Su - 'The Stage' Archives - 2 (Reviews & News)

Jack & The Beanstalk : Aberdeen
The Stage : 07/12/2000

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK with Su Pollard, Billy Riddoch, Otis the Aardvark, Luke McCullough, Tania Whatley, Lucinda Gill. Director: Richard Frost. Sponsor: Talentspot.Management: E&B Productions for Qdos Entertainment plc (December 8 - January 6)
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Songs Of Praise
The Stage : 22/03/2001

With April Fool's Day falling on a Sunday, it seems the Beeb has taken a rare opportunity to combine the sublime with the ridiculous.
A special edition of Songs of Praise to be screened on April 1, it seems, has already been filmed - featuring a congregation made up entirely of clowns. More than 100 professional fools flocked to Dalston's All Saints Church to film the one-off service, which, one Conk the Clown informs me, will be presented by the ever-loopy Su Pollard.
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Save the King's Head
The Stage :  12/03/1998

Taking part in the Save the King's Head gala at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on March 22 are Victoria Wood, occupying all the second half, Su Pollard, Lynda Bellingham, Judy Campbell, Janie Dee, Emma Freud Henry Goodman, George Layton and Sheridan Morley. 
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That's Showbiz : Wimbledon
The Stage : 04/12/1997 
JOHN THAXTER 

Wimbledon Theatre's showcase for the new musical That's Showbiz was the culmination of Jim Perry's 20 year dream project.
With original melodies by musical director Roy Moore, Perry's book and lyrics tell the tale of comic Ted King's (Ted Rogers) progress from twenties concert parties, through northern touring, to wartime stardom in the West End. But this is soon followed by Elstree disaster, nude revue, the game show treadmill on ITV - and a sudden white-tie engagement with the angels up in heaven.
Real-life names from the past regularly crop up, including showbiz hack Hannen Swaffer, eternal boy Wee Georgie Wood, film director Herbert Wilcox and variety impresario Val Parnell. But the show's hero Ted is a fictional amalgam of all those struggling comics who died of drink and a dicky heart.
Comparisons with the recent Sid Field bio-play are inevitable, echoed in Carmen Silvera's scenes as Ted's ambitious, wisecracking mum Kate. But where David Suchet had Field's famous comedy routines, Rogers was too often sidelined as the narrator, with only well- worn gags and one-line sketches to round out his comic pedigree. But happily he and his co-star Peter Baldwin (lately of Coronation Street fame), in great form playing Ted's feed and would-be lover Charlie Draper, opened after the interval with a sophisticated drinking duo, setting the tone for a more balanced, upbeat second half.
Likewise the versatile Bryan Burdon and Freddie Davies as Kenny and Bernie, two halves of a double act, literally came into their own when their lines unravelled and they could fall back on ribbing and improvisation.
Among several new faces, Simona Morecraft twinkled brightly in several roles. But the revelation of the evening was Su Pollard, electrifying as Ted's faithful sweetheart Pam, proving she can carry an emotional song - as well as the show - with the warmth and vocal power for big musical stardom. 
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The Stage : 18/01/1996
For Better or for Worse - BBC Radio 2 comedy series (7-7.33pm)
Production company: Mike Craig Enterprises. Cast includes: Su Pollard, Gorden Kaye, Julie Higginson, Paula Tilbrook, David Ross, Peter Wheeler. Writers: Vince Powell, Mike Craig.
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The Stage : 27/06/1996
Oh, Doctor Beeching! - BBC1 comedy series (8.30 -- 9pm) Cast includes: Paul Shane, Su Pollard, Jeffrey Holland, Julia Deakin, Lindsay Grimshaw, Paul Aspeden, Stephen Lewis, Ivor Roberts, Perry Benson, Terry John, Barbara New. Writers: David Croft, Richard Spendlove. Producer: David Croft. Director: Roy Gould.

Dick Whittington : Bromley
The Stage : 20/01/2000 
DAVID READING 

Su Pollard never fails to entertain, if not just because of her wacky glasses and gormless voice. But there has never been a busier person on the stage - her footwork could give Michael Flatley a run for his money - as she constantly gets the Churchill audience involved and frolicks around like a youngster. As a sprightly Dick Whittington, Pollard engrosses throughout with her manic enthusiasm.
Terrence Hardiman has just the right amount of cunning and nastiness as King Rat and revels in the role, as does Tudor Davies (Dame Fitzwarren), who keeps the adults on their toes with quickfire puns.
However, the kids are more concerned with the feline capers of Nigel Garton as Tom the Cat. His graceful movements are a delight, but he does play with his tail rather too much.
As seems the norm for panto these days, a TV Gladiator is on the bill and here it is Scorpio (Nikki Diamond), who confidently uses her considerable frame as Spirit of the Bells.
Impressive lighting (Chris Nicholls) and sound (Martyn Davies), along with super dancing from the Debbie Fyffe Babes (choreography by Warren Carlyle), make this E&B co-production a real hit. 
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Jack and the Beanstalk : Cardiff
The Stage : 28/12/1996 
JON HOLLIDAY 

