Albie Sanders interviews the creative team behind this year’s family festive feast.

In our 111th year of running pantomime, for the first time ever, we bring you Beauty & The Beast, a tale as old as time. But how difficult has it been to re-create one of the most well-known and beloved fairy tales of all-time? We asked David Bown and Phil Lowe, the writing team behind the panto, to tell us more about the creative process and different ideas behind the show.

As a graduate of the University of London, David has been an actor, writer, and director of theatre and television across the UK and in America. He is the Chief Executive of Harrogate Theatre and is co-writing Beauty & The Beast with Phil Lowe, who is also directing the show. David has co-written the previous two pantomimes in Harrogate (Aladdin and Dick Whittington). David had previous pantomime writing experience before he came to Harrogate, and his first panto was Aladdin in 2009. His inspiration for writing panto at Harrogate was both his greatest annoyances and celebrations in life. He also said that he and his creative team bounced off each other for ideas and he has a good writing relationship with Phil.

Being a classic love story, Beauty & The Beast is not a typical rags-to-riches pantomime, with the story being more emotional and heartfelt than David’s other Harrogate Theatre panto credits. “With Beauty & The Beast, you have to concentrate on the emotional side as well as the comedy” says David. This is true, as other typical “pantos” don’t have the same amount of emphasis in the story in relation to love. Very often the love interest of the main character is much less developed and perceived as being very two-dimensional and simple. David maintains that in Beauty & The Beast, Belle and The Beast are on equal footing, and therefore both need similar amounts of character development and planning to fully fulfil the roles and create the feeling of romantic tensions between the two.

Phil began his working life as an assistant vet, with a small theatre job as a driver on the side. He was eventually offered a six-month contract as a technician and worked for the theatre for 5 years. He then worked on the crew and eventually became assistant director for 2 years before being offered to direct the panto by David. Beauty & The Beast will be Phil’s 5th panto at Harrogate Theatre, and he is relishing the challenge of co-writing and directing it. He draws inspiration from classic, old-school comedy, in particular that of Morecambe and Wise. He again feels that people today only laugh at shock comedy, whereas acts like Morecambe and Wise blend intelligent, thoughtful comedy aimed at adults, and more obvious, physical humour, primarily aimed at children. From these ideals you get an all-encompassing, family-oriented feel to the show, which is exactly what panto is about.

Phil feels that Beauty & The Beast, not being a panto done before at Harrogate Theatre, gives a modern message to the audience. Beauty & The Beast is not about finding treasure or the fountain of youth, or anything of that kind, but it is a story about two people falling in love. Phil is looking forward to directing and writing a panto which isn’t “traditional” in a conventional sense. “Beauty” was made popular in the 90’s by Disney, which is unlike other pantos done at Harrogate, as most are stories like Mother Goose or Jack and the Beanstalk. Phil says that it is a good thing to move away from the “wealth = happiness” mindset, and “Beauty” is a prime example that looks and wealth aren’t everything, and all that matters is what you are like on the inside.

This year we’re present a tale as old as time – Beauty & the Beast – which is undoubtedly one of the greatest fairy tales of all time.

Be our guest as we follow Belle, a beautiful young woman, and the Beast, a handsome prince who has been placed under an evil spell for a hundred years. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved in return, the spell will be broken and he will return to his true self. But time is running out…

Packed with everyone’s favourite pantomime characters, this enchanting and spellbinding tale combines spectacular scenery, jokes galore, magic and sparkle – all of which makes Harrogate Theatre’s pantomime a festive family favourite throughout the region.

See you soon.

Wed 15 Dec – 7pm
Thur 16 Dec – 7pm
Sun 2 Jan – 7pm
Mon 3 Jan – 7pm
Tue 4 Jan – 7pm
Wed 5 Jan – 7pm
Thur 6 Jan – 7pm
Thur 13 Jan – 7pm
Fri 14 Jan – 7pm

- Top Cat (Only close friends get to refer to him by initials alone)

- Sylvester the Cat (Sufferin Succotash!)

- Garfield (Lasagne, Naps and tormenting the dog. Mostly wasted on kids)

- Bagpuss (The most important, most beautiful, most magical saggy old cloth cat in the whole wide world. Fact.)

- Cat Stevens (May not be a real cat)

It would seem that my prediction of everyone going home in a bad mood at the end of today was happily wayward. Actually, everyone seems very positive. We can tell this by the fact that I could not find any biscuits. You may find this at any workplace, that there is a direct correlation between the amount of stress people are under and the amount of boxes of chocolate biscuits and bags of Percy Pigs that turn up around the place. So far, everyone is staying healthy and relatively stress free. I may have to buy my own hobnobs. But then I really like Hobnobs.

Oh, and as for the fight, I won’t tell you who wins. Oh alright then, it’s (CUT – editor)

(Dave)

I’ve done four or five of these now and the pattern tends to be that everything runs smoothly on day one, then some sort of glitch hits and by Wednesday everyone goes home grumpy. One year I was here till 3am spray painting a dozen dancing santas stone grey (long story). The good news is that that means everyone comes in on Thursday after some sleep and some food, and fixes whatever went wrong. The show goes on.

Maybe though this year I’m wrong. It’s only Tuesday and we near the end of act one. Today we completed the slosh scene. It’s a tricky scene from a technical point of view, and often takes a long time to complete. At this rate, we’ll be done by tomorrow.

