Their Christmas show is always a fun-filled, traditional pantomime. But sticking to the traditions doesn’t mean sticking to the past, and it is this fusion of old and new that Oldham does brilliantly.

So, we’ve got the traditional fairy-tale of Cinderella, who is put-down by her Step-Mother and two Ugly Sisters, but with the help of a sprinkle of magic dust from her fairy Godmother, gets to go to the Royal Ball and find her Prince Charming. There is an ear-splitting ‘It’s Behind You’, ghost scene; sweet throwing; audience participation and a full-house, sing-a-long. Men play women, women play men, there’s a big wedding, and it all ends happily-ever-after.

My 6-year-old theatre buddy finds it hilarious that the President of the United States is called Trump. Here the writers give a nod to political humour with the Ugly Sisters called, Trumpy Squeezepocket (Simeon Truby) and Pumpy Squeezepocket (Fine Time Fontayne). And you’ve guessed it – there’s a lot of loud trumping and pumping when we meet them.

Fontayne and Truby support each other well, and their double act becomes a double dame of epic proportions with twice as many outrageous costumes, crazy capers and slap-stick jokes.

Add to this mix the energy, comic timing and voice of Sue Devaney as the Wicked Stepmother and it’s a powerhouse of a trio, whose version of Beyoncé’s Single Ladies is worth the ticket price alone.

Devaney, who recently spent two years touring as Rosie (the Julie Walters part in the film) in the International tour of Mamma Mia, brings her strong musical theatre vocals to the intimate Coliseum space, and it’s a knockout. Her Wicked Stepmother, carrying a stuffed-toy Pomeranian, is a comical as she is cruel. In every aspect – character, comedy, singing, she nails it and lifts the show to another level.

Richard Fletcher, is a regular face in Oldham’s pantomimes, and is a sure winner with all the family as Buttons. This year his slap-stick, foam throwing beauty parlor scene with the two dames is hilarious, he plays a blinder of a mind-reading trick and makes a memorable entrance at the ball.

Shorelle Hepkin returns to the Coliseum’s panto for a second year, this time as Cinderella. Her transformation into Princess Crystal is magical and she brings the house down with her rendition of This is Me, from The Greatest Showman soundtrack.

There are plenty of popular references with the flossing dance, a darkly comic ‘Death is Just Around the Corner’ from The Addams Family Musical, and the ear-worm that is Pink Fong’s ‘Baby Shark’. A final party music medley leaves everyone on a high. My mini-reviewer couldn’t say which bit he liked best ‘because it was all good.’

The show opens the week co-writer and director, Kevin Shaw announced he is stepping down after 17 years as artistic director and CEO of the theatre. If this is his last Christmas show for the venue, he’s made it a cracker.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Cinderella is at Oldham Coliseum from 10 November to 12 January.

Read our interview with Fine Time Fontayne and Sue Devaney.

The post Oldham Coliseum’s Cinderella Review appeared first on Quays Life.

When it comes to feelgood, family pantomime, it’s hard to beat Oldham Coliseum’s Christmas show. In large part that’s down to Fine Time Fontayne, who has been both the co-writer along with the theatre’s artistic director, Kevin Shaw for 11 years.

He’s played the pantomime dame for almost as many years. Having missed only one run in that time, after breaking his ankle during rehearsals in 2016.

Last year Fine Time returned with a blast, bounding onto the stage dressed as a tower of doughnuts, propped up by bright yellow Dr Marten boots. ‘I’m back!’ he said, to huge applause. For many his crazy costumes and upbeat, family-friendly banter have become a Christmas tonic not to be missed. But what keeps this Yorkshire man coming back across the Pennines?

“Playing the dame gives me the opportunity to go on a journey on stage that normally I wouldn’t get,” explains Fine Time, who this summer played Duncan in Macbeth at the Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre in York. “I’m called Fine Time but basically, I’m a straight actor (I make my living acting). Being a dame places you in a position where you can be funny, you can be relaxed, and take risks.

“Having the opportunity to be a dame in the same place for years, like I have, you’re afforded the luxury that the audience are warm before you arrive. It allows you to relax and if you relax it’ll work, and you’ll be funny. When people know you, they like it when something goes wrong, such as the set falling over, and you can be in the moment with them and accept whatever happens.

“It’s a funny kind of stardom. There are no stars in repertory panto, but because the audience know you they like to see you. There’s a sense of ownership the audience has got to have. It’s Oldham’s pantomime and they are inviting us in and they love it when we turn up”.

While Fine Time brings his own history to the stage, he’s also conscious when creating the Christmas show pantomime’s traditional roots, dating back to the middle ages, taking on board the traditions of the Italian Commedia Dell Arte, the ancient Roman Saturnalia Midwinter Feast, the Italian Night Scenes and British Music Hall.

“If you watch Charlie Chaplain and Keystone Kops the routines are straight from the English pantomime,” he explains.

As well as the children’s fairy story, pop songs and nods to the latest trends (last year was Amazon Alexa), Fine Time makes sure his shows have all the traditional elements pantomimes have become famous for: specific stage entrances for the Villain (stage left) and Good Fairy (stage right), a middle-aged man dressed as a woman (Pantomime Dame), a young woman playing the male lead (Principle Boy), a Ghost scene and an ear-splitting “It’s Behind You!” (oh no it isn’t, oh yes it is!).

This year, Oldham’s pantomime is Cinderella, the rags to riches tale about a girl, a glass slipper and a handsome prince. And Fine Time is playing one of the Ugly Sisters, which means there’s not just one dame this year, but two.

“It’s a double dame!” he laughs.

The other Ugly Sister is Simeon Trueby, another regular face on the Coliseum stage and the actor who stepped in to save the day as dame when Fine Time had to suddenly drop out.

“I’ve known Simeon for six years now, but we don’t know each other as a double-act and we’re learning how that translates into two of us,” he adds. “We can’t both talk at the same time and as the audience responds we need to bring them along together. That’s starting to happen and I’m really looking forward to that”.

Adding to the familiar warmth of regular faces, Richard J Fletcher returns as the comedy side-kick, playing Buttons. And Sue Devaney, whose TV credits include Dinner Ladies and Coronation Street, joins the venue’s pantomime for the fourth time.

“I play the Wicked Stepmother, or to use her full title: Countess Viella Dipstick Squeezy Pocket the 31^st,” laughs Sue. “She’s very cruel. She loves money and power and men. She wants her girls to be wealthy and marry a prince so she can be kept in a lifestyle she thinks she’s accustomed to. She’s very manipulative if she wants something she’ll try every which way to get it. She flirts and she hurts!

“I always love playing the villain because you bring the wicked side of yourself out that you can never do when you’re in Aldi shopping. I can get a real buzz out of playing naughty – just on stage, obviously. Oldham audiences tell you when you’re not being good!”

Watch the video to hear Fine Time and Sue share back-stage secrets and advice on writing and creating a family Christmas show, as well as more insights into their history with the Oldham Coliseum pantomime.

Cinderella is at Oldham Coliseum from 10 November 2018 to 12 January 2019. See website for details.

The post Double trouble and double the fun – Fine Time Fontayne and Sue Devaney talk Cinderella appeared first on Quays Life.