As a young panto writer and director who has been running a local panto for the past few years, I do enjoy hearing what people enjoy and don’t enjoy about panto because it’s all for the audience. I think I need to put in the 12 days of Christmas for next years show 😂

@merrymermaid

Жыл бұрын

12 days of christmas is always the highlight of panto for me, your audience will love it!!

@Creative_edge001

Жыл бұрын

Hi Mathew, I’m a young actor and would love to star in one of your local pantos! I starred in Peter Pan at the Liverpool empire as Michal Darling in 2019! Please I would love to join you in a couple years time! Yours sincerely, Archie

@jakeeiseman-renyard3505

Жыл бұрын

Hi, Mathew! I have a pantomime plot which I was pitching around to theatres. The manager of a theatre in London has offered to pencil me in for next year or the year after's Xmas season, but needs a company (which I don't have) who can put on the production. Please message me if you're interested in this. I'm also trained as an actor (and a puppeteer) and I'm up for auditioning for your future pantomimes. Jake

My daughter & I were sat in the row in front of you for this performance of Snow White. My Daughter is 7, so my feedback is primarily focusing on my view as a parent. The ‘face’ in the mirror was unnecessarily demonic/scary. My daughter was covering her eyes every time the mirror came down, villainy in a panto is normally from more of a comedic perspective and she’s been fine in other pantos. In reference to your question as to whether children know who Dick & Dom are - she had no idea. The bit where she was really laughing was the 12 days of Christmas part, particularly when I go hit with the water guns. I’d been really excited when I saw on paper such a stand out cast, but it was a bit of style over substance in the actual use of the cast within the show.

@jamesbirkin351

Жыл бұрын

i agree having just gone to it

The pantomime in Nottingham, using the same name, had actually dwarfs for the magnificent 7.

I was PSM on a version last year where the dwarves were all puppets. End of Act I, it was the entire chorus, 2 ASM's and even leads with dwarf heads at waist height - their torso's and heads were their backpacks. Absolutely brought the house down. Then inside their house, they became hand-held puppets - and they sang "Consider Yourself". There are so many wonderful and brilliant ideas - it is so sad to hear of such sad ones. I really hope the cast is being paid way above normal for this one!

My gf went to see Sleeping Beauty at the Grand in Blackpool with Steve Royle and a couple of the kids they got up on stage were from her school; Steve went through the usual "what do you want Santa to bring you this year", the girl said a "bike" and then the boy floored him with "I just want my family to be happy because that's what Christmas is about"😀

I am a firm believer that you can enjoy something, while still acknowledging points where it could have been better ( My kids and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to ALW's Cinderella, and we all know how that was) Panto is supposed to be fun, but I've noticed especially in "bigger" pantos they lose what makes panto special.

I’m excited for the tv west end talent shows to return with the new ITV mamma Mia one …👏🏼 loved the days of connie fisher, Lee mead, Danielle hope etc

11:13 4 songs from Snow White 1. Heigh Ho 2. I’m Wishing 3. Someday My Prince Will Come 4. Whistle While You Work

I remember seeing Snow White in Wimbledon (or was it in Richmond?) many years ago. Ross Kemp played the Wicked Queen’s Henchman and the only joke I remember from it was a bit where the Henchman out of nowhere claims to be in the SAS. Buttons gasps and asks “The Special Air Service?” And the Henchman responds “Uhhh, no, the Sondheim Appreciation Society.” And the only ones who apparently got the joke were myself and my party of four, one of whom was an agent. And Kemp looked over at us as if to say “Nice that SOMEBODY got that f**king joke.”

I have to say I really enjoyed Snow White at the New Wimbledon Theatre, but I say that as somebody who loved Dick and Dom as a kid and I'm also a fan of magician John Archer, so I enjoyed all their sections, and I thought Ruthie Henshall made a great villain. I do hate when they have normal sized actors on their knees as the dwarves though, I think that's way more offensive than simply casting people of a size actually suited to the role.

You: “I have seen 5 different pantomimes” Me: “ohhhhh no you haven’t” 😂

Saturday night I went to see Jack and the Beanstalk at the Hull New Theatre, starring Gareth Gates and presented by Crossroads pantomimes. And like Wimbledon the script was weak and I only gave it a 3* review. Good to hear from you say same things I say to friends. One friend read my review and said I've turned into a panto reviewer and not as a panto goer and enjoy the show, but if a pantomime as a weak script and no woow factor how can I enjoy it. This production we did not see the Beanstalk grow, which is the magic of Jack and the Beanstalk. I had been to Sheffield to see Evolution's production the weekend before which felt like I was at a party/panto. Thanks for this video/review.

