your team and your cast and support - that’s why it appealed to me so much.”
One of Ali’s favourite parts of performing in the show is the musical theatre side of it and having seen her perform myself I can tell you that she seems to be completely in her element when she gets to belt out a song. Ali’s amazingly powerful voice certainly belies her petite frame and will completely blow you away.
“I think that’s why I essentially ‘stalked’ Showstopper! because I realised that there was a company out there that could absolutely combine the two things that I was in love with. I just couldn’t believe my luck when I auditioned and got in. It was amazing. So then I just wanted to bring a bit of that to Southend I suppose.”
With a huge smile on her face, Ali concludes, “We always say, don’t we, that humans are always looking for their tribe. I feel like improv’s my tribe. I’ve found the people that get me and who don’t think I’m a weirdo!”
“It really is my favourite week of the year. I’m in the theatre I adore with my guys who I just love within my heart. It’s just joyful giving the audience what they want - even if that is quite literally what they want. An all singing, all dancing, naughty, funny and twisty turning night out!” Oh Yes It Is!
One of Ali’s favourite parts of performing in the show is the musical theatre side of it and having seen her perform myself I can tell you that she seems to be completely in her element when she gets to belt out a song. Ali’s amazingly powerful voice certainly belies her petite frame and will completely blow you away.
“I think that’s why I essentially ‘stalked’ Showstopper! because I realised that there was a company out there that could absolutely combine the two things that I was in love with. I just couldn’t believe my luck when I auditioned and got in. It was amazing. So then I just wanted to bring a bit of that to Southend I suppose.”
With a huge smile on her face, Ali concludes, “We always say, don’t we, that humans are always looking for their tribe. I feel like improv’s my tribe. I’ve found the people that get me and who don’t think I’m a weirdo!”
“It really is my favourite week of the year. I’m in the theatre I adore with my guys who I just love within my heart. It’s just joyful giving the audience what they want - even if that is quite literally what they want. An all singing, all dancing, naughty, funny and twisty turning night out!” Oh Yes It Is!
To book tickets call the box office on 01702 351135 or go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk
Tickets £11.00 (£9.00)
Tickets £11.00 (£9.00)