Babes in the Wood, at the Edinburgh Kings Theatre. As Tommy and Bobby.
Ran from 6th December 1994 to 28th January 1995
Cast
Tommy: Tommy Cannon
Bobby: Bobby Ball
Robin Hood: John Leslie
Little John: Grant Stott
Nurse Ophelia Bottomley: Gary Denis
Sheriff of Nottingham: Charles Kearney
Friar Tuck: Jim Byars
Maid Marion: Maria Miller
Sheriffs Champion: Martin Thom
Ensemble – Bobbi Burden (Head Girl), Nikki Alexander, Corrie Darling, Felicity Drever, Kerry Mclaughlin, Jenny Malcolm, Ruth Massie, Simon Reglar, Anthony Winmill, David Jan Wood
The Children
Babes – Victoria MacGilliuray and Neil Mackay Diane Findlay, Rachel Henderson, Erin Hutton, Sharon Laidlan, Shona Mackay, Leisha McMorran, Lisa Paul, Carla Stott
or
Babes – Stephanie Smith and Daniel Cameron Lynsey Blance, Rachel Constable, Danielle Dandie, Kerry Dandie, Katy Dickson, Nikki Lothian, Carla Sprott, Claire Wynn
or
Babes – Lisa Mackenzie and Dominic Pia Charlene Adams, Natalie Brocklehurst, Julie Crawford, Stephanie Hoatson, Jane Kirkpatrick, Rebecca Watt, Shelley Wynn
Act 1
Nottingham Town Square
On the way to Sherwood Forest
Somewhere in Sherwood Forest
Robin Hood’s Hide-Out
Sherwood Comprehensive
The Road to Nottingham
The Castle Nursery
A Clearing in the Forest
Journey to Dreamland
Act 2
Nottingham Goose Fair
Another part of the Forest
The Heart of the Forest
The Castle Kitchens
Outside the Castle
The Banquet Hall
Song-sheet
The Reception at King Richard’s Court
The Orchestra
Musical Director & Keyboards – Kennedy Aitchison
1st Trumpet – Gavin Spowart
2nd Trumpet – Eddie Severn
Tenor Saxaphone/Flute – Kay Bywater
Trombone – Clive Guyton
Guitar – John Goldie
Bass Guitar – Brian Shiels
Drums – Gordon Wilson
Percussion – Lachlan Birch
For the Babes in the Wood Company
Company Manager – Michael Kerr
Deputy Stage Manager – Ludo Wynn
Assistant Stage Manager – Andrew Ogilvie
Wardrobe Maintenance – Mairi Foster, Karen Smith
Scenery Constructed at the King’s Theatre Workshop
Carpenter – Robert Walton
Assisted by – Don Clark, John Luke
Scenic Artist – Kate Hunter, Jim Cursiter
The Wardrobe Department at the King’s Theatre Workshop
Wardrobe Supervisor – Sam Shaw
Cutter – Josephine Blake
Assistants – Mairi Foster, Trudi Mitchison, Libby Preece, Karen Smith
Hats & Headwear – Ruth Bailey
Wigs for Mr Denis – Dana Stanek
Shoes – Gamba And Dance Step, London
School uniforms from – The Clan House. Edinburgh
Hobby Horses by – Elizabeth Friendship
Flyers
Flyer from early in 1994
Flyer front and back from later in the year.
Programme
Cannon and Ball
Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball are one of Britain’s funniest and most successful double acts. In a career spanning over 25 years they have achieved a string of honours that puts them among the all-time greats of showbusiness.
On television they have starred in their own series practically every year since 1979; they have also ‘guested’ on all the major shows including Wogan, Parkinson, Des O’Connor, Sunday night at the Palladium, several Royal Variety Shows, and been featured in a BBC Documentary Funny Business based on double acts, which also included footage on Martin & Lewis, Laurel & Hardy, and Morecambe & Wise.
