Panto in a very different world
Josiah Eloi’s second-ever panto this Christmas really couldn't be more different to his first last year – even though it's been Aladdin both times.
This year Josiah is at the Newtheatreroyalinportsmouth until December 31; last year he was in Abu Dhabi. Last year he was playing a baddie; this year, as the policeman, he is definitely a goodie: “This is my first UK pantomime,” Josiah says. “Last year was a completelydifferentculturebut people out in Abu Dhabi really, really do love panto. They just absolutely love it. I thought it would just be all ex-pats but all the different cultures were there, the billionaires and just absolutely everyone. We had thepalacekidscominginas well, the kids from the royal family. They booked out the show.theycamealongand absolutelylovedit.butthey all love panto out there. All sortsofbritishhumourand entertainment goes down a storm in the Middle East. And it was an amazing experience. There were definitely moments when you realised you weren't in the UK! One day we had the entertainment police come in just to make sure that we were not doing anything inappropriate on stage!
“But I know it's going to be great in Portsmouth as well. All the cast and crew are just amazing. Last year I was the baddie. This year I am the goodie. This year I have to be good to everyone which is going to be really weird because it was so much fun being the villain last year. I don't know what that says about my psychology! I'm not going to explore! But certainly it will be different. But I think the best thing about pantomime is that it has got to be for everyone. There's got to be stuff for the mums and the dads, jokes for them but youhavealsogottohavethe magic and the wonder for the kids.”