Panto is in my DNA... it crosses generations
Former Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan tells MARION McMULLEN things are about to get ugly
Have you enjoyed co-directing and playing an Ugly Sister for the streaming and cinema release of Cinderella?
It’s interesting making a panto for film. It’s very different to doing it in the theatre. (Laughs) It’s a bit subtler, but not that much subtler.
We had a debate about what show we would do now the UK and the world is starting to go back to normal. The feedback we got from school and lots of people about the panto film we did last year was tremendous so we are back again.
If people don’t feel confident about going out yet they can still enjoy the panto at home with their friends and family... and with Cinderella you get not one, but two dames and they are both villains.
I love panto. I found a website listing all the pantos Blue Peter presenters have appeared in over the years and I think I’ve done more than everyone else combined.
My father Alan Gale began his career doing ‘fit up’ shows on Redcar Sands, called The Wavelets and when he met my mother they produced and performed in pantomimes and summer seasons their whole lives. It’s in my DNA. I started doing panto when I was older, in my Blue Peter days, and I started playing the heroes like Jack, than the sympathetic characters like Buttons, then moved on to villains like Abanazar, King Rat and Captain Hook and now I play the Dame.
My daughter Katie even wrote a play for me called The Dame.
More than 200 pantos across the country were cancelled last year because of Covid. How did you keep the panto spirit alive by filming Jack And The Beanstalk?
When I realised there might not be any pantomimes at Christmas during the first lockdown I had an idea to create my own film on location in my London back garden and that of my neighbour.
I already owned costumes and scenery from my previous theatre productions so then it became a matter of finding a talented cast, crew and production team.
My sister played the front end of Buttercup the cow (with her husband reluctantly shoved in the back end in a covidsafe ‘cow bubble’).
Is Cinderella also a family affair?
My wife Annie, known as The Boss, was the production co-ordinator lasts year, but has a new title now... executive producer.
My eldest daughter Lucy, who is a singer and writer, has written some of the songs and my other two girls and son Arthur have all been involved. It’s all part of the fun.
This time we’ve been able to film on location across London and Hampshire. We’ve had a bit of space to do things a bit better this time, but have still tried to tell the story simply.
We’ve kept that homely feel of it. There is no CGI and we have allowed space for people to boo and interact with everything.
That’s why I love panto so much. It crosses generations.
What was it like starting your acting career in Laurence Olivier’s company at the National Theatre?
It was amazing but I was too young to realise just how lucky I was. I used to watch him from the flies (above the stage) wailing as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, I was convinced he could see me and kept ducking down.
My first big stage musical was The Little Tramp playing Charlie Chaplin. On the first night many famous people were watching including Antony Newley who I had worked with in a film musical called Quilp in the 1970’s based on Charles Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop.
He was telling me all about Chaplin’s strange life while my eldest was sobbing – she had been so immersed in the story – because Charlie had died. Cameron Mackintosh came to see it at a later date and I eventually ending up playing Denry Machin in a remake of The Card, the first big musical he produced, with Jim Dale in the lead.
I received an Olivier nomination for Best
Actor in a Musical.
Jim Dale also created the role of Barnum in America and I got to play the part several times in the UK.
What was it like being awarded a Gold Blue Peter badge for your volunteer work as Chief Scout, the leader of the UK’s half a million scouts?
(Laughs) I thought I was part of an elite small group when I got it, but there are more gold Blue Peter badge holders than I thought.
I started my career as an actor and had been around for a while and Blue Peter was a change of direction. I turned it down the first time they asked me, but two years later they asked again and I said yes.
You were well known for being Blue Peter’s daredevil and competed in the London Marathon this year aged 67. How do you stay in shape?
I did the first marathon in 1981 when I was with Blue Peter and I’ve continued to do one every 10 years.
The London Marathon was cancelled last year, but I did a little bit of training during lockdown. I was sensible this year, but made it round. (Laughs) I’m fitter than I thought... although I didn’t race in my panto costume.
■ Interactive Cinderella will be making her debut both online and in UK cinemas from December 5. Go to pantoonline.co.uk for details