To add to their pedigree, they remain the only act to have won three separate national Club Awards; been named as the prestigious Variety Club ‘Personalities of the Year’; starred in their own feature film The Boys in Blue which, in addition to its cinema success, has gone on to become a video best-seller; and been the subject of This Is Your Life.
However, it is as the undisputed Kings of Live Entertainment that Cannon & Ball have set standards that will probably never be equalled.
During the 1970’s they built a strong reputation around the UK cabaret club circuit for being a great live act. They also toured extensively in the hotel circuits of Australia and South Africa.
In 1980 they ‘topped the bill’ for the very first time at the North Pier, Blackpool, where they played to capacity business for 22 weeks; a feat surpassed in 1991 when they returned to the Pier and celebrated their 25th Anniversary with a 25-week sell-out season.
In addition to Blackpool, Tom and Bob have broken records in theatres all over the UK, including London. In 1981 they played a 6-week season at the Dominion Theatre when every seat was sold before the show opened, and in 1988 their pantomime Babes in the Wood broke all previous pantomime records at the world famous London Palladium, where Cannon & Ball created the record for the largest box office amount taken in one week in British Theatre History.
During 1993 they were offered the chance to play a season in the USA. Orlando, Florida was the location. Their three month season was such a success that they were immediately re-booked for April, May, June 1994, starring at King Henry’s Feast, Orlando and making several US television appearances. They made an instant impact and are set to return for more live dates and television in 1995.
And now it’s off to Bonnie Scotland for their Scottish Pantomime debut at the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh which they are looking forward to immensely, in the wonderful traditional family pantomime Babes in the Wood.
Even after nearly 30 years of making people laugh, Tom and Bob are still enjoying every minute themselves and are looking forward to carrying on doing so for many years to come.
John Leslie
John Leslie was born in February 1965, in Edinburgh, Scotland, where his parents still live.
He attended the James Gillespie High School and left after having been awarded 7 “O” Levels. John went on to a three year course at Stevenson College of Further Education in Musical Instrument Technology.
In November 1987 he began working with the satellite television station “Super Channel”. John presented a programme called Formula One which was transmitted five days a week. Formula One was a musical show which included rock charts, request spots and interviews with artistes such as Robert Palmer, Level 42 and Simple Minds.
In April 1989 John left Super Channel and joined BBC Children’s most successful television show – Blue Peter. John’s filming schedule has taken him all over the world including Zimbabwe, West Indies, Japan, The Falklands and the list goes on.
During 1993 John co-presented Entertainment Express with Selina Scott for the BBC. The series was a lively and critical look at entertainment on both sides of the Atlantic and was transmitted on Friday evenings.
John has presented the Royal Tournament, Crinkley Bottom Olympics for Noel Edmond’s Garden Party, The BAFTA Awards and Children In Need for BBC Scotland as well as narrating a variety of concerts for various orchestras such as The Halle, London Philharmonic and Bournemouth Sinfonietta. He has just completed a new series for London Weekend Television, and a second series for Meridian’s Late night Live, confirming John’s broad appeal in the realm of mainstream entertainment. John has also been working on Granada’s This Morning as their entertainment correspondent, previewing new film and theatre productions from the U.S. and U.K. and interviewing stars such as Steven Spielberg, Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Mia Farrow, Willem Dafoe, David Hasselhoff, Cliff Richard, The Bee Gees and many more. This has given John the opportunity to direct and edit his own films.
John has been seen as The Commander in Scavengers. Carlton Television and 20th Century Fox collaborated to produce a ground breaking sci-fi adventure series. Described as a cross between Aliens and The Krypton Factor, it is ITV’s most expensive and ambitious gameshow and has been aired on Saturday evening on the network. A second series is planned for the beginning of 1995.
Most recently, John has been working with the BBC and will be on our screens weekly with Anne & Nick’s Good Morning as their Entertainment Correspondent.
John’s hobbies include sport, particularly tennis, football and squash. He is an ardent supporter of Hibernian Football Club and has played for Fountain Amateur. He loves both popular and classical music and fulfilled a lifetime ambition when he conducted an orchestra in concert at the Royal Albert Hall with a little help from Sian Edwards and Sir Colin Davies. (Bizet’s prelude to Carmen will never sound the same again!)
