Birds Of A Feather

I spent a wonderful afternoon watching the comedy talents of  Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph in “Birds Of A Feather”- the 2013 National tour, when it reached Southend.

A packed matinee, with over a thousand theatre-goers rocking with laughter at this production packed with Panto personalities! Lesley Joseph obviously a veteran of pantomime- reviving her role as Dorien Green, alongside Linda Robson as Tracey- Linda has played Pantomime roles ranging from Fairy Godmother to Evil Witch in productions across the UK. Pauline Quirke, in her role as Sharon may not have appeared in panto, but along with Linda the Birds Of A Feather spawed a generation of Panto “Sisters” called Sharon and Tracey.

    

Peter Robbins and I stayed “Sharon and Tracey” in “Cinderella for longer than any other names, because the TV show which ran for almost a decade was hugely popular, and watched by 20 million people! We would only have to enter, introduce ourselves , pause and say “We’re from Essex!” and the laughs would roll in.

The laughs rolled in huge waves today in this show, produced by The Comedy Theatre Company in association with Quirky Media Stuff and with thanks to Freemantle Media.

The panto connection affects the producers as well- one of the two producers from “Comedy Theatre Company” being veteran Panto Principal Boy and Fairy- Jan Hunt! Jan also produced the tours of “Dinner Ladies” which proved to be hugely successful. “Birds” is now on year two of National tour, and if you miss it, you will miss two hours plus of comedy, executed with comic timing so good it should be made a masterclass in every stage school- as I’m sure it is in every PQA- Pauline Quirk Academy of Performing Arts! Here are the tour dates- the show is on the road until the end of June.

What a joy to see such perfection in timing, and such huge laughs gleaned and presented by the three stars who you just know revel in their roles and in their friendship.

Lesley has just finished playing The Enchantress in “Robinson Crusoe” at the Hippodrome Birmingham, alongside Brian Conley, Kathryn Rooney and Andrew Ryan. Andrew came along to see the show this afternoon- he played Mrs Crusoe in the Hippodrome. Lesley will join Brian aboard the Crusoe Cruise once again this season at the Mayflower Southampton for the Pantomime. Joining Andrew and I today was Jamie-Ray Hartshorne who also appeared in “Robinson Crusoe” this season at Birmingham. Here’s a picture of Him and Lesley in full flight! Jamie is on the Right of the photograph.

 

to complete the pantomime connection, two roles were played by Panto Dame Paul Tate- I won’t reveal the roles as I don’t want to give away the plot- here’s a picture of Paul looking a bit different from his scenes in “Birds Of A Feather”!

and currently working on the show is Spencer KI Gibbins- Spencer appears each year in Pantomime, and, in fact was appearing as Buttons in the first pantomime I did for Paul Elliott’s E&B Productions back in 1982 at Stevenage.

So- many pantomime elements assembled in a Qdos run venue beside the Seaside! If you get the chance do see this show on its National Tour- I can’t recommend it more highly!