(Dave)

In rehearsal ideas fly with cuts and additions to the script , swapping of lines and even moving plot structure. Each character has a story within the story itself and each actor needs to make the journey work.

I’m often totally incapable of eloquent expression if something is wrong or right I wrestle to explain why. And, being blessed with a school boy apologetic manner and voice it’s easy to overlook my opinion.

Today I apologized for slowing rehearsal with a minor issue I had struggled to explain. Howard (Chadwick, our Dame) refused my ‘sorry’ explaining instinct is important and as valid a reason as many. We explored the idea as a company and as well as being grateful Howard has been so gracious it occurred that Phil (Lowe, the director) allowed us that nugget of time.

Each actor brings something to rehearsal but the director is key in allowing us to speak honestly, happily and creatively. Though nobody liked my idea and it was binned – I don’t mind. I’ve the freedom to keep trying. A little like my favourite joke – it’s ok if nobody likes it, but I still wish to share it.

For sale parachute. Only used once, never opened, small stain. Told you it was a slow burner.

(Tim)

And that was today in rehearsal. At home I can say most of my lines without needing the script, but marrying words with moves and trying not to catch anyone’s eye in rehearsal is so much harder.

In the musical numbers when I dance my singing fades away and if I sing my feet stop. Your choice is either a radio play or silent movie as I am still some way off the talkies.

I wouldn’t wish to leave you with the idea that I’m only safe on the lines when I can cope with seeing a man with ladies underwear. But I just have.

(Tim)

In the last few days, rehearsals have averaged out at about half an hour per page. We’re not just mucking around here, we go through every line with a fine-tooth comb, to make sure the jokes are funny, that everyone is in the right place at the right time, and most crucially of all the story gets told.

As an example, there’s a bit at the end of the show every year, where all the characters dance to a medley of pop songs. It’s hugely colourful and energetic, it’s the climax of the show, and every character gets his or her moment. We call that the ‘Pop Medley’ (not the most original title I know, but, you know… we’re busy…).

Well, the cast started rehearsing that dance two weeks ago. Choreographer David Lee took them through the moves, and his dances are always visually exciting, up tempo, and highly intricate. After a lot of sweating, they went over it three times at the end of the day, and then went over it again with both teams of dancers. By the end of the week, they’d performed it seven times in all. Since then, they’ve gone through that dance twice a day for the duration of the rehearsal period. Eleven working days. So that’s another 22 times they’ve gone through it (we’re up to 29 in total now, counting fans). Next week is production week, when everything – lights, sound, set and cast – is all pulled together and made to work. On that week they’ll be asked to do it three or four times in a row, and then there are two dress rehearsals. That’s a total of 35 run-throughs, or TWO SOLID HOURS of just three and a half minutes of the show.

So if you’re one of the lucky few that got tickets for Christmas Eve, by that point they’ll have performed this dance over 75 times. By the end of the run, over 100 times. And the best (and the trickiest) part is, from where you’re sitting, every time looks like the first.

It‘s this level of detail that we think is important, it’s what separates us from some of the more commercial pantos, and it’s what keeps you coming back year after year.

(David)

Struggled in rehearsal yesterday. My ideas still came thick and fast but mostly too fast and were pretty thick ones. Writing and blocking was changed before I’d entered the room – (which is how rehearsals work, Tim). With my lines cut and my route set I was ill prepared. As the scene progressed others fired in with input, added bits and jokes whilst I still wrestled with my entrance to the scene. Gradually I got left behind. Now the actors trick to solve this is to sit at this point on the floor with the script between your legs. It slows the rehearsal down and instigates a momentum for change to justify our stopping.

Though frustrated, I didn’t resort to this. But my clouded head prevented me from enjoying or meaningfully contributing. Later in the day and still disheartened with myself and that scene, I asked one of the more experienced actors if he ever had a day when nothing seems to go well or right. The smiled response was: “Yes, but the next day is always a good one.” I smiled back not wanting to admit this was the next day and I’d now had two which were stinkers.

So this morning I came in early and went on to the stage, looked out at the empty seats and practised some lines. One of the technical team came in, winced at my performance and pulled the ‘iron’ out, (the large metal fire curtain which hides the stage). I turned to see the half constructed set of the very scene I’d mucked up. And there was my answer (which I unfortunately I can’t tell you about) staring right back at me.

So I’m no hare, but I do get there.

(Tim)

I’ve always set myself exceedingly low standards and subsequently failed to meet them. So what is my professional dream or goal? In this industry we assume Joe Public thinks all actors want to progress from stage, stepping up to TV and rising to the Holy Grail of film. Armed with only a ‘big break’, the cream of talent supposedly rises to the ‘top’.

However, it’s an imperfect market. I’ve worked with the talented, the famous, the influential and the notorious. Put simply: the market doesn’t work. Two of the finest actors I know have worked at Harrogate and both regard their time here as one of the hardest, yet most rewarding moments of their vastly differing careers.

So what’s my goal? If you love your job and work is fun then I’ll take more of the same please. I think most jobbing actor’s goal… is the offer of another job. Sure, I’d like to perform other types of roles. As a teenager I was all angst and drama; now my intellectual heavyweights are Silly Billy, Wishee Washee and Buttons.

What’s the easiest way to get your name in lights? Change your name to exit.

(Tim)