Boasting the biggest Giant and beanstalk in pantoland, this seasonal offering at the New zipped off with a spectacular start to its 68 performances, getting a raise-the roof response from its capacity audience.
Jack and the Beanstalk, presented by Paul Elliott and directed by Lisa Kent, contains something for everyone - lots of comedy, songs, dances, attractive costumes, colourful scenery, an hilarious Cow, a super spacecraft flight, and the eye-catching Gladiator Scorpio as the Cosmic Fairy, in a daring trapeze act over the heads of the audience.
As Jack, Su Pollard displays all the abounding energy and brash attack for which she is renowned.
Mike Doyle as Silly Billy and Don Maclean as Dame Trot handle the comedy with effortless assurance, while the Fleshcreep of Dave Griffin is as nasty a boo-worthy henchman as any Giant could rightfully expect.
Local Welsh favourite Frank Hennessy portrays the jovial King, Cheryl Taylor is the pretty Princess, and Trevor Ritchie the Lord Chamberlain. For the very young, there are Zippy, George and Bungle from the original Rainbow as the King's Jesters. The appealing Babes well represent the Olive Guppy School of Dance. Musical director is John Evans. 
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News : Radio knocks for new talent
The Stage : 25/07/1996 

Producers at Radio 2 are looking for failed Opportunity Knocks and New Faces contestants to feature in a forthcoming programme.
Opportunity Knocked will be presented by Su Pollard, who was beaten in her heat by a singing dog at the start of her career.
Producer Turan Ali wants to hear from people all over the country who appeared on television talent shows over the past 20 years.
"Anybody who has a tale to tell, we want to hear it," he said. "Whether you won or not, as long as you never made it to the big time."
Former Opportunity Knocks frontman Hughie Green has already agreed to be on the radio show.
"People hold a great deal of affection for those good old days of television talent," added Ali, who can be contacted any time this month on 01843 290944.
LWT's brand new format The Big, Big Talent Show begins on Saturday, July 27 hosted by Jonathan Ross. It will showcase six new acts each week in a bid to find the stars of the future. LWT scouts have spent six months auditioning more than 3,000 acts. 
 

Jack and the Beanstalk : Belfast
The Stage : 18/12/1997 
JANE COYLE

In this production, directed with great chutzpah by Grand Opera House director Derek Nicholls, the theatre has found a pantomime well worthy of its Victorian splendour.
At no other time does its exotic, gilded opulence come to life more vividly than at Christmas and this year the combination of Hugh Durrant's gorgeous set and costumes, Joe Lewis' atmospheric lighting and John L Evans' excellent musical direction enable a unanimously strong cast to bring a familiar, age-old tale to new,contemporary life.
This classy show somehow contrives to encompass a Cosmic Fairy in the hour-glass figure of Gladiator Scorpio, tiny tot heroes George, Zippy and Bungle, local news reporter Ivan Little as a lisping King Crumble, rasping- voiced David Griffin as a thoroughly horrible Fleshcreep, Belfast's May McFetridge as Dame Trot, mischievous Scouser John Evans as everybody's mate Silly Billy and the completely unsquashable Su Pollard as the hapless Jack Trot - and still makes sense of it all.
There is plenty of stage trickery at work in the form of a sprouting beanstalk and a mechanical giant, whose sheer bulk must ensure a place in the record book of Belfast theatre. Lovely stuff. 
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Blackpool's Biggest Show
The Stage : 03/08/1995 
ROBIN DUKE

See them as you've never seen them before, the posters claim.
"Dancing" says Roy Walker, "singing," says Les Dennis, "sober" says Su Pollard, "together" possibly says the audience.
While the Grand Theatre and Opera House may quibble at North Pier's main season summer offering billing itself as Blackpool's Biggest Show, there could be few people who would disagree that it is the resort's most ambitious one.
A few eyebrows were raised at the choice of this particular trio as headliners but director and choreographer Chris Baldock writers Paul Minett and Brian Leveson, musical supervisor Sean Whittle and music director David Lloyd Price aren't so far off moulding a very special sort of show on what was traditionally the pier where box office records were only made to be broken.
Having worked together for two seasons in Don't Dress for Dinner, Dennis and Pollard have an instant stage rapport and together launch the proceedings as a pair of anorak-wearing holidaymakers. It leads into a production opener which reveals Dennis to be no Fred Astaire but at least he is willing to have a go.
Walker follows with the first of three scene-stealing solo spots opening with a gutsy James Brown number before moving into some fresh comedy material. A second spell sees him on more familiar territory - though he wins the best reception of the night with a tingling version of How Are Things In Glocca Morra to prove those singing lessons have been worth their money.
Pollard and Dennis continue their double act with the first ever on-stage meeting of Hi De Hi's Peggy and Coronation Street's Mavis Wilton.
They are also allowed to flex their own talents - the wafer-thin Pollard proving she is a better singer than a comic and Dennis reminding us he is a better impressionist than he is a joketeller.
But the show is more than just their three acts - for a start there is a team of dancers and singers helping the impressive colourful Copacabana first half finale. Along the way there is also this year's flavour of the month - an energetic version of Riverdance.
Completing the bill is Richard de Vere and Company, reviving a 1962 Russian Roulette stunt to great effect and doing the oddest things with his Roly Poly sized assistant Caro Cartiny.
Some trimming of the opening night version was needed here, some tightening up was needed there, but given time to feel its way into the end of the pier venue and Blackpool's Biggest Show looks set to surprise its doubters and almost live up to its provocative title.
The company is completed by Kerry McLaughlin, Gayle Thomas, Francesca Newitt, Lara Cottrell, Alison Brown, Kerry Salmond, Lee Ives and Marc. 

Thanks to Susan Hailes
Deputy Manager, Design and Online
The Stage Newspaper
(www.thestage.co.uk)

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