Dick Whittington :
Llandudno
The Stage : 29/12/2001
VICTOR HALLETT
North Wales Theatre's pantomime is big and
spectacular - the Act I closer The Hall of
History is an eyepopper - but never for a moment
does it lose touch with its audience.
Dick Whittington is played by Su Pollard and she
is excellent at picking up and responding to
audience reaction. Once she has them blowing
raspberries, the children are completely on her
side and she is a smashing principal boy. Her
glasses might be unusual in the role but her
vigour, charm, legs and singing are just right.
She is also blessed with a superb cat. Justin
Webb's lithe movements are a joy to behold and he
leads the opening dance of Act II in magnificent
style. His climactic fight with Christopher
Howell's menacing King Rat is splendidly
choreographed.
Paul Danan, late of Hollyoaks, makes his
pantomime debut as Mate and looks as though he is
an old hand. Barry Hester is a splendidly robust
Sarah the Cook. The haunted bedroom scene he
shares with Danan and Max Ward's Captain is very
funny.
This panto is full of glamour and wonder. The
audience left feeling they had become friends
with everyone on stage.
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The Pirates
Of Penzance :
The Stage : 23/08/2001
The Pirates of Penzance, by Gilbert and Sullivan.
Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park NW1 to September
8, then tour.
Management: as presented on Broadway by the New
York Shakespeare Festival.Cast: Gary Wilmot, Su
Pollard, David Alder, Joshua Dallas, Karen Evans,
Sara Hillier, Alison Crowther, Eileen Hunter,
Catrin Darnell. Director: Ian Talbot. Designer:
Terry Parsons. Musical director: Catherine Jayes.
Choreographer: Gillian Gregory.Press: Rosie
Hills, 020 7487 1383.
------------ Production News - Su Pollard
The Stage : 05/07/2001
Gary Wilmot and Su Pollard star in the New
Shakespeare Company's production of The Pirates
of Penzance which begins its tour at the
Churchill Theatre, Bromley on September 10.
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The Pirates Of Penzance
: 06/09/2001
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre/Touring
JAMES GREEN
This version of the venerated Gilbert and
Sullivan operetta originated through Joe Papp and
New York's Central Park. It was an immediate
success there so, after Broadway, West End and
film productions, it has returned to a park
theatre.
And on fine nights a magical theatre it is too -
a natural amphitheatre surrounded by trees with
the stage shining hypnotically in the dusk. A
total delight.
This souped-up and modernised adaptation, which
uses material from the writers' other shows and
even an Elvis impression, has been completely
re-cast by director Ian Talbot.
A shaven-headed Gary Wilmot as the Pirate King
and Su Pollard playing a man-chasing old maid
give the performance a distinct pantomime feel.
There is even a song sheet with a split singalong
audience and a hilarious squad of dancing
Keystone Cops.
Since the colourful pirates are all spineless
bravado, ever ready to spare orphans, any cops
versus buccaneers fighting is of the knockabout
variety.
Aside from Wilmot and Pollard, there are three
other stand-out roles. David Alder as a blimpish
major-general scores with his contribution,
Joshua Dallas does nicely as the reformed pirate
turned hero and best of all is Karen Evans as his
romantic target.
Her voice soars higher than the mainmast -
clearly a girl with a future. Although relatively
unknown, she is a natural lead for musicals.
Compliments also to Giles Taylor and his gang of
feeble cops, the men sailing under the Jolly
Roger and the four young ladies in
crinoline.
--------
Television
Review
The Stage 01/11/2001
FRI, NOV 2 Gimme Gimme Gimme - BBC1 sixpart
comedy series (9.30 - 10pm) Production company:
Tiger Aspect and Hartswood Films. Cast includes:
James Dreyfus, Kathy Burke, Rosalind Knight,
Brian Bovell, Beth Goddard, Ann Mitchell, Simon
Shepherd, Su Pollard. Writer: Jonathan Harvey.
Producer: Francis Matthews. Director: Tristram
Shapeero. Executive producers: Mark Chapman, Sue
Vertue, Jon Plowman. |
The Stage
16/07/1998
Paul Elliott is presenting Philip King's farce
See How They Run for a season at the Pier
Theatre, Bournemouth, running until September 5.
Produced and directed by Brian Hewitt-Jones, it
has Britt Ekland, Su Pollard, Jeffrey Holland,
Victor Spinetti, Tim Marriott, Hilary Minster,
Stuart McLean, Rachel Clark and Nick Bayly in the
cast. It is designed by Alan Miller- Bunford,
with lighting by Graham McLusky.
------- See
How They Run : Bournemouth
The Stage : 23/07/1998
CHRISTOPHER DAY
Star names will attract crowds to this old Philip
King farce being presented by Paul Elliott at
Bournemouth's Pier Theatre throughout the summer,
but, unfortunately, it is not a vintage in which
the scenario or script have effectively survived.
When written in 1944, the fact of a vicar's wife
being an ex-actress doubtless promised hilarious
consequences, especially as compounded with a
trio of clergymen chasing each other around the
vicarage hall. I recall much laughter when Claude
Hulbert headed a company here in Bournemouth in
1957. However, 40 years on, the piece now offers
no more than mild amusement.
Credit then to director Brian Hewitt-Jones and
his experienced cast for exploiting every
possible crumb of opportunity to maintain a
humorous atmosphere.
With her considerable comedy expertise, Su
Pollard ensures that frustrated parishioner Miss
Skillon is an eccentric figure of fun, while
Britt Ekland shows that international star status
does not preclude keen participation in end of
the pier fare - portraying the vicar's ex-actress
wife, she strives as hard as anyone to keep this
farce alive.
Perhaps Jeffrey Holland could appear a shade more
twittery as the vicar, in extravagant contrast to
the commanding presence of Victor Spinetti who,
striding on to play the Bishop, temporarily steps
up the action. But despite energetic skills from
the principals together with Tim Marriott (Clive)
and Hilary Minster (Intruder) supported by
Stewart McLean (Reverend Humphrey), Rachel Clarke
(Maid) and Nicky Bayly (Sergeant Powers), laughs
are few.
Mostly, response is merely denoted by smiles
although Alan Miller-Bunford's traditional set
wins applause.
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