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Celebration Christmas Christmas show Community Pantomime Theatre

Dames Find Fame in the HfC Hall of Dame

HALL FOR CORNWALL, TRURO, ENGLAND - November 13th 2024 : Hall of Dames evening as local Dames visit the Hall for Cornwall as part of the promotional activity for the 2024 HFC Christmas show, Jack and The Beanstalk. Photographed by HfC photographer in residence Hugh Hastings.

HALL FOR CORNWALL, TRURO, ENGLAND – Nov 13 2024 : Pantomime dames from across Cornwall enjoy an evening on the Cornwall Playhouse stage in advance of the opening of the Cornwall Playhouse Production of Jack And The Beanstalk.. Photographed by HfC photographer in residence Hugh Hastings.

When we started looking at ideas to tell you lovely lot about our very own panto, Jack and the Beanstalk,  we thought that profiling some local Cornish dames would be a fun way to get your attention. Little did we know that this idea would grow, almost as quickly as the beanstalk itself, into not only a beautiful celebration of some of Kernow’s finest amateur (certainly not amateur in their dedication to the work!) panto performers, but also the genesis of a community.  From debut Dames to seasoned veterans, this very special group of people brought a giant sprinkle of magic and warmth into our building throughout the season and reminded us of how effectively our region knits rural and often-isolated communities together through triumphant cultural offerings in village halls and other community venues throughout Cornwall. 

We’ve loved welcoming them into the building. From showing them the ropes backstage to giving a masterclass to a BBC journalist, handing out mince pies on press night to leading a conga through the auditorium, this lot have been up for everything! Join us in celebrating them and all that they represent – Cornish spirit, our local glittering pantoland, and that little bit of magic that happens when a community comes together. 

 

Let’s take a look…

Day One – Edward Rowe
Who else could kick off the run than our very own Maid Trott from Jack and the Beanstalk. It’s the Kernow King!

Day Two – Charlotte Ward
When she’s not pinching the limelight from our technical team at HfC, Charlotte Ward can be found playing Lady Starkey in the 2025 production of Peter Pan with the Trewoon Village Players. 

Day Three – Christopher Gray
Chris is entering his third year of Damehood. You can find him playing Widow Twankey in Aladdin, at St Stephen Community Centre. 

“Being a dame gives you the freedom to explore new ways of comedy and who doesn’t like a guy in a dress.”

Day Four – Chris Kellow
Chris’ favourite dame to play is Mother Goose for the most ridiculous amount of costumes! Chris performs with Bugle Pantomime Group and has done 13 Pantos and counting. 

Day Five – Chris Lobb and Ollie Allen
Chris Lobb (left) can be found strutting his stuff as the flamboyant and flirty Dotty Dimple at Fraddon village hall in Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates.

Ollie Allen (right) is a real Dame veteran, with 10 years under his belt. Behold Dame Dixie Normous at The Wild Arts Theatre Society (TWATS). 

Day Six – Ciaran Clarke
Ciaran Clarke performs at an annual Christmas show, Christmas Time. Despite what his rather fetching wig would have you believe, this show is far from bog standard!  

Day Seven – Darren William and Peter Phillis 
Darren William (left) has been performing as a Dame for St Blazey pantomime for nearly twenty years! He believes the Dame is the glue that holds the panto all together, and who are we to disagree?

Peter Phillis (right) will be brushing up his best dame at the Flushing pantomime in The Parrots of Penzance Panto.

“Being a Dame allows me to bring a little extra laughter to the audience and it gives me such a buzz.” 

Day Eight – Dave Taylor
Dave Taylor isn’t usually found on HfC’s scenery fly floor, but doesn’t he just fit right in?

It was Dave’s debut this year playing Madame Fifi in the St Enoder Pantomime production of Beauty and the Beast. Dave tells us his daughter has been in Panto for over half of her life, and she never thought he would join her! “I just wish I had done it earlier. Just wait for next years show…” (oh yes we will!) 

Day Nine – Jason Dawes and Jamie Pascoe
Jason Dawes (left) stars as Lobelia the Cook! Annette Hillman’s The Princess and the Pea is on at The Mills Hall, Carharrack. Jason comes from a long line of Panto Dames, with his gran, dad and uncle all having donned the dress of Damehood.

Jamie Pascoe (right) is busy coming up with a Dame-name for himself… Dame Edith, perhaps? Jamie performs with C.A.P.E (Cape Amateur Performers Entertainers) based in St Just, showing The Incredible Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor .

Day Ten – Jonathan Groves
Jonathan Groves has performed with Amity in Falmouth and Carnon Downs Drama Group in The Sword and the Stone. He has dabbled in Damehood for 10 years, and recieved a CDA award for dedication! 

