Get the Whip out as we've cast off

Well we've cast and were ready to go. And what a line up we've got. Our regular followers will be relieved to know that there are a few familiar faces in the show and they will be even more relieved to know that one of them is me. My oppo obviously got a part by the skin of his teeth still you can't have everything.

Think we have some surprises in the line up for this show which always creates creativity as the show develops

We have a number of exciting new cast members this year. Auditions were amazing with a few X factor moments "oh my god I didn't see that coming"

Had some really good and talented people who we had to turn away and I hope that they are not too disillusioned (spelled that correctly amazingly) and will come back again. (Note to self too many ands in that  sentence). We really do like to strike a balance of experienced pantomimers (new word there!) and new talent. I think we have achieved it this year.

Rehearsals start on Tuesday, so I am going to have to dig the whip out.(don't really have to dig it out as I know exactly where it is, in the dungeon with my other props)

Blogs should get quite interesting from here on in.

Pantobloke

Who's got the X factor

Anguish, tears,shouting, conflict, pain, treachery, conspiracy, violence, no not world war 3 just the principal auditions.

And what a fun day we had last Sunday. We had a good mix of young and old which left us with a few difficult decisions to make. Bit like a football manager "we have a lot of competition for places but it is a good to be in this position and we are over the moon and it was a panto of two halves etc etc"

Anyway think their will be some surprises in team selection and hope that some of our key players will not be putting in a transfer request

Rehearsals start this week (for most of us!) and hope we are going to have a lot of fun amidst the moaning and groaning from the cast at having to learn their lines and remember which way they have to come on.

Also great to see all the kids at first dancing rehearsals last week. So many of them, it will be great to see the show start to develop over the next two months.

Right better go and write something funny which doesn't include farting and jokes about dog poo, well maybe a little

Blog should be back on track now panto season has started so stay tuned

PantoblokeE

Ready,steady and we're off

I admit I have been a bit lazy with the blogs for the past couple of weeks. This is however the quietest period of the year. Theatre has been booked, scenery hired and dancers auditions completed. You could however call it the calm before the storm or perhaps the squall in our case.

I need to now turn my attention to the principal auditions. For me one of the most important aspects of the whole production. Making sure we have the right blend of youth and experience. It never fails to amaze me how performers can do brilliant auditions and then promptly turn off their talent when they turn up at rehearsals, or worse even, to first night.

Contrary to popular belief we love it when new faces turn up at auditions, especially if their good.

Good news is that I will probably try again for a part. And yes if someone better than me (or us if oppo is not doing something more important that day,because I usually have to ring him at ten to four on auditions day only for him to say he's emptying his garage again!) they'll get the roles......probably.

Anyway there's loads of other parts to go for and if not, and if your really good, I'll write one for you.
Done that before and that's the beauty of pantomime,we can do what we like and often do. Just remember years ago Mr Blobby was written into the show on the morning of the first performance.

Keep your eyes peeled for audition dates which I think are 3rd Sept at St Pauls' and 8th Sept at Moreton Methodist. Hope that's correct, anyway check, this is an amusing blog not a dam notice board.

Pantobloke

Minute that, will you?

My blog's late again this week. Everything slows down in August, including me,as kids are off and everyone goes on holiday.

I am feeling pretty apathetic this week but know I will soon have to ramp up my enthusiasm as the important panto quarter  approaches. There will be lots going on from September, principal auditions, rehearsals starting and promotion planning to name just 3.

And of course meetings. Meetings, meetings, meetings. Lots of meetings with agendas, any other business, (yeah like what time does this meeting finish so I can go to the pub) and of course minutes. Which nobody reads and everyone agrees are right, and then votes on them for some reason. Minutes come from latin meaning small object or insignificent thing. Why then are they always 6 pages long!

Anyway enough of this negativity upwards and onwards. This isn't going to get the audition pieces done or the script finished.

Promise next week that blog will be funnier. I need to start thinking of some funny lines for the Dame's opening spot that won't' offend the mayor and also come up with some original comedy for me and the oppo to do. Not really worried about the latter, if all else fails one of us will fart and fall over. That usually does the trick.

See Yeah

Pantobloke

Jelly for Breakfast

OK, yes I have been on holiday. Did not want to broadcast it in case you all burgled the place.

