This week's news from the Coliseum...

Not long until Dick Whittington opens on Saturday and I can’t wait. This week has been tech week when we transfer the production from the rehearsals room to the stage – and what a week!

After a morning rehearsing with the cast on Monday, I spent the afternoon and evening working with the lighting designer deciding where the light is on the stage, what colour they are and what impact the light has on the feel of the scene. I also collaborate with the sound designer choosing sound effects ranging from the sounds of the sea to dramatic music. Talking of music, the musicians also arrived at the beginning of the week and the orchestra pit was set up at the front of the stage for them. You may not realise it but it’s always there only just covered up by the stage and it is quite rare for us to use it in production and pantomime is a great reason to do so.

On Tuesday morning we worked through the scene changes; backdrops coming in from the roof and scenery from the wings and costume changes - the dame’s quick changes into her fantastic frocks will be timed and tested backstage for practicality. The slop scene is also mapped out, we’ve been rehearsing it in the rehearsal room for a few weeks but it’s only when it’s finally on the stage that we can all see how the routine will work – not without some of the cast getting a bit messy in the process. There’s also a huge range of slapstick routines to work through including the famous pantomime bedroom scene which is so complicated to explain you’ll have to come and see it for yourselves, I guarantee it will make you laugh.

During the technical rehearsal we stop and start as and when something needs to be checked or double checked but the dress rehearsal carries on as if it’s a real performance. Tomorrow we’ll have two dress rehearsals which are the final run-throughs of the complete production before the opening show on Saturday.

There’s always a heightened level of excitement during the week running up to panto, it is the biggest show of the year after all. We’re essentially staging a new musical every year from scratch and it’s certainly worth it – I can’t wait until it’s complete with a full auditorium on Saturday.

See you at the theatre.

Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director