09 Jul 2024
What do you get when you cross a drag queen turned sorceress, a rather charming member of the royal family, and a princess with a penchant for snoozing? It can only be the launch of Harpenden’s Christmas panto, this time getting in ahead of the more widely-publicised Alban Arena to secure some decent column inches.
Fairytale favourite Sleeping Beauty is this year’s production, the fifth from Polka Dot Pantomines, and promises a traditional panto with a modern twist which will appeal across the generations.
If you remember the shows at Harpenden Public Halls back in the day, prepare to be amazed by what can be achieved on the stage of the rather splendid Eric Morecambe Centre. Not only won’t you need three layers of clothing to cope with the ramshackle heating, but you’ll be able to hear all the lines too!
Months before they even see a script, the cast were in full costume for the official launch at the EMC on a sunny Thursday afternoon, ducking and diving to avoid spoilers for a group of schoolchildren walking through Rothamsted Park while trying to complete an outdoor photo shoot.
Perhaps surprisingly, it was the first occasion the disparate bunch had met face-to-face, and after that day they are unlikely to see each other again until rehearsals begin in November.
Topping the bill is Hitchin resident and star of Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK, the flamboyant Vicki Vivacious, whose past credentials also include being part of drag supergroup The Supreme Fabulettes and performing with the likes of Little Mix, Danni Minogue and Pink.
For Sleeping Beauty, Vicki takes the role of evil fairy Carabosse, owing more than a visual nod to Disney villain Maleficent.
She was joined by Joshua Handley as Nanny Nora – back in Harpenden for his third consecutive year – for our first round of interviews with the entire cast.
“For me, I just love that it’s got the perfect mix of very traditional, old-time pantomime, and then adds all the new gags and just has fun with it, with the cast all bringing their ideas to the table. It’s nice balance I think. But all the traditional elements are there, and it’s very local.”
For panto virgin Vicki it’s her first time: “I’m very excited! I’ve done West End stuff before I was cast for Drag Race, which was a real gamechanger in terms of work, but this is my first panto off the back of that.”
Our interview took place shortly after another Drag Race star, US 2013 winner Jinkx Monsoon, made a show-stopping appearance in the latest series of Doctor Who, catapulting a drag artist right back into the centre of Saturday night television.
“It’s swinging back around into mainstream. I think people forget how mainstream drag was at one time. You know, Danny LaRue headlined his own show, he sold-out runs in the West End, Paul O’Grady was Lily Savage on almost every channel that you could imagine, and even in film culture there was Mrs Doubtfire, which was groundbreaking at the time.”
So what’s the difference between a dame and a pantomime baddie in drag?
“For me it’s not actually that different,” explains Joshua. “Everyone’s got their own particular version of what their dame means to them. For me, I would say my dame is more than a bloke in a frock, but every dame is different, so I don’t think you can compare them. You get many dames who are offended that they’re considered drag, so I’m doing my own thing, I don’t like to pigeon-hole myself.”
Carabosse might be a somewhat similar role to Vicki’s salty Drag Race persona, but in her normal shows she’s very bubbly, camp and fun, so she’s looking forward to the chance to stretch her talents: “I actually am looking forward to the boos and hisses!”
She totally respects the challenges Joshua faces: “The dame is always a scene-stealer for sure, and it’s such a hard role in itself that I envy anyone who is able to do it, because I don’t think I could.”
Is she hoping pantomime will open new doors in the same way that Drag Race did? “Who knows? I’ve been doing drag now for 17 years, so I definitely don’t imagine myself doing anything out of drag in the future. But it’s just so cool to be able to combine drag and theatre in this way.”
Princess Aurora star Jasmine Martinez has previously played Aladdin in a panto in Devon, and can’t wait for things to get underway with Sleeping Beauty: “I’m really looking forward to getting into rehearsals, getting that pantomime magic, starting to learn all the lines and the songs, then putting it all together and seeing the final product.
“It’s so, so different from my experience as Aladdin, playing the princess. All the big dresses, it’s going to be really cute.”
