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Posted by Reece on 5/8/2009, 4:55 pm, in reply to "Do star names really matter?"
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My local is Durham Gala - although the last show I saw there was 'Sleeping Beauty' and haven't returned since. However the venue that I was brought up at was Theatre Royal, Newcastle; this always has boasted it's pantomime and making it a spectacular production year after year. Always having a star name each year until Clive & Danny began taking over top of the bill. However, it has always been my thought with the Theatre Royal that it's reputation needs no star name to bring in the punters. The show itself has become an established sign of quality - it's known that you always get top quality at 'the royal'.
It's a shame that some shows could be percieved as 'star dependant' but often it is the reputation of a theatre employing the correct production team that knows how to deliver a top class quality show. Respectivley in Newcastle, Clive & Danny have been welcomed year after year with open arms from the audience; and the stage is theirs from the minute they set foot upon it (or land upon it in whatever vehicle they decide!) but in Newcastle I see that production to be a sign of good quality with people who know what they do, and master it to a fine art. Sunderland Empire this year was very much so star lead with Paul Michael Glaser, Sheila Ferguson and Dale Meeks; however having not seen the production, I heard nothing but complaints about it.
In conclusion, I don't think a star name is nessecary - however it is often nice to see a 'star' doing something a little different to normality, which can only be good for them to broaden their appeal to the wider audience and showing a verstility and what they are capable of. In the case of Newcastle Theatre Royal, the show is always a spectacular and always has the ebst of everything. Although I must give them their due - Clive and Danny are wonderful within the show and without them, I fear it would be very hard work to fill their boots.
--Previous Message--
: Hi
:
: I've been looking at this forum recently and
: it's really interesting - all people seem to
: be worried about is which name is going
: where.
:
: So this got me wondering - are star names
: all people are worried about in panto? Or is
: it the quality of the panto?
:
: The local panto to me (Loughborough Town
: Hall)doesn't have any star names in it, but
: it's just brilliant. It doesn't bother me it
: has no star names in it, as its so funny,
: the special effects are brill and I can't
: wait to go back every year.
:
: What do other people think?
:
: Millie xxx
:
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