Gay London Life | Oct '24 Edition - Magazine - Page 4
Would you
look at that, it’s
panto season
once again
— prepare
yourselves for
busty dames,
audience
participation
and more
innuendos than
you can swallow
Matthew Baldwin and Keanu Adophus Johnson
as Dame Dolly Trott and Jack Trott
Jordan Stamatiadis
as villainous Lady Fleshcreep
And if there’s one authority on the bawdy art form,
romance, silliness, rudeness and inclusivity that is
Will crowds get a different performance if they
it’s the theatre company He’s Behind You!, which
at the heart of every show we do.
go in November rather than January?
specialises in ridiculously gay and family-unfriendly
Were any of you involved with last year’s show?
K: Come in both months! We’re bound to discover
reimaginings of classic stories.
If so, what was your highlight?
new golden nuggets along the way.
KEANU: No but in 2021 I was in Dick Whittington: A
M: They could get a different show every night. The
a Prick last year, the team have selflessly spent
New Dick InTown by the same writers and director.
audiences are all different and we have to be 100%
their summer penning gags and songs for this
That was a blast. A highlight was getting a ‘success
on our game, making sure we always end up with a
year’s production — Jack and the Beanstalk: What
nod’ from Sir Ian McKellen.
kiss and a song.
a Whopper! We caught up with four performers
C: Last year I played the villain and a highlight was
What makes the perfect panto?
in this year’s show — Matthew Baldwin, Keanu
doing a brief scene with Joan Collins. Pre-recorded
M: The same things that make life worth living: an
Adolphus Johnson, Chris Lane and Jordan
on her part, of course — there’s only room for one
open mind, music, laughter, romance, friends and a
Stamatiadis — to see how they’re getting ready for
dame on stage!
giant beanstalk.
the festive run of shows.
J: I was the fairy. The highlight was seeing how happy
C: Christmas can be wonderful or tough, depending
people were walking out of the theatre. It’s lovely
on your circumstances, and the perfect panto
How excited are you to get started with Jack and
knowing you’ve made people feel good. Oh, and
makes you forget all that. Everyone comes together,
the Beanstalk?
when Matt took a baby doll off of his fake boob and
audience and cast, in the spirit of having a brilliant
MATTHEW: I’m extremely excited about Jack and
sprayed the front row with breastmilk — I loved that.
time. Madonna famously said from her bath during
even more excited about the beanstalk.
M: The highlight is the audience. They make the
the height of the pandemic “panto is the great
CHRIS: I love spending weeks in hysterics with
show work and we love them with all our hearts.
equaliser” — she wasn’t wrong.
brilliant people in the rehearsal room so I’m like a
Do any of you have fond memories of going to
K: An engaging narrative, loads of laughter, great
greyhound at the races, desperate to get after that
the panto as a kid?
costumes and props, and earworm songs.
bunny!
J: I’m from Australia and I’d never seen one before
J: Some loser actor who gets conned into wearing
Without giving too much away, how will this
getting cast in Sleeping Beauty Takes A Prick last
an animal suit (me, last year, as the horse. It was
differ from performances of Jack and the
year, so I probably have a warped understanding of
voted best bit).
Beanstalk that readers might have seen before?
what a ‘normal’ panto is!
C: They may have seen brilliant choreography,
K: Unfortunately not, so I’m making the most of it now!
Jack and the Beanstalk: What a Whopper,
magical sets and a panto cow. We have all that with
M: I saw Barbara Windsor as Prince Charming in
Saturday 23rd November to
the glorious addition of smut.
Cinderella in Northampton. It was magical. Panto
Saturday 11th January, Charing Cross Theatre,
JORDAN: I think it’s safe to say that there will be a
is magical. As an adult, I saw McKellen do Twanky
Villiers Street, WC2N 6NL
character called Jack and there will be a beanstalk,
at the Old Vic. These aren’t just fond memories —
Nearest Station: Charing Cross, tickets
but everything else is up for grabs. The writers have
they’re theatrical highlights.
available at jackpanto.com
outdone themselves with hilarious subplots.
C: My first live performance was a panto my auntie
M: I will be entirely nude including a routine
took me to in Bury and I’d like to say it ignited my
involving me, the beanstalk and a barrel of peanut
passion for theatre. It didn’t, it was pretty naff, but it
butter (crunchy). However, they can expect all the
was gorgeous, lively and bright.
After the success of Sleeping Beauty Takes
4
Photos by Johan Persson
Give It
Some Beans!
