First Day at School- Again!

Publicity Day 2 at The Kenneth More!

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 29th 2020

A very strange feeling, getting ready for tomorrow’s first day working in a Theatre since… Well, last Panto! I am so very very fortunate- the amazing efforts that have been made to bring some light into these dark Theatre-less days- From Michael Harrison, battling to put ten pantomimes into position while the Tiers change, to my mates out there who are still hoping their Christmas shows will make it to the stage-Damian, Nick and all the Qdos family awaiting news- to the incredible efforts of “Vision” who took a chance on installing live streaming equipment back in March, and who now present the Panto in my town- yes, it really IS two minutes walk from my house. Along a dual carriageway. Yes! I can sneak home between in full make-up with mask & hoody cloaked in darness!

Photo shoot outside the KMT

Tomorrow, as I’ve said in many a Dame Blog, is really the first day at school. Even more so this year, as there are new regs and rules to learn, and a socially distanced Panto to be experienced. It is my 46th Pantomime. My sixth here in the Theatre that for forty odd years was run by my Brother, Vivyan. I know this place so well. Peter Robbins used to call it “Your living room!”

The Ground Floor Bar

This picture shows me posed in what is now the downstairs bar. Year after year in the Summer months I used this space to co-ordinate the costumes I’d designed for the Annual panto here- spreading the costumes out, and this year I’ve just had to supply my own costumes, that have travelled a good fifty yards to the dressing room.

I’m in dressing room number two. The room I first dressed in with Peter when we did our first Cinderella together.Twenty Eight years passed.This was the same room when in 2009 I found myself solo after Peter had passed away, doing my Solo Dame debut.in “Snow White”.

Here I am again in that very same room in 2020 in “Snow White” and very very grateful.

I have my “Dame” tee shirt ready for rehearsals- designed by the very clever Dame David Dale- it means my Panto mates (no longer with us)Peter Robbins, Peter Thorne and Brian Godfrey will be with me, along with a collection of many other Panto Pals!

Number Two Dressing Room

So, tomorrow I’ll be socially distanced, called to rehearse as and when required, and sipping tea from my flask! I’m pretty much flying solo in the plot, and looking forward to some silly scenes with Karl Greenwood who plays my son, Muddles- Like Darren Hart he was here last year when the gorgeous Bobby Crush played Dame.

Tomorrow I’ll introduce everyone, and hope you enjoy this journey into the unknown territory of Socially Distanced Panto as the blog unfolds. It won’t be daily- we have two shows each and every day from Dec 9th to January 10th, but it will be bringing you the tale of backstage life at The KM Theatre!

Nighty Nighty!