@bencarter7684

Жыл бұрын

Watch Jack and the beanstalk at the Alhambra in bradford you will love it

The Mayflower in Southampton (my local theatre) just announced they’re doing Snow White next year with Diversity as the dwarves - that’s quite an interesting choice!

@Kiplinnx

Жыл бұрын

They're playing the dwarfs in Southend at the moment - same panto production company

@mewkiki123

Жыл бұрын

diversity aren't playing the dwarfs, they're playing the princes royal guard 😊

I agree, we went to see Snow White on Friday. And although it was very professional, none of the sets falling down like they used to back in the day, it definitely lacked something. Audience participation was one.. there was no “he’s behind you” or “oh no he isn’t”. Some of the audience did try with this but it didn’t happen. And yes, I also agreed about Lee Mead being (not) suitable for Snow White and don’t get me started on the 7 dwarves 😂 But apart from that I did enjoy it and had a wonderful evening and I would still say to go and see it

Mickey, as a Lee Mead fan I should be really cross with you but I couldn't stop giggling at your review. I couldn't be there for boring reasons so I enjoyed your insight into this. I have to say I don't think Lee looks his age at all.

Shame you can't see Snow White in Nottingham with Joe Pasquale as Muddles and Faye Tozer as wicked Queen,absolutely hilarious!!!! But they also use the 4 Disney songs and I missed the cheesy campy pop songs!! However the 2 leads are fantastic and we get a Steps medley at the end !!

Panto is a theater genre and has rules and rules that get broken (and that's one of the rules). Audience participation? New words to the latest music hit? A DAME in almost every scene? Of course, even in America (going to the Empress' New Clothes and so excited OH YES I AM)

I remember being the Villian in a local panto and singing ‘Bad Guy’ from the Thomas Sanders musical hehe

On the TikTok topic in Newcastle they had the diversity wanna be guys...and did "if I beat it I aint wearing a Johnny" thing but had to blur out Johnny and beat it... also last year at Snow White they had Joe mc elderly singing finding 'pantoland' as much as possible...

Songs from Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (on the top of my head) 1) I’m wishing 2) Whistle While You Work 3) Heigh-Ho 4) The Yodel Song (seriously that’s what the title of the song is) 5) Someday My Prince Will Come …I’m a BIG Disney nerd

I hope you will you be making the trip up to Birmingham for Dick Whittington which gets going this Saturday :D

@bencarter7684

Жыл бұрын

Going to see that this year never seen a Matt Slack panto but always want to go, you should go to ahlambra in bradford

living in Germany, I only have a vague idea of what Panto is but I REALLY need to know where you got that cozy christmas sweater :')

@lindaodd5667

Жыл бұрын

Ich habe solche Pullis schon mal bei H&M gesehen

Crossroads are behind this panto and many of the pantos in the U.K. I am just back from seeing beauty and the beast in Glasgow which is also a crossroad production. Even though it’s a different show, they sound identical in many ways. Both used the Lizzo song and the 12 days of Christmas song with the toilet roll. Glasgow is all doing Snow White next year. Your review was interesting as some of the criticisms you have I would apply to Beauty and the beast. I.e The Prince and Princess roles being really boring as characters. I like Lee Mead but agree he’s too old playing opposite Hannah Lowther!

Yes ! Agree with your review

Glad you liked my bits at least. :-)

A panto in Ponterdawe performed Once Upon A Time from Brooklyn and I was the only Theatre gay in a theatre full of school children hehe

Super review, their Facebook content is solid, but I agree, Lee mead is mismatched with Hannah Lowther as romantic couple. I'm sure they sounded great but to me, the age difference is too much!

Saw two panto last Saturday both on their twelve days of Christmas both went with five toilet rolls. Is that what pantos are going on this year?

@lll.24601

Жыл бұрын

This year our panto didn't- we sang Let It Snow for ours. The Jester (from Robin Hood) had actions for it and everyone danced along to it, it was so cute!

@jazz002

Жыл бұрын

It seems to be the trend, it’s nearly 3 years on from the lockdown and they all still make covid jokes

It was very slick, with high production values, but as a panto I enjoyed Hackney's Mother Goose and Stratford's Cinderella more.

I just finished playing the wicked witch in my local panto, when I was cast I 100% expected to be singing Bad Guy but in the end it was Rotten To The Core from Descendants and Monster Mash! Thankfully they cut out the random dubstep interlude in Rotten to the Core 😂 please do a video review of Mother Goose, I have tickets for 2023!