John also takes an active interest in conservation, especially the preservation of rainforests and is an honorary committee member of Elle Friend. He is actively involved with many charities including Shelter, Radio Lollipop, NSPCC and Cancer Research.
Grant Stott
Grant Stott has only recently joined the world of media, but has come a long way in a short time.
His career began as a Radio Presenter with Edinburgh Station “Max-AM” in 1990. He swiftly changed frequencies and joined the “Forth-FM” team, of which he is still very much a part of today, with his Friday afternoon show (matinees allowing!) and the Scottish network Chart Show on Saturday lunchtime’s. Shortly after joining Forth FM he enjoyed a two year run on BBC Radio Scotland’s Check This.
The world of TV broadcasting held an attraction for Grant and as a natural progression he came to present a number of educational programmes for the BBC such as GO45, and the spin off GO4X.
1993 saw Grant’s big TV break when he presented the highly successful Sunday morning children’s TV show Wemyss Bay 902101. In addition to Wemyss Bay, Grant also presented Vox-Pops on the lunchtime edition of Scotland Today, wrote his own children’s page Stottspot for The Edinburgh Evening News and last Christmas, made his pantomime debut at The King’s Theatre Glasgow in their production of Dick Whittington.
1994 has also been a very hectic 12 months for him as he continued to make education programmes for BBC TV Scotland. This time a brand new series of programmes called See You, See Me. Grant also popped up on the telly during the Scottish school holidays introducing Children’s BBC Scotland. 1994 saw Grant presenting, for the third consecutive time, Children In Need as part of BBC Scotland’s output.
Grant can think of no better way of finishing off 1994 and starting 1995 than appearing in his home city’s top pantomime at The King’s.
Gary Denis
Gary Denis is a native of Edinburgh. Born and brought up in Davidson’s Mains, he completed his education at the Heriot-Watt College where he studied science, although his heart was always in the theatre. At the age of 19 Gary won a major talent contest which opened the door for professional work in variety shows.
Gary has long been established as one of Scotland’s most popular and talented comedians on the cabaret and club circuit throughout the United Kingdom. He has appeared with a host of British and American variety stars and his highly polished art has taken him as far afield as Hong Kong and San Francisco.
He has an impressive list of television credits to his name including Patter Merchants, Battle of the Comics, Funny You Should Say That, Do You Come Here Often, and, has featured in several TV commercials.
Gary has been one of the fortunates in showbusiness who has rarely been out of work and one of the few Scottish comics to achieve success south of the border. Last year Gary played King Boabie in Sleeping Beauty and had great fun with his pals Les Dennis, Jan Wilson and Gerard Kelly. He has also been involved as co-author along with Chris Potter in the King’s Theatre pantomimes Dick Whittington and Aladdin. Away from the theatre Gary’s main interest – apart from watching the Hibs – is golf and he is a member of Kingsknowe Golf Club here in Edinburgh. He is delighted to be back at the King’s and home in Edinburgh for Christmas.
Charles Kearney
Charles Kearney studied acting at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama where his talents proved most suited to Shakespeare, Chekhov and Restoration Comedy and was awarded the James Bridie Memorial Medal and the comedy prize in the most successful year the college has ever produced. In the twenty years since, he has appeared on just about every stage in the country, written for press and television and established himself as one of Scotland’s leading character actors.
Known to the television watching public as Sandy Menzies in the popular soap Garnock Way, viewers have recently been reminded of his versatility with his performance as the drunken, womanising Minister, Rev. Stuart Gibson in BBC Television’s Sunset Song, appearances in Taggart, City Lights, Shadow of the Stone, The Campbells, Rab C. Nesbit, Strathblair and most recently Geordie Hislop in Take The High Road. Younger viewers may recognise him as The Storyteller from Scottish TV’s Wemyss Bay 902101. He has appeared on film with James Robertson Justice in The Massacre of Glencoe, with Edward Woodward in The Wicker Man and with Burt Lancaster in Local Hero.
