We are already a third of the way through the year and this week on the podcast Sarah and Steve talk to Martin about where Imagine are in the panto process at the moment.  New set and costume designs are underway for the three brand news shows being created this year. This includes planning for the team to produce panto in a circus tent for the first time this year with a brand new show and the steps involved in bringing that to life. They discuss how Imagine is integrating with parent company Trafalgar Entertainment as well as producing the first panto in the brand new Fareham Live Theat ..read more

Episode 75 – The Role of the Director  This week the podcast focuses on the role of the director. Robert Marsden and Mairi Cowieson join Martin on the podcast to discuss what being a director actually involves.  They discuss how the role of director has developed from ancient times to present day, their routes into directing and their personal approaches to directing pantomime.  ..read more

Joint CEO of Trafalgar Entertainment Dame Rosemary Squire and CEO and COO of Trafalgar Theatres Helen Enright are Martin’s guests on the podcast this week. Despite an early love of theatre, neither Rosemary or Helen set out to have a career in the industry and both came to their current roles through very different paths. Join us as they discuss their career development, the importance of both regional theatre and pantomime to the industry and the continuing growth of Trafalgar Entertainment ..read more

This week Swansea legend Kev Johns joins Martin on the podcast. Kev has been a panto dame for 30 years, with 25 of those at the Swansea Grand. He also presented numerous radio shows, including more than 20 years on the Breakfast Show, as well as being a match day announcer for his local football team, The Swans. Kev is also heavily involved in charity work, receiving an MBE in 2010 for his services to charity.  He discusses his long and varied career with Martin, including how he went from being a church minister to being in the entertainment business and why pantomime is so important to ..read more

The pantomime version of Beauty and the Beast is one of the most popular titles of all, along with being one of the most loved Disney classics. This week Eric Potts and Liam Dolan join Martin on the podcast to discuss one of their favourite titles ..read more

This week Martin is joined by Imagine Theatre’s Steve Boden and performer and director Steven Wren to talk about Peter Pan. Peter Pan has been around for 120 years in numerous forms – firstly as a book and then a play, a musical, many different movie adaptations, and now as an increasingly popular panto.  They discuss the way that it has been adapted over the years, the way the story is evolving and some of the unique elements of the show, in particular the challenges of having to make numerous cast members and children fly! They also discuss the way that the show is still important in su ..read more

Panto Set Pieces and Routines Simon Sladen, Paul Morse, Janice Dunn join Martin on this week’s episode to talk about the traditional panto set pieces and routines such as slosh scenes, ghost gags, song sheets and call backs. They delve back into the early days of panto to talk about where some of the routines originated as well as discussing some more modern innovations.  A must listen episode for panto fans - 'oh yes it is ..read more

The pantomime version of Dick Whittington has been around since the early 1800s and is believed to be the only pantomime based on a real person. This week Eric Potts and Robert Marsden join Martin on the podcast to discuss one of their favourite titles. They discuss the delights and challenges of staging this particular panto as well as its versatility and history, and relive some of their favourite memories of performing and directing this iconic panto ..read more

This week on the podcast Martin catches up with Steve Boden to learn why there is no such thing as a restful summer for the Imagine Team. With casting auditions for both adults and juniors, photoshoots, set maintenance, hires, props creation, script reads and much more going on, it is full steam ahead on panto planning during July and August. Take a listen to the podcast to find out more ..read more

This week we talk to the hilarious John Evans who will be doing his first Imagine panto this year at Venue Cymru. Martin chats to him about how he started out in amateur panto as a youngster, working on the comedy circuit and an unfortunate incident with a pantomime donkey!   ..read more