History lessons can be horribly entertaining
HORRIBLE CHRISTMAS AIMS TO BRING FESTIVE CHEER WITH CAR PARK PANTO. MARION MCMULLEN CATCHES UP WITH THE CAST
HORRIBLE Histories is coming to the rescue of the festive season with Car Park Panto. From Victorian villains to Medieval monks, Puritan parties to Tudor treats, Horrible Christmas offers a hair-raising adventure through the history of Christmas in the company of Charles Dickens, Oliver Cromwell, King Henry VIII and St Nicholas as they all join forces to save the festive season.
Here the creators and cast talk about their own Christmases.
NEAL FOSTER Director and manager What was your first panto or Christmas show?
THE first Christmas show was Toad Of Toad Hall at the Birmingham Rep which my mum said had Judi Dench in the cast. I’m sure it was one of the productions which encouraged me to become an actor because I loved it.
What was your best Christmas present?
MY mum and mad had their carpenter friend make me a puppet theatre – it was quite incredible.
JUSTIN DAVIES
What was your first panto or Christmas show? THE first panto I saw as a kid was Peter Pan at the New Theatre in Cardiff. My birthday is New Year’s Eve so my family arranged a special birthday message to be read out for me by one of the characters during the show. It made my birthday for sure!
What was your best Christmas present?
THE best Christmas present I’ve ever received has to be a football net in my grandparent’s garden when I was about 10.
Many an hour was spent blasting the ball over next door and ruining my grandad’s lawn pretending to be Steven Gerrard.
ALISON FITZJOHN
What was your first panto or Christmas show? IT was a family tradition for us to see the panto every year on Christmas Eve, normally at The New Theatre in Cardiff.
One of my earliest memories is from 1995 where I met the formidable Gladiator ‘Wolf’ in Dick Whittington. I waited for his autograph at stage door.
He came out and pretended that I was the one HE was waiting for! Shouted about how much of a fan he was of mine and how amazing it was to meet me. It was so funny!
I have remembered it ever since and have used it many times when meeting younger fans at stage door.
What was your best Christmas present?
I WAS the kid that would chuck the present aside and play with the box for hours. I think one notable present was a freestanding organ/ keyboard-type thing I had when I was about seven-ish.
It had to have air in it before you could play so it made this weird farty noise every time I pushed a key before a note came out. (Laughs) It didn’t stop me belting out a rendition of Little Donkey to accompany it though.
ED ALLENBUY
What was your first panto or Christmas show? ALADDIN set in the court of King Henry VIII. Bold concept, but I was disappointed by the Wishy-washy execution.
What was your best Christmas present?
THE Christmas present that most sticks in my mind is Richard Scarry’s Best Christmas Book Ever.
It became a tradition to read it together every Christmas Eve, a tradition that I hope to continue with my own children.
Other Christmas books are available – Terry Deary’s written a decent one I believe.
JAKE LOMAS
What was your first panto or Christmas show?
THE first one I can remember was Cinderella at my local theatre, written by
James Brandon from the Grumbleweeds.
I’d never seen a panto before and I was lucky enough to work selling merchandise front of house, which meant I got to see it every day, I just loved how it contained jokes for all ages and still gave a compelling version of the story.
This made me realise just how clever pantomime truly is as an art form.
What was your best Christmas present?
ONE that sticks in my head was Christmas 2005, the year Doctor Who returned to TV. I got the 9th Doctor’s sonic screwdriver and I’ve been a lifelong fan of the show, as well as a geek in general, ever since that year.
LYDIA-MAY ASHTON
What was your first panto or Christmas show?
I REMEMBER seeing Dick Whittington at the Lowry one Boxing Day and from that year on it became a tradition every Boxing Day.
What was your best Christmas present?
WITHOUT a doubt, my first tutu. Growing up it was a dream of mine to become a ballerina, and from the moment I put on my white and sparkly tutu, in my mind my dream had come true.
I highly doubt any other item of clothing will ever replicate that same joy I felt that Christmas morning.
NATALIE SIMONE What was your first panto or Christmas show?
CINDERELLA at Derby’s Assembly Rooms. We loved watching the local panto and the well-loved Dame. It was a family tradition to visit the panto every year in our most sparkly attire.
What was your best Christmas present?
IT has to be my first Tamagotchi. I knew from friends It was difficult to keep your digital pet alive and I was determined to give mine the best life possible.
Rule 1 – do not overfeed your Tama!
On Christmas Day I sat and waited eagerly for it to hatch, while tucking into my roast potatoes.
■ Go to carparkparty.com for Birmingham Stage Company’s Horrible Christmas dates.