Charles is also well known in the business as a voice-over artist in the world of commercials where his appearance and V/O’s have sold Fosters to the Australians, electronics to the Americans and whiskey to the World. He also held the record for the most Morning Stories in a year on BBC Radio. On stage he has appeared in such diverse roles as Big Bill in The Sash, Frank in Educating Rita, Claudius in Hamlet and more recently touring with his one-man show The Importance of Being Oscar as Oscar Wilde.
Charles is very happy to be back at the King’s Theatre, once again.
Jim Byars
Jim was born in Glasgow and trained at the R.S.A.M.D. Since then he has worked extensively throughout Britain. Jim’s other theatre work includes the original Slab Boy’s at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh and at the Royal Court Theatre, London. Jim created the part of Spanky. Two seasons at the Byre Theatre St. Andrews followed, among other plays, Jim played the part of the husband in Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park. Other productions include; Accidental Death of an Anarchist at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh; What the Butler Saw and several pantomimes at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow; other pantomimes include the Sheriff of Nottingham in Babes in the Wood, the Emperor of China in Aladdin with Gerard Kelly at the King’s Theatre Edinburgh and Glasgow and A Christmas Carol with Wildcat Theatre Company. Me has also worked with the following companies; Perth Rep; Cumbernauld Theatre; Fablevision; Annexe Theatre Company; Unit One Theatre Company; and most recently the Fifth Estate Theatre Company in the Last of the Lairds playing the Laird, and Jim has just finished a successful run of The Odd Couple for Borderline. Jim’s television work includes; for BBC Kessler, The Borgias, Cloud Howe, Just a Boys Game, Rab C. Nesbit. Down Among the Big Boys and Para Handy. For ITV Take the High Road, A Sense of Freedom, Michael Winner’s True Crimes, The Good Guys and Doctor Finlay’s Casebook.
Maria Miller
Maria trained at the R.S.A.M.D. and graduated with a B.A. in Dramatic Arts in 1987.
Since then she has worked throughout Scotland for various theatre companies, such as Dundee Rep, Perth Rep, The Lyceum, 7:84, Wildcat, The Citizens and The Brunton.
Her credits include: Irma in Irma La Douce, Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Piaf in Piaf, Beauty in Beauty and the Beast, and Angelique in The Hypochondriak. She has also been involved in various new plays. Her television credits include: Border Warfare and John Brown’s Body both for Channel 4. Ghost Train, new Year Pieces and The Brown Man.
This will be Maria’s 7th Christmas show and she is happy to be at the King’s Edinburgh for the first time.
Martin Thom
Martin’s drama training took place at Queen Margaret College, where before graduating in 1992 he took part in Marat Sade, Walter, Tartuffe, Entertaining Mr Sloane, The Snow Queen, The Winter’s Tale and The Skin Game. Other appearances include Evening News Capital Award winning play The Complete and Utter Guide to Theatre (Festival Fringe 1991), the title role in Macbeth (Company of Light) and Columbus: Blooding the Ocean at the Traverse Theatre. Martin’s TV and film credits include Dr Finlay (STV), Foo Goo and Line of Fire (Edinburgh College of Art) and Cloud 9 (West Surrey College of Art & Design).
Bobbi Burden (Head Girl)
Bobbi hails from Cambuslang in Glasgow and trained at the Dorothy Kemp School of Dancing.
Since beginning her career she has worked all of the U.K. in cabaret and seasons with Joe Longthorne, Lenny Henry, Marti Caine, Hale and Pace, Dame Edna, Jim Davison, Leslie Crowther, Freddy Starr, Roy Walker, Little and Large, Russ Abbot, Danny La Rue, Dana, The Krankies, Andy Cameron, Johnny Beattie, Jimmy Logan, Jack Milroy, Allan Stewart, Cilla Black, Hoel Edmonds and Wayne Sleep.
As well as working in the U.K., Bobbi has cruised all over the world and has done TV shows in Egypt, Zimbabwe, Germany and the Children’s Royal Variety Show in London. Other TV appearances include Taggart, naked Video, Rab C. Nesbit, Boon and The Upper Hand.
One of the highlights of her career was meeting Princess Diana at the London Palladium while appearing in the Birthright Variety Charity Show. When not in the theatre you’ll find Bobbi challenging the locals on the nearest golf course!!
After having worked with Cannon and Ball in three previous seasons, including Babes in the Wood at the Mayflower Theatre Southampton, Bobbi is now looking forward to working with them again here in Edinburgh.
Nikki Alexander
Nikki was born and bred in Scotland and trained at the Theatre School in Edinburgh. His theatre credits include Mother Goose and Robin hood both here at the King’s. Cinderella, King’s high and Pride of One Clyde at the King’s Glasgow and also Streetscene with Scottish Opera. The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe both at the Alhambra Bradford and the Mayflower Southampton, and Robin Hood at The Derngate in Northampton. He has danced for 3 years in Mystique at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and has worked extensively in Switzerland, Germany and the USA. TV credits include Hollymund and Flitterabend for WDR and was part of the ZDF TV ballet in Germany.
Breaking into choreography two years ago he has choreographed The Scottish hair Show in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Tom Brights Xmas Party, The Karen Casey Show, The Easter Extravaganza at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, The Piazza Show, The Magic Theatre and the Children’s Eun Factory at Alton Towers, and, has also worked in Portugal.
He’s looking forward to choreographing his first Ice Show in ’95 and also to dancing at the King’s again!!
Corrie Darling
After three years of full time training, Corrie has performed in various pantomimes in Stirling, Edinburgh and Kilmarnock.
Corrie has also appeared in several hair shows, taking her to the London Hippodrome and the Royal Albert Hall.
This Summer, Corrie has enjoyed a successful season in Southport, dancing in The Broadway Show.
When Corrie is not dancing, she fills in her time doing photographic modelling and television work.
Corrie is delighted to be back in her home town dancing here at the King’s for a second season.
Felicity Drever
Felicity lives in Edinburgh and attends The Theatre School of Dance and Drama. At eighteen she has already achieved a formidable amount of exhibition work in all aspects of dance including trips to Luxembourg, Norway, Gran Canaria, Basel and Geneva. This is Felicity’s first professional pantomime and she is looking forward to appearing here at the King’s.
Kerry McLaughlin
Kerry trained at Performers Dance College in Essex. During her training she appeared in various cabarets at top London Hotels, dancing alongside celebrities such as Paul Daniels, Les Dennis and the cast of Barnum to name but a few. Her TV work includes Surprise Surprise with Cilla Black and the movie awards hosted by Jonathan Ross, where she danced with Bad Boys Inc, Beautiful South and Gloria Gaynor. She has just successfully completed a summer season in Wales starring Danny La Rue.
Jennifer Malcolm
Jennifer was born in Fife in 1975 and trained at the Theatre School of Dance and Drama in Edinburgh.
Since the tender age of three years her only career choice was to go on the stage.
She has performed in Spain, The Canary Islands and throughout the UK. She has also recently performed alongside The Krankies, Rikki Fulton, Una McLean, Russell Hunter and Dean Park at the re-opening of the Empire, now better known as the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh.
Jennifer hopes her career will take her into choreography and to perform worldwide.
The King’s is her first professional pantomime and she is very much looking forward to appearing in Babes in the Wood.
Ruth Massie
Ruth trained at the Theatre School of Dance and Drama in Edinburgh. Since then she has worked extensively in Britain and abroad. Ruth has worked in Switzerland, Italy and Germany and has completed two World Cruises.
Ruth has also appeared in various hair shows in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London. Ruth has recently completed summer season in Southport in the Broadway Show. Last Christmas Ruth appeared in panto at the Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock. This year she is looking forward to her first Christmas at the King’s Theatre, Edinburgh.
Simon Reglar
Simon was born in London and trained at the Rambert School for three years.
Whilst at College he was a member of the National Youth Dance Company for 1991. Simon was also involved in, amongst other things, the 70th Anniversary Gala of Ceccheti with members of the Birmingham Royal Ballet and a project with choreographer David Massingham both performed at the Palace Theatre, London.
In his final year at Rambert, Simon was invited to dance the part of James in a production of the ballet La Sylphide.
Simon is very pleased to be in Scotland for his first pantomime.
Antony Winmill
Antony was trained at Walsall Academy of Dance where he was offered a place at London Contemporary Dance School.
He began his career with a summer season Viva Experience at the Horseshoe in Blackpool, and then followed straight into pantomime. Antony has appeared in numerous pop videos for top artistes like Jaki Graham, Maxi Priest, Toni Halliday, Kenny Thomas, Driza Bone and M People. Antony has also modelled for some of the top agencies doing commercials, magazines and catwalk work in Milan, Madrid, Lisbon, London and Manchester. He has also appeared on The Clothes Show including the very successful Clothes Show Live last Christmas. Other television work includes appearances with Cyndi Lauper and Malcolm McClaren on German and Spanish TV, Lipstick on Your Collar and Juice for Channel 4.
Antony has also worked with Arlene Phillips’ Hot Gossip in Germany and Holland, stageworks in Hollywood, and has returned as Principal Dancer at the Horseshoe in Mystique. Antony has started choreography this year.
David Jan Wood
David started dancing in Cyprus at the MBLE NOTA Dance School. He then moved to England to train at Laine Theatre Arts on a three year scholarship basis. His theatre credits include Aladdin and The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe both at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton and a summer season at the B.I.C. Centre, Bournemouth with The Michael Barrymore Show. His TV experience includes two Royal Variety Performances, two Childrens Royal Variety Performances and various TV shows and commercials abroad in Belgium and Cyprus. He has also done various trade-shows and fashion shows. David has joined us straight from the Fantasies Parisiennes cabaret revue in Paris.
Alex Craig – Choreographer
Alex trained originally in Drama at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret College, and has been taking further training in Jazz Dance with The Victor Upshaw Company in Paris. In 1991 he was able to develop his skills by taking part on an intensive Jazz Dance course at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Centre in New York, with subsidy from The Scottish Arts Council.
He started his career in dance in 1981 as a Dance Workshop Presenter with Scottish Ballet Workshop, moving on to dance professionally for choreographers such as Brian Rogers, Ray Cornell and Rhys Nelson amongst many others. In recent years he has founded The National Youth Jazz Dance Festival and has worked on numerous Community Dance projects throughout Scotland. He is no stranger to choreographing pantomime, having already three other titles under his belt, Sleeping Beauty 1992, Cinderella 1993 and this year’s production of Aladdin all for The MacRobert Arts Centre in Stirling. Alex is always busy choreographing shows and projects, but 1994 has been the most hectic year to date. He choreographed the dance/drama production, Glass for West Lothian Youth Theatre in the Spring of ’94.
Three summer seasons followed in the shape of The Karen Casey Show, Blackpool, Pavillion Summer Show, Pleasureland, Southport and The Rock Star Shows, The Star, Blackpool Pleasure Beach. In August he travelled to Frankfurt in Germany to choreograph a fashion show at The Holiday Inn International Conference Centre for The Ski Wear Company Salomman. This was followed by Alex choreographing and directing The King is Dead for The Lothian Schools Jazz Dance Group in The Edinburgh Festival. He also finds time to teach regularly at The Theatre School of Dance and Drama, Edinburgh and lecture in Dance at Edinburgh’s Telford College. Future work includes summer seasons in Blackpool and Morecambe. Alex is delighted to be choreographing Babes in the Wood.
Kennedy Aitchison – Musical Director
Born in Lanarkshire in 1962, Kennedy graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 1982. He has since followed a career as a pianist, organist, synthesizer player, arranger and composer mainly in television, radio and the variety and musical theatres. After assisting the musical director in the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in Edinburgh in 1986, a move to London provided much work for BBC Television, Bob Says Opportunity Knocks, The Les Dawson Show, Only Fools and Horses etc. Thames TV’s The Best of Magic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as well as tours and one night stands with The Three Degrees, The Supremes, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, Randy Crawford and Marti Webb. He returned to Scotland in 1991, picking up work with Scottish Opera, City of Glasgow Philharmonic Orchestra, Summer Season at the Gaiety Theatre, Ayr and of course is now a regular here at the panto at the King’s.
Over the last year or so Kennedy has worked on Shirley Valentine with Elaine C Smith, regularly as Musical Director to Allan Stewart and Brenda Cochrane, spent a fifteen week season at the Ayr Gaiety and provided music for the Scottish BAFTA Awards for BBC Scotland. He is very much looking forward to working with the highly professional King’s Theatre team again.
Chris Potter – Director
Chris has been Manager of the King’s Theatre since 1987. Prior to that, he managed the Adam Smith Theatre in Kirkcaldy for thirteen years. During that time he wrote and directed twelve pantomimes and also wrote the lyrics for the songs. He also directed Oliver! starring Walter Carr as Fagin and The King and I with Jackie Farrell in the title role.
Babes in the Wood is the third pantomime Chris has directed since coming to the King’s. He started his career in the Theatre after graduating with an Honours Degree in Drama at Manchester University and in 1995 will be celebrating 25 years as a Theatre Manager.
Away from the Theatre, Chris enjoys cricket and ploughing through holiday brochures while dreaming of his next visit to a land where the sun always shines -just as in a Pantomime!
Francis Reid – Lighting Designer
Francis saw his first King’s pantomime in the 1930s and he has been stagestruck ever since. Born in Prestonpans, educated in Edinburgh at Heriot’s and the University, he studied for a life in the theatre by queuing for the early doors of the now vanished gods of the King’s and having a permanent booking in the abandoned gallery of the Lyceum. (His fond memories also include the Empire, Gateway, Palladium and Leith Gaiety). After army national service spent opera-going in Germany, followed by five years apprenticeship in stage management, he specialised in lighting and was lighting designer for Glyndebourne Opera throughout the sixties. He has subsequently designed lighting for more than 250 productions, including over 30 in London’s West End and at least 50 pantomimes. His career has also included spells as Director of the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds, Head of the Department of Theatre Design at London’s Central School of Art and Design and Dean of the School of Technical Arts at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Six books covering Lighting, Staging, Design and Administration have led to many invitations to teach overseas – since last year’s panto, in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Montreal, Moscow, Germany and Cyprus. But Trancis always returns home for panto, this year he is also lighting Cinderella at Cardiff and Aladdin in Norwich.
Nigel Hook – Additional Set and Costume Designer
Nigel began his career at Perth Theatre and has designed for many leading regional theatres, including Birmingham Rep., Pitlochry Festival Theatre, York Theatre Royal, Colchester Mercury Theatre, Redgrave Theatre Farnham, and The Perth and Edinburgh Festivals. Nigel designed several productions for Northern Stage Company in Newcastle, including the world premieres of Green Fingers by Michael Wilcox, and Going Home by Alan Plater. For Live Theatre he designed Long Shaddows and the recent revival of Close The Coalhouse Door. Work in London has included a number of productions for The Kings Head Theatre, most recently, Under Their Mats, which has also been seen at the Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead, and, currently, Stairway to Heaven, a new musical version of the classic film, A Matter of Life and Death.
Nigel designed Liberty Oregon for Foothold Theatre Co. at the Man in the Moon Theatre, which was revived, to great critical acclaim at the Traverse for this year’s Edinburgh Festival. West End credits include Spread a Little Happiness at the Whitehall Theatre, Philadelphia Here I Come at Wyndhams, and Elegies at The Criterion. Babes in the Wood will be Nigel’s fourth visit to the King’s.
Cameron Crosby – Sound Designer
Cameron Crosby entered the entertainment industry in 1971 when he started work as a day man at the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh and was soon working for the electrics department. In 1972 after moving to the Traverse Theatre and dealing with wounds as well as lighting design, he discovered that it was the sound side that interested him most.
Since then he has mixed for live concerts, television dramas and music-based theatrical events.
He has designed and mixed sound for Placido Domingo, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Dudley Moore, The BBC Radio Orchestra and The New Jersey Philharmonic Orchestra as well as television shows such as Brond (Channel 4), Halfway to Paradise, The Big Day and Dr Finlay for STV.
Denis Agnew – Fight Director
Trained as an actor at R.S.A.M.D. and has worked extensively in theatre, TV and Film both as actor and Fight Director.
Theatre includes productions for: Liverpool Playhouse, Glasgow Citizens, Royal Lyceum, Traverse, Royal Court, Bristol Old Vic, The Tron, Mussleburgh, East 15 York, Scottish Ballet, Perth Rep, Scottish Theatre Borderline, Belgrade Theatre, Ayr Gaiety, TAG, Theatre Workshop. King’s Glasgow Babes in the Wood is the 3rd production for King’s Edinburgh.
TV includes: Taggart, Between The Covers, A Man for all Seasons, Sea view, Maggie, A Master of Innocence, Souls Dark night. Ruffian Hearts.
Films include: Hit, Frankenstein Revisited, A Case for Concern.
Teaching includes: Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Dance School of Scotland, Scottish Ballet’s Steps Out, Scottish Student Drama Festival, Scottish Youth Theatre and residences for East Kilbride Class Action, Strathclyde Regional Council World of Choice, Action Factory and physical theatre workshops for school’s all over the country.
Alex Blyth – Technical Manager
Alex was born in Edinburgh and on leaving school he started work as an apprentice joiner. In 1960 he joined Howard and Wyndham as a scenic carpenter working on the ever popular Five Past Eight Show and the fabulous Starlight Room productions in the Alhambra, Glasgow. Alex has been in the building of most pantomimes in the King’s Theatre since 1960, first as Scenic Carpenter, then as Master Carpenter and now as Production Supervisor. He has also provided technical advice to other District Council projects such as the highly successful Emperor’s Warrior’s and the Gold of the Pharaohs exhibitions in the City Art Centre.
Michael Kerr – Company Manager
Michael was born and educated in Edinburgh and began working in theatre as a lighting technician here at the King’s Theatre. Following training in Stage Management at L.A.M.D.A. he has worked in theatre throughout Scotland.
Michael has just completed his third season as Stage Manager at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre and is happy to be back at the King’s Theatre for his twelfth pantomime.
Ludo Wynn – Deputy Stage Manager
Ludo started working in theatre at the age of 17 as a stagehand at The King’s Theatre, Edinburgh. Two years later he went to study stage management at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, graduating in 1989 with The Alex McCrindle Trophy for Stage Management. Since then he has gone on to work with a number of theatre companies.
In 1994 he toured with Rowan Tolley Mime, Winged Horse Touring, Scottish Opera for All and Jazz Art UK a new dance company based in Edinburgh. He also worked with Hunky Dory productions, and has just finished working on Bill Bryden’s The Big Picnic for Promenade Productions.
This is Ludo’s fourth consecutive panto as DSM for The King’s Theatre.
Angrew Ogilvie – Assistant Stage Manager
George missed last year’s pantomime through working in the West End at the Comedy Theatre on Naruins Room and touring Wildthings for Salisbury Playhouse/Paines Plough. This year has included work on Taming of the Shrew, Ludlow Festival, Ennio Marchetto, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and he has recently finished working for The Royal Court Theatre’s Young Writers Festival which toured northern Ireland with Coming on Strong. This is George’s fourth pantomime as ASM and he’s looking forward to a happy and enjoyable run.