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

This week's news from the Coliseum...

The Dick Whittington cast had great fun at the annual reindeer parade in Oldham town centre last Saturday. It was the first time the cast got to frolic around in their fantastic costumes – all made by the Coliseum’s wardrobe team who started work on them as early as May. The dame’s cupcake dress was stunning, King Rat’s costume suitably evil, Dick Whittington donned the thigh high boots and Fairy Bowbells with her trusty glittered covered wand – the whole cast looked very festive and fitted right in with Santa and his reindeers.

Everyone along the parade was eager to see the Coliseum characters, the cast have so much interaction with the audience during pantomime performances that they were in high demand and they made sure that they stopped to say hello to as many people as possible. I heard such positive comments from everyone about how much they’re looking forward to the production which of course will be bigger and better than ever and mixed with the same magic as always.

While I’m in panto rehearsals (glitter, gold coins and fairy wands litter the rehearsal room), I’m also putting the finishing touches to the new season. Our time out of the building for refurbishment will include performances at venues around Oldham, the next step is to get the season brochure together for you to find out about our superb programme of plays. The work on the season brochure not only includes working with a designer to create the eye catching imagery that you see on posters and leaflets, but all the extra material about where the productions will be in the spring/summer season.

The Coliseum’s marketing officer, Laura, has been pulling together all the various bits of information about this exciting season which will be like nothing the Coliseum has done before. They will be performances staged in completely different ways at different venues. Not only will it be something new for the audience, it will be a fantastic experience for staff at the Coliseum - working in fresh environments, changing the way they operate and having the chance to try something new.

For now though, it’s back to panto rehearsals. Just over a week to go and you’ll all be able to come and see all the magic in its full glory on our stage.

See you at the theatre.

Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director

Let's get this party started...

We start thinking about pantomime fairly early on in the year at the Coliseum but this week it is officially the start of the festive season and the whole company are bracing themselves for more than two fun filled months of organised chaos. The cast arrived on Monday, we had a read through in the morning and they started learning the songs by the afternoon. It’s a great way to break the ice and brings the whole company together straight away. The two chorus teams arrive in the evening - all 18 of them.

Choosing the songs for the panto each year also starts fairly early – the cast and band need time to learn them of course! If you’ve been to a Coliseum pantomime before you’ll know that we use a lot of current songs. Some consider it to be untraditional to use pop songs but the roots of panto go back centuries and the songs used back then will have been the modern songs at the time. So the Coliseum’s production is a modern twist on these traditions.

Each year the show will include a big opening number - or ‘curtain raiser’ - to get everyone in the party mood. For Mother Goose (2009) it was 'I’ve Gotta Feeling' by Black Eyed Peas. There is always a love song between the principle boy and girl, for Sleeping Beauty (2010) we used 'Just the Way You Are' by Bruno Mars. After the interval there will be another curtain raiser kick off the second act plus there’s songs for the fairy and baddie. Towards the end of the show there’s a pop medley (something quite specific to the Coliseum) – it’s great to see the audience recognise each pop song as the opening lines are sung. It’s also fantastic to hear the whole auditorium sing along to each song they recognise completely unprompted – certainly part of the Coliseum panto experience.

When it comes to actually picking the songs I need to make sure they are age appropriate –some songs can be a little x-rated so I have to filter them for the family audience or sometimes alter a few of the lyrics in the verses. I also have to ask around to find out what’s popular – basically asking anyone under a certain age (ahem). My 12 year old daughter is a great help and the other week the office was awash with colleagues suggesting all their favourite songs from the year so far. I had to get my notepad…

It might only be week one of rehearsals but as a company we’ve been planning this production for months and once the curtain goes up on Saturday 26 November there’s no looking back. See you there!

See you at the theatre.

Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director