EXCLUSIVE! Last week, we announced the exciting news that one of the UK’s biggest pantomime producers, Imagine Theatre, had joined the Trafalgar family. We thought this was the perfect time to meet some of the team!

STEVE BODEN
Joint CEO & Managing Director 

What do you love most about panto?
Panto is one of the few theatre experiences where the separation between audience and performer evaporates and we’re all part of the same live experience. Each performance is unique and standing in an auditorium with a thousand plus excited school children, many of whom are having their first experience of live theatre, is high energy and truly magical.

Who’s the nicest panto star you’ve ever worked with and why?
We’ve worked with so many great actors and stars over the years but actually, some of the local actors who return to the venues year after year and are local panto “stars” are brilliant. JP McCue has done 10+ years as Dame at Leamington Spa, Steven Wren who has worked with us as Dame in Inverness for 10+ years, Justin Fletcher and Paul Morse have done over ten years together as dame and comic at Reading. Each of these performers are lovely to work with and the local audiences see them absolutely as their panto “stars”.

What’s your favourite panto of all time and why?
I absolutely love Dick Whittington. It was the first pantomime I went to see at The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry and the first panto that I ever wrote. It was also the first panto I ever produced professionally, at the Blackfriars Arts Centre, Boston. It has all the classic panto ingredients, a great adventure story, strong comedy characters, visually exciting locations and of course an animal character front and centre of the story! Because it’s never been “Disney-fied” it’s less well known as a title but such great fun to put on and be a part of.

SARAH BODEN
Joint CEO & Business & Marketing Director 

What do you love most about panto?
The fact that it brings people and families together, making memories that last a lifetime. I can still vivdly remember going to the pantomime at Coventry Theatre with my grandparents, who are no longer with us. Even though we work in panto, we always take a trip to panto as a wider family and/or group of friends. Nothing can put a value on those wonderful memories and the magical experience that it can provide.

Who’s the nicest panto star you’ve ever worked with and why?
We’ve been blessed to work with some amazing people, so it’s hard to single any one person out. I think my favourite thing is sitting down with everyone who works on our shows, having a drink and just chatting about family, theatre and life in general. The thing I treasure most is that we have friends all over the country thanks to this job.

What’s your favourite panto of all time and why?
Dick Whittington. It’s the hardest box office sell, but my absolute favourite adventure. It’s also the first panto I ever watched our daughter perform in as a junior ensemble member at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, so that particular production holds a special place in my heart.

LAURA TAYLOR
Associate Producer & Head of Celebrity Casting

What do you love most about panto?

I love so many things about panto. I love the fact that it introduces children to live theatre and hopefully creates future generations of theatre-goers; I love that it appeals to a wide audience and brings in people who may not set foot inside the theatre for the rest of the year; I love that it provides pure joy, happiness and escapism in an ever growing cynical world, there are so few things that can provide that now which means we should cherish pantomime even more than before; and I love that it is this weird, unique fusion of traditional routines amidst modern topical references and music. There really is nothing else like it!

Who’s the nicest panto star you’ve ever worked with and why?

This is a bit of a loaded question for me, as I have worked with many many lovely people so I fear that I will upset someone if I don’t mention them. However, some standout names are Barbara Windsor; Henry Winkler; Jo Brand; Vernon Kay and Anita Dobson, Anita found out I was getting married and messaged me on the morning of my wedding to send congratulations from herself and Brian May, if that wasn’t nice enough she messaged me exactly a year later to wish me a Happy Anniversary – I was blown away at how thoughtful that was. Apologies to everyone else – you’re all lovely!!

What’s your favourite panto of all time and why?

I love all titles for different reasons but if I had to pick one it would have to be Cinderella. I just think it is the classic rags to riches tale which provides all the perfect elements for a pantomime. I have lost count at how many productions of Cinderella I have worked on or seen and yet I still get goosebumps at the end of Act One transformation scene.

ERIC POTTS
Associate Producer & Artistic Director 

What do you love most about panto?
I love that panto is such an important and regular feature of people’s festive calendars. A couple of hours when magic and laughter take over from the stresses of modern-day life; when children can get drawn into the wonder and enchantment of live theatre and the “grown-ups” can not only enjoy the show but also their children’s enjoyment of it.

Who’s the nicest panto star you’ve ever worked with and why?
I have two answers to this but I shall include the second in my answer to the next question. My first answer would be the glorious, Dame Barbara Windsor. We did a production of Dick Whittington together at the Hippodrome in Bristol and she was just a joy to work with, on-stage and off. She was funny, generous and extremely knowledgeable. She was always listening to the show either side stage or through the tannoy in her dressing room. We became such good friends, and I shall always treasure the time we spent together.

What’s your favourite panto of all time and why?
Dick Whittington has always been my favourite title – it’s a real adventure with loads of potential for great comedy too. I have two favourite productions. The first of these is the first panto I wrote and directed here at Imagine. It was for the Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock. I was brought up close to this venue and so the opportunity to return as a creative was a real joy. The cast & crew were all stars, and I loved the wonderfully creative atmosphere that they all helped to create. I went on to direct a further two pantos there and have written a total of six scripts for the venue. 

My other favourite production was at the Wimbledon Theatre with the wonderful Barry Humphries as Dame Edna Everage. I was fortunate enough to write, direct and play Sarah the Cook in this show alongside Edna who was playing the Fairy Bow-Bells character, unassumingly named, “The Saviour of London”. Edna herself was truly magnificent and loved by all. I learned a great deal just watching Barry play and discover the joy in his first appearance in a panto.  Like Barbara Windsor, he was kind, funny and desperate to make the show the best it could be. Wonderful times!

JUST IMAGINE

If you’d love to learn more about the Imagine team and all their panto antics, check out their brilliant fortnightly podcast, Just Imagine. The next one is Episode 59 (!) and features an interview with one of Imagine’s Musical Directors.

With over 200 professional pantomime productions under their belt, Imagine really are one of the global experts in the field of pantomime. The podcast series goes behind the scenes and meets the people who make the magic happen!

Host Martin Ballard finds out what makes the team tick, and how they manage to put on so many productions all at the same time!