Thanks

I wonder about that casting as well - also when he was in Chitty playing opposite Carrie hooe fletcher.. Also along similar lines I thought the casting of Jason Donovan and CHF as husband wife in war of the worlds was also a stretch….

Review the Blackpool pantomime!

Does anyone go to a panto for the storyline and songs? Most people go to panto to see their favourite actor. This cast is phenomenal and I don't think people would really care if there were a few Disney songs.

@londoncars4533

Жыл бұрын

I don’t know anyone who goes to a panto based on celeb casting.

@alexrobinson515

Жыл бұрын

@@londoncars4533 well people do believe it or not.

A qdos panto not being the best....as a panto critic that is a reassuring theme...

Here is my thoughts on this show: Ruthie was good. Brenda was good too. However, my friends and I sadly didn't enjoy this panto as we thought we would! We booked it because it was close to us and the cast looked amazing! Dic and Dom should have been featured more. I'm not sure as you stated that younger children would know of them like we do (it's more Sam and Mark now I believe) They were not as funny as I thought they should have been. They are a brilliantly Iconic duo though! Matthew Kelly I found pointless. Hardly got a look in and wasn't at all funny. He's an actor and legendry presenter. Not a comic so I didn't really expect him to be. It was over cast and that was part of the issue. Not enough songs and routines or special effects and more jokes were needed throughout. I've seen many pantos in various different places every year. Went to see Cindarella in Dartford. About an hour on the train from where we live. Bobby Davro starrs and I've seen him many times. He's hilarious from start to end! A couple of the routines were the same including the twelve days of Christmas. The difference is they were just better. Amazing effects and production! More songs and tones more jokes that were funny!! Wasn't over cast and a nice clear story with all characters getting a look in. Bobby also did a routine at the end after reading out birthday wishes rather then Dick and Dom rushing though it. Also when I booked via telephone for the Wimbledon production I asked for the best tickets available without a restricted view. We were high up and our view was limited for the price paid. Sorry if I sound rude but that's just how me and my friends felt.

I saw this a Snow White panto like this last year at The New Victoria Theatre in Woking. It had to same logo font/marketing designs like you've shown in the program book, but with different headlining cast, which where Gok Wan as The Man in The Mirror, Harriet Thorpe as The Evil Queen and Arren James as Muddles. They too used the same costume method for The Magnificent Seven with whole knee walking in sacks thing, and that same prologue scene too

I did watch it and though it was really good

@emilysmith3393

Жыл бұрын

Southend one

I am from the US and am sooo confused. I thought pantomime was telling stories without words...so how is there jokes and singing?

@callalily3994

Жыл бұрын

If you watch Mickey Jo's video from a week or two ago about Carrie Hope Fletcher in panto, he explains it there. It means something different in the UK.

@radishraccoon3657

Жыл бұрын

In the UK pantomime specifically refers to a comedic form of theatre which heavily involves audience participation. They're usually performed around the Christmas period and are based on well-known folk or fairy tales like Jack & the Beanstalk, Dick Wittington, Aladdin. What you're referring to we would call just 'mime'.

@bencarter7684

Жыл бұрын

That’s funny

I'm never sure about bringing actors ages up, it'd be a terrible thing to see performers losing work over that sort of thing.

The cast was this video

I saw Jack and the Beanstalk in Bradford which is the same pantomime producer as this one - Crossroads and this review is exactly how I felt. It was disappointing and didn't have the usual magic of panto. The main character 'Farmer Billy' played by Billy Pearce. Divina de campo was the spirit of the beans and we also had a Pantoland song. I saw the one at the same theatre last year by crossroads too and everything was the same, it was deja vu. The jokes went on far too long especially when you've seen it the year before with the same mistakes. The production was amazing though, the giant was impressive yet only used for a minute. They've definitely spent a lot of money on the casts and staging and milking their names rather than writing a decent panto.

@bencarter7684

Жыл бұрын

I saw the one in bradford and last thing I would describe it would be disappointing. I think the tongue twisters are always fun, the wonky donkey was new, the song with the marcas was new as last year they had a bin with somewhere over the rainbow. It’s good to see a new flying object each time and the songified songs are always a good laugh as you don’t know what songs are going to come out. I also thought when they ran away from the guards was entertaining. I loved when they talked about the animals going on at Nando’s and over selling the nooooo when he got magic beans. To finish it something else I would rather be is always good fun to watch as they have not done it for a long time. What did u think was disappointing and what specific thing was the same.

