This week’s podcast subject is set design and Martin is joined by award-winning set designer Ian Westbrook. Ian has designed for theatre, television and film since 1985 and despite working on some high-profile productions he retains a deep fondness for panto and has designed a number of sets for Imagine Theatre in recent years.  In this episode Martin learns how Ian came to be a set designer, how the design process and technology has changed since Ian first started in his career and the process he uses himself when designing sets ..read more

This week some familiar voices return to the podcast as Robert Marsden and Marie Cowieson join Martin to talk about Sleeping Beauty.  Variations of the story have existed for hundreds of years all over the world. Rob and Mairi discuss the different ways in which they and others have approached the pantomime and the way the pantomime is forever evolving in line with the changing attitudes of the audience ..read more

This week Martin catches up with Steve and Sarah Boden to talk about how the 2024 season has gone. The 2024/25 panto season saw Imagine create their first ever panto in a big top circus tent, perform two brand new titles in Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Robin Hood and produce the first ever panto in the brand-new Fareham Live alongside continuing to develop their digital sets with the additional of digital versions of Aladdin and Jack and the Beanstalk. They discuss all this, as well as what the team gets up to now the shows have closed and the exciting news that Imagine HQ is relocating ..read more

This week Martin catches up with some of the cast of Beauty and the Beastie in Glasgow: Liam Dolan, Valissa Scott and Nikki Auld. The Pavilion panto is a big part of festive tradition for many Glasgwegians as well as the actors themselves – this year is Liam Dolan’s twenty-sixth panto with Nikki just pipping him having done twenty-eight!  With the longest run of any of all of the Imagine pantomimes is not surprising to learn the cast are more like family than friends and Martin talks to them about why they love it so much and why the Pavilion panto in particular is so special.  ..read more

This week Martin is joined by The Chase’s Jenny Ryan who is spending the festive season in Crewe as The Enchantress in Beauty and the Beast. Jenny talks to Martin about how she was influenced by theatre from a young age due to her grandparents links with the Octagon in Bolton, how she came to be one of the legendary Chasers and about why panto and live theatre in general is so special to her and the different ways in which a theatre visit for a child can inspire and enrich them ..read more

This year due to the refurbishment of the Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock East Ayrshire Leisure took the decision to do pantomime in a big top circus tent – and what better panto to choose than Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a panto set in a circus! Martin talks to director and dame Andrew Agnew; Goldilocks herself, Ailsa Erskine, who is making her professional panto debut; Gary Morrison who is appearing in his tenth Kilmarnock panto and Craig McDougall who returns as part of the Killie panto team to play the ringmaster, to talk about the benefits and challenges of producing panto in the big top ..read more

This week Martin is joined by radio presenter Scott Mills who is making his pantomime debut this year in Jack and the Beanstalk at De Montfort Hall. Scott talks to Martin about how his decision to do a panto came about, the advice he has been getting from his showbiz pals and his past performing experience on Strictly Come Dancing.  Don’t miss Scott in panto at De Montfort Hall 15 Dec 2023 – 7 Jan 2024 ..read more

Andy Hockley is a hugely experienced theatre and TV actor, despite having originally trained in theatre design. He has appeared in 18 pantomimes at The Belgrade since 1989 in a variety of roles including both dame and baddie and this year he is playing King Rat in Dick Whittington. As well as pantomime Andy has appeared in some of the UK’s most popular musicals and is possibly the longest serving Wizard in Wicked in the West End having been in over 1,000 performances. He also appeared in The Phantom of the Opera on tour and the West End followed by Chitty Chitty Bang Bang before his long stint ..read more

This week Martin is joined by two choreographers, Mitchell Harper and Claire Darcy. Mitch has a wide range of choreography experience from opera and musicals to pantomime.  Claire has been appearing in the Inverness panto since she was a child and has appeared in over 1,000 performances at Eden Court - going on from being a member of the Junior Ensemble to a professional performer and now also their choreographer. In this episode Mitch and Claire discuss the processes and methods involved in creating the routines for panto, how they are influenced by the music choices, the special effects ..read more

Have you ever wondered why ticket prices cost what they do? In this episode Martin delves into the complex world of theatre finance with Sarah Boden to discuss this very question. Sarah talks Martin through the various different aspects that influence the cost of a ticket – from size of venue to the type of casting and all the extras that people may have never considered such as VAT, royalty fees, levies, transport and more ..read more