Cinderella
The Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
Saturday 12th December to Sunday 10th January 2016
The Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
Saturday 12th December to Sunday 10th January 2016
This year’s pantomime at The Cliffs Pavilion certainly looks set to be a family affair.
Star of this year’s production, tv, musical theatre and pantomime legend, Brian Conley who will be playing Buttons, visited the The Cliff’s Pavilion a few days ago to launch the greatest pantomime of them all, Cinderella. Joining him was Lauren Hall who stars as Cinderella, as well as David Robbins and Martin Ramsdin who appear as the Ugly Sisters.
Michael Harrison, West End producer and managing director of the QDos pantomime promises a terrific show for Southend audiences with a set designed especially for the Cliffs Pavilion stage which will only ever be used at this venue.
Star of this year’s production, tv, musical theatre and pantomime legend, Brian Conley who will be playing Buttons, visited the The Cliff’s Pavilion a few days ago to launch the greatest pantomime of them all, Cinderella. Joining him was Lauren Hall who stars as Cinderella, as well as David Robbins and Martin Ramsdin who appear as the Ugly Sisters.
Michael Harrison, West End producer and managing director of the QDos pantomime promises a terrific show for Southend audiences with a set designed especially for the Cliffs Pavilion stage which will only ever be used at this venue.
He told us, “Panto is all about family and the people on stage are a bit of a family. Brian and the Ugly Sisters, played by David and Martin, have all performed together before over the years and Lauren played Cinderella opposite Brian last year. Lesley Joseph hasn’t done Cinderella with Brian before but they had two hugely successful years in Robinson Crusoe at Southampton.” He goes on to say, “It’s a great cast plus there’s going to be lots of special effects and lots of magic!”
I ask Michael how this version of Cinderella is going to differ from the previous production Brian appeared in at The Cliffs Pavilion in 2009. He explains, “It’s brand new and fresh. There’s a whole Southend’s Got Talent sequence where Buttons wants to get to the Ball which is very different to the previous production. How he gets to the Ball is something that’s never been done here." Give us a clue? "He flies but that’s all I’ll say.” he laughs.
Brian chips in, “It’s going to be packed with comedy fun. Dangerous Brian is going to be there as well as ‘it’s a puppet’. It’s packed with comedy from the moment it starts. I hope we can mirror the success we had last time we were here because that was a cracking time. And Lesley Joseph is great, she's one of our great comedy actresses. She’s legendary.”
Brian, of course, is the master when it comes to pantomime. “Everyone knows the story of Cinderella. It’s such a lovely story. This year we’ve got a band and we’re going to get mums up on stage to sing a duet with me!”
I ask Brian if he enjoys having the kids up on stage. “I really do, it’s a point in the show where the public know anything could happen - I know anything could happen and it often does. I really enjoy it. It’s a highlight to the evening. Where is there another show where you can have interaction like that with the kids?”
Does he ever get upstaged by the kids? “Yes, and I love that” he chuckles, “There was one kid who I asked, what would he like for Christmas and he said, ‘I wouldn’t mind a bit of Cinderella’……and he was only about 5!!" Even Brian's own daughter, Lucy, his youngest, gets a chance to shine, "She'll probably end up in this game because she loves it," he says, clearly full of pride, "She loves being out there and when she comes and sees Cinderella with my wife, I'll get her up and she'll do a couple of little bits with me."
Brian recently appeared at The Cliffs Pavilion in the touring production of Barnum and on being asked how performing in a pantomime compares with touring with Barnum, he explains, “Pantomime is physically demanding but nothing more than we’re all used to; but I have to say doing this compared to Barnum will be an absolute breeze because in this I don’t have to walk on a wire! In last year’s panto I was practising in-between shows.”
Brian tells us a little bit of interesting trivia regarding Southend - “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn't for Southend because my mum and dad met on a beano coming down to Southend on a bus and this is where they met - and that’s why I’m here!”
I ask Michael how this version of Cinderella is going to differ from the previous production Brian appeared in at The Cliffs Pavilion in 2009. He explains, “It’s brand new and fresh. There’s a whole Southend’s Got Talent sequence where Buttons wants to get to the Ball which is very different to the previous production. How he gets to the Ball is something that’s never been done here." Give us a clue? "He flies but that’s all I’ll say.” he laughs.
