Jason Manford: ‘Standup’s lonely – I love the panto family’
Panto was my first experience of going to the theatre. At school in south Manchester, there were free tickets for kids from underprivileged backgrounds. I must have been 10 or 11 and I thought theatre really wasn’t for me. It was a stuffy place where people went to see Shakespeare or Chekhov, stroked their beards and had a good think. The idea that you could shout out to the actors, and they’d shout back, was sort of magical. You didn’t feel like an imposter. You felt like you were there for a reason.
I’ve been doing standup for nearly 25 years and my audience has grown up with me. They were my age when I first started – just out of university, doing gigs about girlfriends and going out. Then came the tours about settling down. Kids. My audience has gone through all the life stages with me. Now they’re roughly my age and have got kids themselves, who can come and see me perform. It’s opened me up to the whole family, and that’s a really lovely idea.
It’s quite a lonely old job, stand-up. I’ve spent so much of my career on stage on my own. I love being able to join a company and be part of a family of colleagues who are going through the same thing as you. All those people are there to help you with the heavy lifting of making people laugh every night.
I’ve done so many musicals where you’ve got to stick to the script. That’s quite restraining, especially as a comic. But with a panto, I can’t imagine anyone telling me to stick to the story! I’m very much looking forward to having that freedom on stage as Captain Hook, and working with people who I know will make me laugh every night. It’s exciting, too – to go on stage and think that anything could happen.
Jason Manford is in The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan at Manchester Opera House, 10-31 December.
Keala Settle: ‘My dog’s making her stage debut!’
I first came across British pantomime when I was promoting the film The Greatest Showman. It was around the holiday season and I spotted these panto billboards all over the place. My hair stylist had to explain what it was. Later, when I was dead set on moving to England permanently, I told my agent I really need to do a panto!
I love the magic in kids’ eyes during the Christmas holidays. No matter what is going on in the world, a child will always find the magic in something. I’m a sucker for all of that. And my dog is going to be in it! They always have a dog in the show and they knew I was bringing my dog, so she’s going to make her first appearance on stage. Give her peanut butter or a treat and she’ll be off to the races.
They asked me what kind of fairy I wanted to be. Did I want tiaras? Diamonds? No! I said I wanted to be the runt fairy that came out last and has no idea what’s going on, so I’m going to be the vegetable fairy in Jack and the Beanstalk. The company is lovely and hilarious and kind. I’ve told them I have no idea what I’m doing – but I’ll do as much research as I can and hit the stage running. I’ll wave that magic wand with everything I’ve got.
When you’re on stage, the biggest factor is the audience. That energy is everything. Those kids cheering and booing are the missing piece. As soon as the audience is in, it all comes together.
Keala Settle is in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Royal & Derngate theatre, Northampton, 9 December-2 January.
Carrie Hope Fletcher: ‘It’s all feathers and sparkle’
I was quite late to panto. I first experienced it when I was 19. It was Cinderella and I remember being a bit baffled by the fact that I was allowed to join in. When I went to theatre as a kid, I always had to be quiet and behave. You definitely weren’t allowed to sing along or shout out. So the idea that panto allows all of that was amazing. It felt a little bit naughty.
I’ve had so many friends perform in pantomimes over the years and have the most unbelievable time. I’ve always been so jealous that they get to ramp up the Christmas festive spirit. It isn’t quite the same when you’re in Les Misérables! Canterbury at Christmas is going to be brilliant as well. I feel like my festive season is about to be kicked up a notch.
Having that audience interaction really takes the pressure off, especially when I’m singing. Everything stops when you sing your big number in a musical. You’re the only person that everyone is looking at and it’s dead silent in the room. It’s absolutely terrifying. But going on to the stage in panto, knowing that we’re all here to have a good time, it feels like we’re going to be partying together.
This is the first time I’ve played a proper villain. I’m very excited to be the one in the horns rather than the one in the glass slippers. I’m playing the wicked witch and the costume is dark red with very sparkly black boots and feathery red horns. It looks like I’ve killed a lot of crows to make my costume. It’s all feathers and sparkle.
Carrie Hope Fletcher is in Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe theatre, Canterbury, 25 November-8 January.
Chelsea Hall: ‘My mum will be there every night!’
I grew up in Hull and went to a dance school called LWHS from about four years old. The little kids who went to the dance school also ended up in the local pantomime – but I was always that kid who was too tall. All my friends got to be in it but I never did. I eventually went on to teach at the dance school, and my students would end up in panto, too. Now I feel like it’s finally my turn!
Panto is a tradition in our family. When Christmas comes, we know we’re going to go to the theatre. I used to go every year with my mum and two sisters, and their kids. It was a chance for us to get together and have a bit of a laugh. When my grandma was still with us, she used to take us to panto when I was a little girl. Every time we went, she’d get us a key ring. I’ve still got the Cinderella slipper key ring – and it always reminds me of my grandma and our time at the panto.
All the posters have gone up around Hull. I’m on the poster and one of my friends sent me the picture. I texted it to my mum with the caption: “Mum, I’ve made it!”
I’m sure my mum will be there watching me every night. (I’m not even joking.) When I was in Bring it On, in London, it was so lovely knowing you had friends and family in the audience and they were definitely going to cheer when you bow. It’s a really comforting feeling – and I feel like it’s going to be like that every night in Hull.
Chelsea Hall is in Jack and the Beanstalk at Hull New theatre, 10-31 December.
