Musical Director Paul Burnett’s daughter Caroline joins Martin this week to talk about her father’s career and life growing up with theatrical parents. Paul was a prolific musical director in the 1950s to the 1980s in the true heart of variety. He conducted multiple royal variety performances, was the MD of choice for people like Morcambe and Wise and many many others. He was also musically involved in countless pantomimes across the UK and spent many years working for Bernard Delfont ..read more

Join Martin as he goes back stage at this year's UK Pantomime Awards. Taking place on Tuesday 18th June at G Live in Guildford, the 2024 pantomime awards were another star studded, glittering evening celebrating all things panto!  Martin talks to presenters Ore Oduba, Angelica Bell alongside lots of the award winners and members of the UK Pantomime Association board ..read more

This week Martin is joined by former contestant on The Great British Sewing Bee and current Deputy Head of Wardrobe at Imagine Theatre, Adam Brooks. Adam talks about those early influences that led to his love of theatre and costume. He also discusses his varied career from drama school, to being a Cruise Director, to becoming Deputy Head of Wardrobe for Imagine Theatre and how his on stage theatrical experience influences his approach to his current role ..read more

This week Martin talks to two key members of the Imagine team about how they got into the industry and their experiences of training in stage management.  Ruth Porter, Deputy Head of Stage Management and Props and Jazmyne Evans, Operations and Production Administrator talk to Martin about how their early experiences of theatre led them to work in the industry and what their current roles at Imagine entail. Plus Ruth talks about the skill behind making some good old fashioned panto slosh ..read more

This week’s episode focuses on the roles of two key elements of any theatrical production – the lighting and the sound.  Lighting Designer and Programmer Matt Ladkin and Sound Designer and Head of Project Engineering and Head of Education at Orbital Sound Mike Thacker, join Martin to talk about these invaluable roles. They talk through exactly what each role involves, how the process develops throughout the year from initial production meetings to being in venue for Tech and also discuss how the ever-changing technology has influenced their work.   ..read more

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