With just over a week to go until pantomime returns to The Leatherhead Theatre, we caught up with Tom Beard, who is taking on the role of Buttons to find out how rehearsals for Cinderella are going and what audiences can expect from this special panto…
Hi Tom! How are rehearsals going?
Really well thanks, we only started a few days ago but I know all the cast very well from previous LP Creatives productions and thankfully, when we asked them, they’ve all agreed to return! This cast of very talented actors and comedians really is the cream of the crop of everything we’ve done before and this promises to be our best show ever. It’s also lovely to be working with the children as our juvenile and senior dancers again too – they are bursting with excitement which energises everybody involved – it’s almost like they’ve been couped up for two years and can’t wait to hit that stage running!
Tell us what people can expect from this year’s show?
This year you really would struggle to find better costumes then the beautiful specially designed outfits we are featuring in this show. Not to mention the breath-taking scenery as we transport the audience to a Winter wonderland for over two hours of non stop fun and jaw dropping special effects. Oh did I forget to mention that we will be having a full size carriage and horse (or should I say Pegasus) that flies out over the audience carrying Buttons and Cinderella to the Prince’s Ball! I can’t wait to see it, nevermind the audience!
What’s your favourite moment in Cinderella?
For me personally, as a comedian, I like the funny stuff and seeing how it lands with different crowds. The reactions, like the audience, change every day in panto and so it’s really good fun adapting what you do to wring every last giggle out of a sketch or joke. There are going to be a lot of silly original comedy moments this year, that often come to me at 3am in the middle on the night that I have to scribble down or they are gone. Watching them get a good reaction for me is the ultimate reward.
Also I will be dressing up as an internet favourite character this year that I don’t think many panto’s will have – all thanks to my two year old who is obsessed with them! I can’t wait to see what he does when he sees me being this person – I don’t want to give away any spoilers – but I think he is going to go nuts!
How are you all feeling about being back on our stage and performing to our audiences this Christmas?
Excited, relieved, nervous, happy, proud and a million other adjectives that mean panto! What is important is to remember that the people sat watching us put on this show have probably just been feasting on Netflix for nearly two years and it’s high time they got a shot of real live theatre entertainment! We can’t wait to welcome everybody into The Leatherhead Theatre, sit them down with their family and friends this Christmas and give them a show that they will be talking about for at least the next two years
And finally… give us three words to sum up the show…
Stunning original pantomime!
Cinderella runs from Saturday 18 – Thursday 30 December, find out more and book your tickets here.