Back by popular demand, our local cast of fabulous actors return to our outdoor stage with another summer panto. This year they have penned another hilarious retelling of the classic panto Cinderella. Oh yes, they have ...
Cinderella is coming soon to the Arches Theatre. It will be one act and just over an hour long!
It's guaranteed to be a very funny, fast-paced performance, complete with family-friendly jokes, Covid safe audience participation and two ugly sisters who are sure to get plenty of boos! But who is playing who? Who will be wearing the glass slippers? Who will be adding some sparkle as the Fairy Godmother? And who will be 'glamming' themselves up for the ball?
Let's find out:
Cinderella - Charlotte Pask
The Prince - Emma Dell
Buttons - Anna Wingerath
Fairy Godmother - Juliet Ratnage
David Pibworth & David Lovesy - The Ugly Sisters
Charlotte is a FiiT instructor at Caveman Conditioning and also a fully qualified Soft Tissue therapist. She has already performed at The Arches Theatre - in 2019 she played Maria Gambrelli in Milton Keynes Theatre of Comedy's (MKTOC) production of 'A Shot in the Dark', and last year she appeared as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin. This year she returns not only as Cinderella in our summer panto, but also as Hermia in ETC's production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'!
An MKTOC regular, Emma joins the panto cast as the Prince. This won't be her first performance at The Arches, she starred as Michelle in MKTOC's stage adaptation of 'Allo 'Allo! in 2020. This year she'll also be taking on the part of Mrs Rockworth in 'Golden Gordon', as part of the Ripping Yarns production.
Anna is also from Olney and is a great friend of The Arches Theatre. When she isn't working at Northampton Saints Rugby Football Club, she can be found taking on hilarious roles both on and off our outdoor stage. Over the years she has appeared many times with MKTOC in performances, including Fawlty Towers and The Vicar of Dibley. At The Arches, she played Cato in MKTOC's 2019 production of 'A Shot in the Dark', and last year she took on the lead role of Aladdin in our summer panto.
If you are local, you may recognise the name Juliet Ratnage. We are very excited to say that we have the Principal of Juliet Ratnage School of Performing Arts joining us as the Fairy Godmother. This will be her debut at The Arches, however it's not the first time for all the family. You may have seen her husband Keith in Aladdin last year, he played Widow Twanky!
Last, but by no means least, we have David Lovesy and David Pibworth (owner of The Arches), both from MKTOC, who'll be taking on the big task of the Ugly Sisters. We think they will do an amazing job! If you came to see 'Allo 'Allo last year at The Arches, you'll recognise David L who played Rene Artois. But if you're a fan of MKTOC, you'll know him from all their great productions from Fawlty Towers and The Vicar of Dibley to Blackadder and The Complete History of Comedy series. You'll also be able to catch him on our outdoor stage in MKTOC's stage adaptation of 'Ripping Yarns' this summer from 26-28 August.
David P has taken on a range of characters at The Arches including the Genie/Abanazar in Aladdin and Colonel Von Strohm in 'Allo 'Allo. He has also played many roles with MKTOC away from our open-air stage including Jim Trott in The Vicar of Dibley. This summer David will also be playing Snout in ETC's production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and roles in 'Ripping Yarns'.
"Cinderella will be one act and just over an hour long!"
We encourage everyone young and old to come along in your most sparkly and fanciest outfits; after all, we are all going to the ball! We cannot wait to see what hilarity and magic this cast have up their sleeves for us this year. If you saw last years' performance of 'Aladdin' you will know that our family-friendly panto you are in for a real treat.
If anything I've written in this blog post resonates with you and you'd like to discover more, it may be a great idea to give me a call on 01234 241357 and let's see how I can help you.
David is the owner and Artistic Director of The Arches Theatre in Clifton Reynes near Milton Keynes. Productions are underneath some flood arches on the disused Midland railway line (Bedford to Northampton). It is equidistant from Bedford, Northampton and Milton Keynes. You bring your food, drink and chairs and enjoy the varied shows that are produced. This year - 2022 - there are 12 productions on throughout the season, from Shakespeare to Ripping Yarns plus a music weekend.
David has been involved in 'Light Ent' for many years, working with Ray Galton and Alan Simpson adapting the scripts of 'Steptoe and Son' and those of Tony Hancock to the stage. He has produced shows for Norman Wisdom (which makes him feel old), Al Murray, and Joe Pasquale amongst others, and also worked in the music business promoting and producing shows with Chas and Dave, Neil Inness, Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk and others of that ilk.
He is also the director of a film school for young people in his home town of Olney as well as supporting many local events.
He recently negotiated permission from Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais to stage a short run of 'Porridge' on stage which proved a success.
This year the annual charity performance at The Arches Theatre will be the last of 'Ripping Yarns' by Michael Palin and Terry Jones, with the profits being donated to The National Brain Appeal' for research into dementia as David's father and uncle died of it, as did Michael Palin's friend and writing partner Terry Jones. Last year they raised an astonishing £10,000 and are hoping to get somewhere close again with the support of audiences and sponsors.
David also has a stage hire company and his wife Julie runs a livery yard, so they are surrounded by horses, dogs, light entertainment and and a 17 year old daughter.
He plays in a comedy jazz band and collects strange props such as the Spitting Image puppets of Denis Thatcher and Alan Bennett, the child catchers bike from the stage show of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and various other 'things' all of which he sells to raise money for the Arches Theatre, although he always finds it hard to part from these props. However as the theatre receives no funding at all, he is always devising ways to keep it going! Sponsors are always welcome!
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