Brian chips in, “It’s going to be packed with comedy fun. Dangerous Brian is going to be there as well as ‘it’s a puppet’. It’s packed with comedy from the moment it starts. I hope we can mirror the success we had last time we were here because that was a cracking time. And Lesley Joseph is great, she's one of our great comedy actresses. She’s legendary.”
Brian, of course, is the master when it comes to pantomime. “Everyone knows the story of Cinderella. It’s such a lovely story. This year we’ve got a band and we’re going to get mums up on stage to sing a duet with me!”
I ask Brian if he enjoys having the kids up on stage. “I really do, it’s a point in the show where the public know anything could happen - I know anything could happen and it often does. I really enjoy it. It’s a highlight to the evening. Where is there another show where you can have interaction like that with the kids?”
Does he ever get upstaged by the kids? “Yes, and I love that” he chuckles, “There was one kid who I asked, what would he like for Christmas and he said, ‘I wouldn’t mind a bit of Cinderella’……and he was only about 5!!" Even Brian's own daughter, Lucy, his youngest, gets a chance to shine, "She'll probably end up in this game because she loves it," he says, clearly full of pride, "She loves being out there and when she comes and sees Cinderella with my wife, I'll get her up and she'll do a couple of little bits with me."
Brian recently appeared at The Cliffs Pavilion in the touring production of Barnum and on being asked how performing in a pantomime compares with touring with Barnum, he explains, “Pantomime is physically demanding but nothing more than we’re all used to; but I have to say doing this compared to Barnum will be an absolute breeze because in this I don’t have to walk on a wire! In last year’s panto I was practising in-between shows.”
Brian tells us a little bit of interesting trivia regarding Southend - “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn't for Southend because my mum and dad met on a beano coming down to Southend on a bus and this is where they met - and that’s why I’m here!”
Lauren Hall who is playing Cinderella will be taking over the part of June in Gypsy in the West End in October and has already played Louise, as an understudy, alongside Imelda Staunton. “Working with Imelda is incredible. There’s an intensity she has when she’s performing that I’ve never seen before. I don’t know how she does it. She makes my job so easy because she is so good. You don’t have to act you just listen to her and respond. You’re so in the moment and blown away. It’s wonderful!”
Martin and David, the Ugly Sisters have been together as pair for so long they practically finish each others sentences. David tells us, “We started off playing Dames separately and then someone said, ‘You two would work really well together and we were like, ‘why didn’t we think of that before?’ because we’ve known each other for ages and…” Martin continues, “we have the same style and the same taste - well bad taste - and I think this is our eleventh pantomime with QDos.” The pair also design all their own costumes and wigs. “It’s like a factory, where we do it all!”
Watching the cast chatting away together you can sense that they already have a fantastic chemistry and energy that comes from working together and knowing what makes each other tick. Just listening to their banter makes me giggle.
Brian: “Where’s the Prince today?”
Lauren: “On his honeymoon.”
Brian: “I always thought he was gay!”
Hoots of laughter all round. If this is what the cast are like off stage, I can’t wait to see what they can do once they get up on stage. Michael leaves us with a big promise, “Cinderella carries the Cliffs Pavilion hallmark of outstanding and unmissable entertainment for all ages and features top drawer production values, stunning scenery and amazing costumes. This is pantomime at its best.”
Cinderella runs at the Cliffs Pavilion from Saturday 12th December 2015 to Sunday 10th January 2016. Tickets are already on sale and can be booked by calling 01702 351135 or by visiting thecliffspavilion.co.uk
Watching the cast chatting away together you can sense that they already have a fantastic chemistry and energy that comes from working together and knowing what makes each other tick. Just listening to their banter makes me giggle.
Brian: “Where’s the Prince today?”
Lauren: “On his honeymoon.”
Brian: “I always thought he was gay!”
Hoots of laughter all round. If this is what the cast are like off stage, I can’t wait to see what they can do once they get up on stage. Michael leaves us with a big promise, “Cinderella carries the Cliffs Pavilion hallmark of outstanding and unmissable entertainment for all ages and features top drawer production values, stunning scenery and amazing costumes. This is pantomime at its best.”
Cinderella runs at the Cliffs Pavilion from Saturday 12th December 2015 to Sunday 10th January 2016. Tickets are already on sale and can be booked by calling 01702 351135 or by visiting thecliffspavilion.co.uk