WITH the panto season almost upon us, REBECCA DROUGHT takes a look at what's on offer this season

WELL slap my thigh and tickle me with a feather duster if it isn't panto season again. Sussex theatres will be resounding once more to the raucous cries of "He's behind you" as some of the best-loved children's stories are brought to life in the Christmas period. A host of performers are preparing to entertain you in productions of favourites such as Aladdin, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella.

Among them is Antony Johns, who is returning to Brighton for his sixth year to direct, choreograph and star in the Theatre Royal's production of Aladdin.

He is a pantomime veteran, having worked on 35 over the past 27 years and believes their lasting appeal is that they can be enjoyed by everyone, young or old.

"I have loved pantomime since I was a child," he said. "It is very often a child's first experience of the theatre and can be quite special and I think if we don't make it magical for them then we are doing a bad job.

"Hopefully if youngsters love the pantomime they will come back to the theatre to see other things as they get older.

"It is also something you remember as you get older. You remember your mother taking you to the pantomime and want to take your children to share the experience. There are not many places where you can take the whole family and they will all be entertained these days and although it is designed for children the adults almost enjoy pantomime more than the youngsters."

Aladdin is one of Antony's favourite pantomimes, alongside Peter Pan which he favours because it allows him to fly.

He said: "Lots of funny things do happen when you are taking part in a pantomime, I remember once in Peter Pan I flew onto the stage taking half a windowsill with me because it had got stuck but I just kept going and flew back off stage with it still attached.

"There is no room for people on an ego trip in pantomime because the children can see straight through you.

"That is something I love about performing in Brighton, because it is such a cosmopolitan place the kids are intelligent, they sit and listen to the story rather than just screaming the whole way through it and it's great to see their reactions to things.

"They can be disarmingly honest about things and you have to be prepared to think up a quick retort to anything they shout at you during the show."

Although he loves all pantomimes Antony revealed he believes the famous fairytale of rags to riches in Cinderella is flawed. "If there was any justice Cinders would marry Buttons not the Prince," he said.

He will be running workshops to give children the opportunity to find out about all the behind the scenes secrets of Aladdin and to ask questions about how the production was put together. Money from two of the shows at the Theatre Royal will go to charity.

The festive season would not be the same without the pantomime which was developed from the story of the mischievous harlequin in the 18th century before being transformed into its current form by the famous clown Joseph Grimaldi in the early 19th century.

Star of the television series Minder Gary Webster will join Antony on stage at the Theatre Royal, between December 16 and January 22, along with his wife, TV presenter Wendy Turner. The couple, who met when she played Maid Marion to his Robin Hood in a panto a few years ago, were married this year and their recently born son, Jack, will be a regular backstage.

Cinderella will win her prince at the Horsham Arts Centre from December 10 until January 3 with the help of It Ain't Half Hot Mum star Melvyn Hayes as Buttons and Hi-de-Hi yellow coat Linda Regan.

Cinders will also be gracing the stage at the Connaught Theatre in Worthing from December 10 until January 15 where former Bread star Jonathan Morris will be taking on the role of Buttons.

Producer of the show David Smith said: "This will be the 66th Christmas show at the Connaught this century and Cinderella is arguably the greatest and best loved story of all time so it is no mistake that we have chosen to present it for our millennium pantomime."

The country's favourite baddie, Gladiator Wolf, is appearing at the Pavillion Theatre in Worthing for their production of Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood. He will be playing the Sheriff of Nottingham opposite Oliver Elmidoro, Tom from Grange Hill.

Another version of the popular Aladdin can be seen at the De Le Warr Pavilion between Saturday, December 18 and Saturday, January 1. The show stars Ken Goodwin, Kelly George, Marty Swift and Gerry O'Dwyer.

The Hawth in Crawley has chosen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for their pantomime which runs from December 16 until January 9 starring Don't Try This at Home presenter Paul Hendy as the mad-capped Muddles.

He is also directing the show which is his 14th pantomime in a row.

Snow White will also be battling the wicked queen, played by Lorraine Chase, with the help of the dwarfs and Gladiator's Rhino at Eastbourne Theatre's Devonshire Park from December 13 to January 9.

BOX OFFICE NUMBERS:

Theatre Royal: 01273 328488; Gardner Arts Centre: 01273 685861; Horsham Arts Centre: 01403 268689; Connaught Theatre: 01903 235333; The Hawth: 01293 553636; Komedia: 01273 647100; Chichester Festival Theatre 01243 781312.

rebecca.

drought

@argus-btn.

co.uk

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