Good Fairy Charlie Morris has spent most of her theatre career working behind the scenes, and so she is particularly excited to be coming out from behind the curtain and strutting her stuff on stage.
So does playing the whiter-than-white good girls mean they have to be on their best behaviour?
Jasmine laughs: “I was surprised that a load of school kids just walked past while we were getting our photos done and were like, ‘Oh, it’s a fairy and princess!’ waving and smiling.”
“I think the fairy can get away with being a bit cheeky,” Charlie adds, “not naughty but just a big cheeky, do you know what I mean? But you do definitely have to be on your best behaviour!”
Although Jasmine will spend a large chunk of the panto sleeping, she says she will definitely need saving at some point! “I’ll be waiting for the kiss!”
Our final pair are the boys: Prince Valiant (Sam Makepeace-Beach) and Chester (Oscar Carson), playing the old Charming-Buttons equivalent. Having met each other for the first time that day, they’ll be working on developing their double act.
“We’re already bouncing off each other!” says Sam.
He has previously played a similar role in Berwick, but hints at wider aspirations: “I’m the Prince all the time, I would love to be the comic,” he says with a hint of envy.
Oscar adds: “I’ve just got so much ADHD, I am always the comic, and I can’t sing, so I can’t be The Prince!”
What is it about the hero role that appeals – apart from kissing Sleeping Beauty of course?
“It’s an opportunity to have a bit of fun,” says Sam. “I always like to bring something a little bit different to the princes that I play because I can find that they can sometimes be a bit boring or a bit wishy-washy, a bit soppy. Whereas you want a bit of edge to your prince.
“Maybe he’s a little bit stupid or maybe he’s a little bit funny or maybe he’s just learning to be a prince – you can put a bit of your own spin into it.”
Sam explains what he likes about pantomime: “Just the fun, it’s just constant fun, and you’re just laughing, on and off stage. You’re with the audience to give them a good time and then you can bounce off their energy. It’s the best way to spend the Christmas period, right?
Chester adds: “It’s just so silly and so fun and it’s something that it doesn’t matter who you are, everyone can go and enjoy a panto. And being able to go out and put my energy into it and get the response back is fantastic.”
“Everyone’s a kid still, deep down, right?” Sam pipes up.
“Mine’s not deep down! For some of us they’re outside!” replies Chester, and already you can see their partnership coming together.
So why should audiences come to see Sleeping Beauty in Harpenden this Christmas?
Joshua pipes up: “What I love about panto and why I do it every year is that there’s something for everyone, whether you’re two or 92.”
Vicki agrees: “It’s such a British institution, and I think it’s something that we need to make sure that we support and keep going. Times are tough for people right now, you know, with the cost of living crisis, and the arts are suffering vastly. It’s such a fantastic production with such a great cast that it will be great to lose yourself and immerse yourself in something fun which isn’t all depressing and political.”
Jasmine says: “Me and my family, we always go see panto once every year, everyone gets together for that one show. I really don’t go and see anything else with my family, it’s just that one big performance. It’s just fun. It’s inclusive for everybody.”
Charlie continues: “There’s things in there for everyone, and the adult humour will go over the kids’ heads.”
Director/producer Darren Maddison adds his own final thoughts before the cast are whisked away for lunch: “I think the great thing about the Eric Morecambe Centre and the pantos that go on here is it’s a very family-driven show. Obviously we’ve got St Albans down the road which is a fantastic spectacle and has the big names, so what we try and do to make sure that we’re not competing with them and make it unique to Harpenden.
“Sleeping Beauty is a really nice pantomime. It can be quite gentle but what I think our USP is that we do traditional family pantomime but with a very much a modern twist.
“So modern songs to sing along to, songs that children and adults recognise, really nice scenery that gives it a very storybook kind of feel. We’ve even got a spectacular fire-breathing dragon, which is going to be our special effect this year.”
Sleeping Beauty is at the Eric Morecambe Centre from December 7-30.
Tickets are available now from the box office on 01582 767525 or via the website at the-emc.co.uk
