Your local panto ‘stars’

[Cuellar]

East 17 are down to one old member who didn't do much and two blokes who joined the band long after they were famous. They're playing my local town hall next week but I can't be arsed to go even though it is free.

My local one doesn't have any stars at all and is in a tiny pub theatre, but where I grew up this is happening:



I'm almost tempted to go and may try and blag a ticket.

How has everyone ignored this as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

Is it a photoshop?

[Blinder Data]

I saw Johnny McKnight in Mammy Goose at the Tron in Glasgow, where he does the panto pretty much every year (sometimes he does the  Macrobert in Stirling too). Obvs very different from z-list celebs but it was honestly one of the best nights out at the theatre I've had in ages. Would seriously recommend seeing his show if you're ever nearby. Pantomime as it should be.

With the storied history of its variety stars (Stanley Baxter, Francie &Josie, etc), Glasgow tends to put the effort in when it comes to pantos. Unfortunately most pantos nowadays are off the shelf scripts with "insert local placename here" style jokes. I found a really interesting thread on Twitter about the death of local pantomimes which argued it was basically Thatcher's fault - will try to dig it out

Edit: link -

https://twitter.com/cmccrudden/status/945998130113384448?s=20

[PlanktonSideburns]

this thread has me completely sorted for avatars for the next year

[Small Man Big Horse]

How has everyone ignored this as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

Is it a photoshop?

Nope, it's genuine, get yourself down to Redhill in Surrey and you can see it in all it's probable glory. And if Widdecombe's not enough to persuade people, it's also got some bloke I've never heard of from Britain's Got Talent!

[buzby]

Liverpool seems to have umpteen pantos this year, so the 'stars' are thinly spread. At the Echo Arena we have Peter Pan with Mark 'The Beast' Labatt from The Chase as Captain Hook and Leanne from the Radio City Breakfast Show as Tinkerbell:


At the Empire, we have Jack & The Beanstalk with Strictly judge Shirley Ballas as Mother Nature(?) and 'hilarious local funnyman' John Evans as Simple Simon


At the Epstein (formerl Neptune) theatre we have Snow White, featuring How Clean Is Your House's Kim Woodburn as the Queen, shite medium Derek Acorah as the Mirror, BGT 'star' Lewis Pryor as Muddles and  Radio City 2's Claire Simmo as the Fairy(?)

[Brian Freeze]

What are these 3D effects that seem so popular now?

[Brian Freeze]

I managed to fall asleep in each half of the local panto last year. Didn't miss much. Or fall off my chair.

[buzby]

What are these 3D effects that seem so popular now?

It's basically CGI-based 3D video sequences projected onto the curtain/backdrop that you put on glasses to watch

[mothman]

No idea who Victoria Holtom is, but I'd let her hold'em.

[Brian Freeze]

Thanks Buzby.

I heard an interesting interview with someone who runs the main firm that hires and stores most of the sets and costumes for panto nationwide but I can't think which podcast it was on.
It'd have been super to have been able to remember, and pop it here instead of it trailing off like this.

[Blumf]

The Wolverhampton Grand has got The Lovely Debbie McGee and Sooty. That's pretty damn swanky.

[George White]

Ours has 'Sheffield legend Damian Williams' who I can quite safely say I've never heard of in my life, despite living here for 42 years.

Also, according to the promo video, it's 'the biggest pantomime ever.' I'm not sure exactly who has verified this.

He used to host Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old? on weekdays on Sky.
Does a Les Dawson tribute.

[biggytitbo]

This one has actual cartoon characters live on stage. Must really be a tremendous strain on the animators.

[thecuriousorange]

Lisa Riley where I live, but someone's already posted the flyer.

[Jockice]

He used to host Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old? on weekdays on Sky.
Does a Les Dawson tribute.

Oh yeah, that. Obviously.

Thanks George.

[im barry bethel]

Peter Kay's still picking up work I see

[shiftwork2]

Teeth on the cunt.  Is that what teeth are supposed to look like now?

[buzby]

Peter Kay's still picking up work I see

The bloke in the right? That is Bippo The Clown, apparently (me neither). Real name Gareth Ellis from Bury, his parents packed their jobs in and joined the circus when he was 8 to fulfil his ambition to become a clown.

[FsF]

I'd never have guessed that seemingly most of the pantos in the UK (a whopping 31) are indeed copy and paste jobs, written by Limmy's Show fave Alan McHugh.

[Sony Walkman Prophecies]

How weird would it be to go and see that on your own? Just eating a big bag of crisps and laughing at everything.

[Epic Bisto]

Bristol this year have wheeled out the permabeige Gok Wan and permashit Brian Conley for Cinderella.  What a treat.   Punters in Birmingham however can enjoy this instead:



(I'm no expert but isn't that the three that didn't do any writing?)

Who have you got?

The promoters have tried but will never match this event for shaky-handed bleakness:


DESOLATION.

[steve98]

In Scotland so without even looking I can tell you it's Elaine C Smith.

Yeah, and the Krankie dwarf.

[remedial_gash]

The Wolverhampton Grand has got The Lovely Debbie McGee and Sooty. That's pretty damn swanky.

At least it's sooty and not sweep - with her reputation around dogs.

Saw that Mike Doyle is doing Cardiff again, seems to be there every year - no idea who he is or what he does. Think he was there when stu francis invited me on stage and I 'won' a copy of 'Ooh I could crush a grape' in the early eighties.

[Blumf]

At least it's sooty and not sweep - with her reputation around dogs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_McGee

Debbie McGee's pastimes include golf and she has played in celebrity charity events.^[4] She has collaborated with novelist Susan Wilson on a number of books.^[16] She is known for her work with dogs.^[17][18]

[remedial_gash]

hahahaha

[Small Man Big Horse]

Bristol this year have wheeled out the permabeige Gok Wan and permashit Brian Conley for Cinderella.  What a treat.   Punters in Birmingham however can enjoy this instead:



(I'm no expert but isn't that the three that didn't do any writing?)

Footage from last night's Walthamstow gig is now up: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq12NFYHbIJ/ - It's so awful I genuinely regret not going now.

[lankyguy95]

Paul looks he was only able to make that smile for five seconds before he started crying over Bazza again.

[rectorofstiffkey]

 In a less enlightened age, our local theatre had a production of Snow White.  The poster had a large star on it containing the words WITH REAL DWARVES!!!!!!!

[MidnightShambler]

Not that many of the others people have posted look that good but this one looks genuinely shit. They've barely mentioned it on their own website.

[Phil_A]

Paul looks he was only able to make that smile for five seconds before he started crying over Bazza again.

Like the way Cinderella's credit is awkwardly shoved in at the bottom there, below the stage crew.

Just had to check to if Alan McHugh was the same one from Limmy's Show. It is!