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Twankey set for a Grand old time
Talking shop: Christopher Biggins in conversation with Roger Clarke about Aladdin and pantomime
I
HAVE always thought that pantomime is the most important show in any
theatre's calendar, indeed it is the most important show in theatre. There is the financial implication of course. For
instance Birmingham Hippodrome attracts about 500,000 people a year to
its shows, roughly 10,000 a week - except 100,000 of them, 20 per cent,
appear in the six week panto season. For many theatres the Panto is the cash cow,
effectively subsidising shows which might not otherwise find a stage in
these commercially minded days. But the importance of panto is much more fundamental than mere income. Panto is often the first live, theatre to be seen by children. If they see a magical, wondrous show that fires
a young imagination then panto will have spawned a new generation of
theatregoers - people who will explore Shakespeare or Tennessee
Williams, Lloyd Webber or whoever. Panto is the seed and places a great
responsibility upon the cast. Someone who knows all about that responsibility is
the delightful Christopher Biggins, who has become a panto institution
in his own right and will be playing Widow Twankey for what he
reckons is the 14th or 15th time in Wolverhampton Grand's Aladdin this
Christmas. Biggins, who like me was born in Oldham, is a part of my children's lives. My late father-in-law who lived in Brighton, took my sons when they were small to the panto every year at the Theatre Royal in Brighton where for three year's they saw Christopher Biggins. As they both go to the theatre the magic must have worked. Biggins said: “I love the fact panto encompasses
audiences from three to 93 and if you can play to an audience like that,
all those ages, and give those people something, I think it is quite
fantastic. “And I say this boringly, because I think it
probably does get a bit boring, but I really sincerely mean it, the fact
is that we are a breeding ground for future audiences. “There are pantomimes all over the country,
thankfully there are other pantomimes, and the people who go to them
perhaps it is the first time the have ever been to the theatre. So the
magic we create is so important. If they have enjoyed it they will
immediately book for next year's pantomime but they might even go to
theatre in-between because they may be hooked on what is such a
fantastic media. “I think theatre is one of the greatest forms of
entertainment there is. You can forget television because television
just takes everything and throws it up at you. You have to be more
discerning with theatre. In theatre you can do so many different things.
You can do drama, you can do comedy, farce, musicals - it is a great
media and there is nothing quite like a live performance either being in
one or seeing one.” He has just ended a run in The Rocky Horror Show is
is about to tour with a great British variety show with the likes of The
Krankies, Dana, The Grumbleweeds, Syd Little, Paul Daniels. Biggins, who thinks some alternative comics are “hit
and miss” is looking forward to the tour. He said: “I think there are a
lot of people out there of a certain age who would like to see
traditional variety.”
This year down the road at the Hippodrome is Joan
Collins, a good friend of Biggins, who encouraged her to try panto for
the first time when another project fell through. His advice to her and
indeed to anyone in panto is simple. “I know she is excited about it. She has amazing
energy. The secret is to give 100 per cent. I have seen pantos with so
called pantomime stars and you go on the first night and they are
fantastic. Go back a week later and they are walking through it. There
is no walking through a pantomime. It makes it tougher for the audience
and for you. “Let me tell you a day in my pantomime life. I get up at ten o'clock at the Novotel here.I go back, read the papers, have a shower, get myself together, go to the theatre, do the matinee, have something to eat between the shows then fall fast asleep - I have to have a bed in my dressing room - walk up on the half, titivate the make up and go on and do the show and back in bed at the Novotel by 10 o'clock that night. “Very little socialised because you can't do it. All
your energy has to be put into those two shows every day six days a
week.
“There is also my openness and love of people and
that comes across. I'm like everyone big sister, nice mum, favourite
aunty and people identify with that. Yes there is a little innuendo but
it is all good clean fun and the audiences love that being a big man
they love the fact I do 12, 13, 14 costume changes in the most
ridiculous costumes - you should get a lough every time you come on.” This won't be his first visit to the Grand having
appeared in Summer Holiday, Lady WIndermere's Fan, Charley's Aunt “but
never a panto. I am looking forward to it because I know this is a great
pantomime date. It is one of the few that does a seven week run and it
is a beautiful theatre. “It is beautifully run theatre as well. They make it
easy for you.” Starring with Christopher Biggins is comic and
ventriloquist Paul Zerdin as Aladdin who has appeared in three Royal
Variety shows. The Panto opens on December 11 and runs until
January 30 2011.
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