Biggins & Brick Lane!
Saturday 13th February 2016
An evening show, and a plethora of Dames! A fair smattering of Pantomime Royalty too in the presence not only of Chris Biggins, but our mutual mate David Hartshorne. David seen centre above next to Chris Biggins is related to Dorothy Ward, possibly the most famous of all Panto Principal Boys!
We now host David’s vast gallery of Dorothy Ward here on the site, and also there is an article about her and Shaun Glenville. http://www.its-behind-you.com/wardglenville.html
Dorothy Ward as Robin Hood
Table number ten hosted Andrew Ryan, recently Dame-ing at Birmingham, Chris Biggins, fresh from Nottingham Theatre Royal “Aladdin”, and his party, and my mates David Hartshorne & David along with Peter, and Panto Ugly Sister John Barr (Centre above). Joining the table . My friends David Windmill and Kevin completed the Table line-up. Great to have so many mates in, and to have them visit backstage in the interval!
Here’s a pic from last Autumn- Celebrity Antiques Roadtrip. Chris and Mark Stacey visiting me at the theatre to take a look at some of the Panto collections I’ve built up, and displayed here on the IBY site. We decided to give Mark a “Dame Make Over” at the end of filming!
Here’s Chris in his recent Panto Pose!
Here we all are again during the interval!
It was a fun show. There’s never any doubt when Biggins is in the house. You can hear his booming laugh from miles away! I still treasure the memory of a matinee years back when Chris sat in a box with Su Pollard and made us laugh onstage more than we should have!
Chris has announced that he will be taking next Panto off, and then will don the Dame Frocks for the final time the following year (the 2017-18) season. For now he’s leaving us tonight and heading off on holiday tomorrow.
This is our view from the stage! Saturday night was packed to the rafters, and great fun. I went Front Of House before getting ready for the show, and it was my first time being in the auditorium when it was lit, the decor looks amazing!
Very rare for me too, I joined my mates at the end of the show for a glass of bubbly, and it really is a great atmosphere- dancing drinking and jollity at misnight on the North Woolwich Road!
Hettie casting a spell over Evil Old Ivy!
Lucy & Vincent onstage and backstage.
So tonight, as every Saturday night we have a lot of fun- thats the audience and all of us lot, and then head off home. This coming week we have one less show, but make up for it the following week. Hopefully it will get a bit warmer by then, or else we’ll all be joining Biggins in Australia!
Andrew with Sam
Here’s Thom from the Brick Lane Admin office preparing for Valentines day.
Here’s to a few days off- we’ll be back on Wednesday Matinee!
