Time to Rock ‘n’ Roll, as Cinderella hits The Playhouse with a festive fun fest in store.
The venue may have changed but this year’s Playhouse Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto, Cinderella! Mop in the Name of Love, is set to be bigger, brighter and funnier than ever before, thanks in no small part to two of the productions stalwarts, Adam Keast and Francis Tucker.
This year, the duo don dresses and a mass of make up to play Cinders’ ugly sisters, Titiana and Wilamena – or Titty and Willy as they’ll be affectionately known – and neither actor can wait to get things Rockin’ ‘n’ Rollin’ again.
‘This is my twelfth panto with the Everyman Playhouse but my first time working at the actual Playhouse theatre, so its very exciting for me personally to finally get out there and do what is a great family show,’ Francis said.
‘It’s going to be a different dynamic to the shows at the Everyman out of necessity, because the theatre is bigger,’ Adam explained, ‘but although the content is more or less the same as every other year – basically, mayhem and chaos and maybe just a little bit of water – it’s safe to say the spirit of the Everyman Rock ‘n’ Roll pantomime is very much alive and well. So, if anyone thinks they can feel secure lurking in the shadows of a larger theatre, think again.’
‘The audience are the eleventh member of the cast,’ Francis added, with a smile loaded with mischief, ‘and we can guarantee that audience participation will continue to be integral... never fear.’
So as seasoned actors, what is it that makes the two slip into their dresses so readily at Christmas? ‘To be honest, for me, it’s the audience reaction and not only after a performance but throughout the year,’ Francis said. ‘That and the fact that it’s a generational thing in as much as we now have people who saw my first one in Liverpool who are now bringing their own children along which, despite making me feel incredibly old, is brilliant for us as performers.’
‘Our responsibility is to the audience and to make sure that they are given a great time, every time,’ Adam added. ‘There’s a lot going on in the show but the energy and the vibrancy is cranked up to the max and we’re more than ready to make sure that’ll always be the case.’
Last year was a frustrating time for Francis, given that he was recovering from surgery on an injured knee. ‘Yeah, it wasn’t the way I imagined the last pantomime at the old Everyman being played out and it was incredibly disappointing not to be able to run around as much as in previous years, but it is fine now so I’ll just have to make up for it this time at The Playhouse.’
Despite being born in Italy, pantomime has become a quintessentially British Christmas tradition, so what is it that continues to appeal. ‘Ah, well you say its British but there’s a guy comes over from America every year to specifically see the pantomime at the Everyman and I know he is coming to The Playhouse,’ Adam said. ‘He absolutely loves it and I think mainly it's the opportunity for the audience to relax, chill out, get involved and simply not care about being made a fool of.’
‘What we also have with the Rock ‘n’ Roll panto,’ Francis continued, ‘is that the cast play all the instruments on stage, so seeing Cinderella rocking out to an AC/DC or Lady GaGa number adds that little something extra to the experience as well. ’
One guarantee is that The Playhouse Rock ‘n’ Roll pantomime experience will be as fast, funny, chaotic and – needless to say – as soaking wet as any of its predecessors, and long may the tradition continue.
The Playhouse Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto runs from December 3 – January 21.
Come back to read Click Liverpool's full review of the show tomorrow (7th Dec)!
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