@bencarter7684

Жыл бұрын

Last panto was sleeping beauty they had 12 days of Christmas , a different selections of songified songs, and a different tounge twister. They did not have the spoon joke like they did this year but they had a dont break my heart song with a box. Jokes on the audience are always very funny. The jokes this time was in a poem form as last years was in a chat up line form.Therefore I don’t know where your getting deja vu from

@Kiplinnx

Жыл бұрын

@@bencarter7684 they used to have The Sunbeams which was missing this year and last. The poem to the woman in the audience sketch was in both, the tongue twister sketch in both, the pots song bit the same, there was no "it's behind you"... the boys In front of us were shouting noo and boo when anyone asked if they're having fun! I am 95% sure last year it was the same end song "if I were not in Pantoland..." I haven't seen the 12 days of Christmas one song for years. Personally, I think I'm just missing the more traditional pantos (the first Bradford one I can remember was 2002 which was Jack and the beanstalk too and had bill and Ben flower pot men). I will just avoid Crossroads Pantos I think.

@bencarter7684

Жыл бұрын

@@Kiplinnx I don’t get your first 5 sentences you going to have to give more detail , 12 days of Xmas was last year, they havnt done it’s behind you in a while but there is audience participation every time billy comes on.

@Kiplinnx

Жыл бұрын

@@bencarter7684 sorry I don't know the names of all the different sketches so it's hard to describe, all I know is it felt like a repeat of last year and not how I remember pantos to be

I went to see it last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. My kids felt the same too. I do not agree with anything you have said. Just my opinion

for some reason i have a hard time understanding what panto is! I guess due to the word I thuoght it was lipsyncing, but it seems more like pastiches?

@radishraccoon3657

Жыл бұрын

I wouldn't call it a pastiche. A pantomime is a comedic play usually based on a well-known folk or fairy tale that involves a *lot* of audience participation. The actors on stage interact directly with the audience for comedy effect and to encourage participation; there are lots of established jokes which rely on cultural memory like the audience shouting "oh no you didn't" when an actor claims something false, and so on. The characters also tend to fit specific archetypes; a protagonist, dame, villain, sidekick, comedy relief, etc. They tend to be staged around Christmas.

WTF they sing blinding lights by the weeknd

seems like lee mead’s agent can’t find a good fit for him these days - saw him in the recent tour of Chicago as Billy Flynn and (talented as he is) it was a complete miscast. they kept his natural curly hair too and it looked totally out of place!

@thejakelindsayvlogshow2324

Жыл бұрын

I’m afraid I have to disagree, I thought that Lee was a stand out performer in Chicago, I saw it at Venue Cymru (one of my favourite theatres in the whole wide world) and I absolutely loved it from start to finish

mickey joe dont get nasty bout panto @ wimbledon theatre

I agree it was certainly disappointing compared to last years panto

Hi how are you

We thought it was great

Not particularly a fan of pantomimes It gets very loud and messy And as someone with sensory issues it’s not easy, so tend to avoid it

🤔🤔🤔🤐

Wasn't all bad have seen worse... Just go and make your own views don't listen to the haters .but everyone has an opinion!!

I remember seeing Snow White a few years ago with dear real dwarfs. They were so very excellent so I wondered why they weren’t on stage this time? I didn’t like the way the dwarfs were played by silly people on their knees. Way insulting to real dwarfs! And rather a bad move on the part of the director. Also….why not a fairy godmother? The sprit of pantomime was sadly not the same and her voice was awful! Sorry to say but the loud loud music was deafening! Very bad for young precious ears. Please get with it and turn it down a bit, and what about “it’s behind you!”? The audience wanted to join in but it wasn’t encouraged enough by the @ tors! Only good bit was The Twelve Days of Christmas. And Prince Charming had a fab voice, unlike the screeching girls! Love panto by the way but this wasn’t one of the best. Yes John Archer was THE BEST!

As an actor, I hate watching panto, but love performing in them. Personally I go into panto with a script, after a week I throw the script away and let it become organic. I feel there is too much of a woke ideology now.

Does panto really need this amount of review and critique? It's PANTO! it is what it is!

@MickeyJoTheatre

Жыл бұрын

There's a whole section of the video in which I discuss exactly that. Also I got invited as a critic, so that's what I did 🙂

@Deniselynn1959

Жыл бұрын

@@MickeyJoTheatre I was pleased to see your review and agree with you. There were things about it which wasn’t ‘Panto enough’ if that makes sense