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Families flock to London's pantos
By Tom Teodorczuk, Evening Standard 12.12.06
London-bound: Summer Strallen as Dick Whittington
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Theatrical Scrooges might think the pantomime is the preserve of tired innuendo and performers in the twilight of their careers but it seems London families still love to hear cries of "behind you!"
Theatreland is awash with pantomime productions this year and most matinées up to Christmas are already sold out.
Pick of the bunch is Mark Ravenhill's take on Dick Whittington at the Barbican, the venue's first pantomime. The show is sprinkled with London references, including Mayor Ken Livingstone, or rather Len Kidneystone, and the Gherkin.
Ravenhill, best known for his controversial 1996 play Shopping And F**king, might seem a puzzling choice to direct a show predominantly for children but the playwright said: "I resolved to come out as a fan of pantomime, to declare with pride my love of corny jokes, big men in dresses, girls in high boots and gaudy scenery. Goodbye art, hello panto."
Nigel Havers, making his panto debut as Captain Hook in Peter Pan at the Wycombe Swan, said the experience is liberating.
"Having never done pantomime before, it's fascinating to see how it works," he said. "You have to break all the rules of straight theatre - you talk to the audience, stop the show and have fun like that. I find it a free, wonderful experience. Pantomime is also a great way of introducing children to the theatre. It has such great tradition and spectacle. I think it will go on for ever. "
Like Premiership football clubs, some pantos have been buying in expensive foreign imports. Patrick Duffy, Bobby Ewing in Dallas, is appearing as Baron Hardup in Cinderella at Woking's New Victoria Theatre, with Susan Hampshire playing the Fairy Godmother.
Henry Winkler, who made his name as The Fonz in Seventies US sitcom Happy Days, stars as Captain Hook in Peter Pan at the New Wimbledon Theatre. Winkler, 61, who appears alongside comedian Bobby Davro and CBeebies' presenter Sarah-Jane Honeywell, promises a new take on everyone's favourite panto villain. He said: "Hook is a bad guy but I believe he's misunderstood."
Winkler is a replacement for David Hasslehoff, who pulled out to be a judge on Simon Cowell's new series, America's Got Talent - and turned down a fee of £45,000 a week in the process.
But just as Hoff the "villain" leaves the stage, such is the growing strength of pantomime that fans can already look forward to next year when Kevin Spacey will stage Stephen Fry's reworking of Cinderella. Panto's here to stay - oh yes it is!
PICK OF THE BEST
Dick Whittington & His Cat
Barbican until 20 January
Who's in it: playwright Mark Ravenhill, best known for controversial Nineties play Shopping And F**king, makes his panto debut with the story of the 14th-century poor boy who becomes Mayor of London. Starring Roger Lloyd Pack, Summer Strallen and Nickolas Grace
Tickets: £12-£35
Availability for family of four: evenings only
Cinderella
New Victoria Theatre, Woking, until 21 January
Who's in it: children will lap up the story of the poor girl who gets to go to the ball and wins the handsome prince. Adults who spent the Eighties watching Dallas will get a kick out of seeing Bobby Ewing actor Patrick Duffy, right, as Baron Hardup
Tickets: £13-£23
Availability for family of four: all performances; upper circle only for weekend matinèes and in Christmas week
Aladdin
Watford Palace Theatre until 7 January
Who's in it: the cast is refreshingly free of stars but director Joyce Branagh is the younger sister of Kenneth
Tickets: £11-£19
Availability for family of four: no matinèes until 20 December
Jack and the Beanstalk
Richmond Theatre until 21 January
Who's in it: Only Fools And Horses' favourites Boycie and Marlene - actor John Challis and actress Sue Holderness - play the giant's dastardly henchman Fleshcreep and the glamorous fairy
Tickets: £17-24
Availability for family of four: weekends and weekdays in December mostly sold out Limited availability in January
Cinderella
Hackney Empire until 13 January
Who's in it: more Cinders, this time courtesy of a venue many rate as offering the best panto in London. Set in the Twenties, this version features Donna Steele as Cinderella pursued by Prince Charming "from Islington-on-Thames all the way to Bethnal on the Green".
Tickets: £8-£18.50
Availability for family of four: dress circle and upper circle only at weekends
Peter Pan
New Wimbledon Theatre until 21 January
Who's in it: Henry Winkler, The Fonz from Happy Days, right, teams up with comedian and panto veteran Bobby Davro in JM Barrie's much-loved tale of the boy who never grows up.
Tickets: £11-£23
Availability for family of four: weekends sold out; weekdays only
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