Well, we've cast the Dancers (Congratulations) and we've also cast Red Riding Hood. Being a child part we have cast two RRH's this year. I hope this will not result in too much competition like Rooney and Van Persie at Old Trafford. Maybe we should introduce in-show competition for all the parts. It would be good seeing the Dames fight it out for the remaining slot. the one exception would be competition for the comedy duo parts, that would be just wrong.

So we've just got the principals to cast now and that will be done in September. I am sure we will have many familiar faces and hopefully some new talent.

Been over to the States to do Orlando. Third time I've been there and it does not change much. I love the tipping culture over there and how it encourages good service and friendly smiles.Some of our chain restaurants could learn a lot from over there.

I have, of course, put on 2 stone in weight due to over indulgence at the Ponderosa "all you can eat buffet breakfast".. typical menu for me (but only a small portion of what's available)

Fruit (notional)
Oatmeal (Again notional but added maple syrup as I was in holiday)
Steaky bacon, 2 eggs (over easy whatever that means) sausages, mushrooms, gammon, toast
Pancakes (more syrup)
Breakfast Pizza
Some strange corn beefy thing
Waffles with Mr Whippy ice cream, more syrup and hundred and thousands
Oh and a muffin and some blue jelly and pink blamange (Spelt that wrong)

As a type 2 Diabetic I am not endorsing this in any way but it was great fun.

Oh well back to the Kettlebells

Hope you all are having a good holiday

Pantobloke

Where would I rather be today!

Oh lovely, the day dawns of auditions for the very important part of Red Riding Hood. And good luck to all the kids who will be having a go today. I am sure that many of them will wish they were somewhere else. Can't imagine why, you would only be out in the sunshine or watching a Brit win Wimbledon for the first time in 77 years. We always seem to arrange auditions on a day where there is,very obviously,something much better to do. One year we even managed it on a Sunday when England were playing in the World Cup finals. I drew the line at that one and there was an empty chair where the nice one sits at the end of the table, something to do with a head cold. Anyway good luck again if you are auditioning and I promise not to be too grumpy

Saw The Who last week. Enjoyed it immensly (got the spelling wrong there) although I don't think my oppo enjoyed me singing Pinball Wizard down his right lughole. He's not a big Who fan like me and he was still sulking after having to pay me the 70 odd quid for the ticket. I had paid out for the tickets  months ago and had already recovered from the wallet shock!

 Drink seems to play a huge part for many attending concerts at the Arena. Many people get completely bladdered and spend the entire concert trying to dance,staggering in the aisles,dribbling, trying to sing with there arms in the air and cut a sad figure trying to bask in the reflected glory of the group on stage...anyway enough about me.

See you at auditions. If you don't know me, I'll be the one at the end without the grumpy face ,if you see a headphone in my ear, it's a hearing aid and not me listening to the tennis.

Be good and tuneful if you can manage it

Pantobloke

We Won't Get Fooled Again..oh yes we will!

So the day of our dancing auditions dawns and hopefully we will have lots of hopefuls donning their ballet,dance, jazz shoes or even Doc Martens. I don't give a monkeys what they wear, as you already know I steer well clear of dancing auditions,though I may stride in and try to look important for a few minutes.

More important things for me today as me and my oppo are going to see The Who tonight at the Echo Arena. Bit full circle for me, as I first saw them in Liverpool 40 years ago (yes FORTY !)and having watched Jagger on the box last night it made me sit down again and think about just how long you should go on as a performer. Is it better to look back at videos of shows 20 years ago when we stll had hair (and on our heads too) or do we continue. Do we get better like a fine wine or deteriorate like a rancid greek yoghurt. I certainly don't want to play an ugly sister, in a bathchair, claiming Attendance Allowance and with my carer in attendance. My oppo already has to put makeup on to make himself look less ugly to play this part.

Anyway we will enjoy the concert and I am certain it will be a very mature (that's polite for decrepit) audience who will rock along to Won't Get Fooled Again and other anthems from their youth.

With auditions starting the panto year will now start rolling like a runaway train with me and my fellow production team trying to deal with the many issues that come along on the trip. Like what colour cotton to use on the  tutus, or what meat to put in the batches or what mixer should I have with my vodka. It never ends.

I'll go now as I need to decide what trendy gear to wear for the concert as I am sure that my oppo will make an effort and I saw him eyeing up a nice blue cardy in Moss Bros last week.

Pantobloke