Bognor to enjoy its "first-ever" Panto on the Pier this Christmas

SussexWorld

Performed by a cast that includes seasoned panto professionals, it will run for one week only, an original version of Cinderella that will “deliver seasonal fun for all with an illuminating twist.”

Transcript

00:00Good afternoon. My name is Phil Hewitt, Group Arts Editor at Sussex Newspapers. Really lovely

00:06to speak to Katie Bennett and Vicki Edwards, and you are brewing something fantastic in

00:11Bognor, aren't you? Bognor has been without Panto for a little while, hasn't it? Because

00:16of the renovations at the Regis Centre. Now you're making good on that by doing something

00:21very innovative, something very original. First time ever in Bognor, Panto on the pier.

00:26Katie, tell me how it came about. Oh, well, we've got Cinderella, Panto on the pier, that's

00:34running in December from the 24th of December to the 1st of January. And Cinderella came

00:40about because we visited the venue, thought it was beautiful. You can see behind us. It's

00:46very sort of old type musical, The Ceiling. And we thought there needs to be more in this

00:50space. And they were really keen to do more family things and family events. And we spoke

00:55about Panto, brought Vicki along to see the venue. She fell in love with it. And the rest

00:59is really history. So it was just such a special thing to be asked to be involved with and collaborate

01:05on. And the team here at the pier and venue 24 have just been so supportive of something

01:11so new, something for the community, getting a proper local Panto back in Bognor. And the first

01:18one we believe ever to be on the pier. And it's just going to be such a special experience.

01:24We've even got a light up dance floor. So at the end of the show, it's 45 minute show.

01:29And then you head downstairs to Cinderella's Ball, where you can dance with the cast. And

01:35you can have a boobie on down in the only light up dance floor in town.

01:40Katie, at that point, will you join in because you're not actually in this you are producing.

01:45Katie, I am indeed. So obviously, Phil, I'm going to be boogieing on down with all the

01:52audience. And also just making sure that maybe the Ugly Sisters don't get absolutely

01:57flooded with men. I've got to keep the audience back from the Ugly Sisters. Or maybe Prince

02:06Hottie or Prince Hotham. So we've got lots of local references as well. And it is really

02:11a true, true Bognor Panto, we believe.

02:14Well, not least for the fact that it's written by one Vicky Edwards, who you've been in so

02:19many pantos in Bognor. And this is you using your experience of Bognor Panto, isn't it?

02:26Yeah, absolutely that. You know, it's been an absolute privilege to be part of the Bognor

02:31Panto for, I don't know, just over a decade. And sort of silently absorbing all of those scripts

02:38and knowing what works, knowing what audiences respond to. And actually, you know, on Bognor

02:44audiences, any actor that does Panto in Bognor always goes away saying the same thing.

02:49There ain't no audience like...

02:51Oh, you have frozen. Oh, dear.

02:58So any actor that plays Bognor at Christmas always goes away saying the same thing. There

03:05ain't no audience like a Bognor Regis audience. They really embrace Panto, they go for it. So

03:11it makes it, you know, Panto is always a pleasure and a privilege. But actually, when you do it in

03:16Bognor, it has that little something extra. And that's down to the audiences.

03:20Absolutely. And talking about little something extra, you're going to be sharing the stage

03:24for the first time in your life with your daughter, Lily, who it will be our Cinderella.

03:28Yes, apparently so. Yeah. We made an audition. I just have to add that in. I was a little bit

03:33hesitant about the sort of, you know, whole gypsy thing of pushing her, you know, sing up,

03:39Louise. So she did audition. And actually, I think, you know, the cast we have,

03:46local again, all of them local professional actors. I think it'll work really, really well.

03:52Fantastic. Well, congratulations. It's a brilliant thing to do to bring Panto back to Bognor and to

03:58put it on the pier for the first time. Lovely to speak to you.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended