It was suggested to me that I should direct the next panto, an idea I loved. I read several scripts and found a couple I liked the look of, but I couldn’t get away from a nagging thought, I could write one myself. I, half joking, mentioned this to a few people who (to my surprise) all reacted positively. I was given the green light to have a go.
The result: Unhappily Ever After.
It all started with a simple question, triggered by a song on the radio; what if the singers were Mother and Father Goose? What if they had a falling out? It grew from there. Father Goose-left feeling rejected-sets out to destroy all the happily ever afters in Mother Goose’s stories. He is aided in his endeavours by Sir Render; a cowardly anti-hero, Jill and a couple of mischievous trouble makers. Mother Goose dusts off her rusty magical powers and recruits some help of her own: the hopelessly vain Prince Charming, Jack and Cansmella (our colourful dame). The villains and heroes travel through many fairy tales causing chaos along the way.
The extremely talented cast; hardworking chorographers and singing coach; plus the highly dedicated crew have worked so hard to bring my crazy imaginings to life.
If you like the idea of a new, original story this panto is for you, but, if you love panto and enjoy the traditions, fear not, Unhappily Ever After is cram packed full of traditional pantomime moments. I guess you could say it really is the best of both worlds.
So, do not miss out. Tickets now on Sale.
Mary Anne Gleeson