Day Eleven – Paul Jones
Paul Jones, known by Panto punters as Dame Helga Van Trump, is on his 5th year as a Dame. Paul plays at the St Dennis Panto with the St Dennis Variety Group.

Day Twelve – Ross Harvey
Ross Harvey as Widow Twankey performs in Wadebridge, and has previously performed as an ugly sister in Cinderella. Ross started in the community theatre group as a way to support the town and spread a bit of joy with likeminded people. 

 

And that’s a wrap – don’t forget to support your local Dame and boo your local baddie!

Whilst you’re in a panto-mood, be sure to book for this years’ at HfC: Aladdin. 

Categories
Christmas show Cornish Roots Live Performance Pantomime Theatre Truro Uncategorised

Meet Gareth Cooper – Jack and the Beanstalk Audience Favourite

GARETH COOPER
HARRI CO’VERT
Polaroid Photo: Hugh Hastings Photography

Cornwall born and bred, Gareth Cooper plays the baddie’s sidekick, Harri Co’vert, in 2024’s Cornwall Playhouse Production of Jack And The Beanstalk at Hall for Cornwall.

Hailing from Truro and raised in Saltash (just the right side of the border), Gareth is an actor, musician, writer, comedian and voiceover artist, who has performed in theatre, film, TV, radio, commercials, animations, sketches and web-series.

This year he’s performed as Stanley Stubbers in One Man, Two Guvnors at the New Vic; played several characters in Julius Caesar at Southwark Playhouse; and continued touring his solo folk storytelling show, The Mermaid of Padstow round Cornwall (fitting in some paddleboarding when he gets the chance).

We asked Gareth a few questions about growing up in Cornwall, and how he fell in love with theatre…

Whereabouts in Cornwall are you from?

Born in Truro, raised in Landrake (little village by Saltash)

Tell us one of your favourite memories of theatre in Cornwall…

I saw Macbeth at the Minack Theatre when I was pretty young – it was grey and windy, and created such a vivid atmosphere for the scenes with the wyrd sisters, it has stuck with me to this day.

A man dressed as a goose, a woman with purple cape and red hair and a man dressed in a green waistcoat all dance with hands in the air

Colin Leggo, Susannah van den Berg and Gareth Cooper in Cornwall Playhouse Productions: Jack and the Beanstalk, photographed by HfC photographer in residence, Hugh Hastings

What inspired you to get into theatre?

I started performing in primary school (I played “Joe Cool” in the St Stephen’s Primary School panto, naturally!) and loved it from then. After that I acted in anything I could – competitions, school plays, drama groups, community panto. I did drama at GCSE & A-levels and then went straight off to drama school.

Have you performed in anything else professionally in Cornwall?

I’ve toured my one-man folk show, The Mermaid of Padstow, around rural venues in Cornwall with Carn to Cove, which was a wonderful experience.

What’s the best thing about being in Jack and the Beanstalk at Hall for Cornwall?

Wonderful venue, lovely cast, amazing audiences! And it’s fab to be home for Christmas, for once.


Gareth Cooper as Horace Muffin-Stuffler (Chipping Norton Theatre)

Gareth Cooper as Horace Muffin-Stuffler (Chipping Norton Theatre)

 

Categories
Christmas Christmas show Community Pantomime Projects Schools & Colleges

Rich Pickings for Fashion Students: Falmouth University and Hall for Cornwall Partnership

Photography: Hugh Hastings

A talented group of fashion students from Falmouth University got a career boost last week when they teamed up with our giant Christmas Panto for a piece of career-defining work!

Our homegrown production unit Cornwall Playhouse Productions is teaming up with Falmouth University for this year’s Christmas pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk. The collaboration sees University involvement in multiple areas with Fashion and Textiles Institute students playing a key role in creating the flamboyant Dame’s (played by Kernow King, Edward Rowe) costume for the show’s grand finale.  

Our Get Creative team challenged seventy Costume Design for Film and Television students, inviting them to create a Kernow-inspired, show-stopping costume for Dame Trott. Ten finalists were selected, with second-year student Tabby Winchester’s striking design chosen: “I really wanted to emphasise Cornish influences in the design to make sure the Dame has a strong local flavour – hopefully audiences will enjoy spotting them when the dress is revealed. Designing the dress is a great opportunity, and working with classmates on the dress fabrication is putting our skills to the test: this dress needs to wow the audience AND stand up to the rigours of forty performances.” 

Julien Boast, HfC CEO and creative director: “I’m so pleased to be sharing news of this partnership. We’re dedicated to working closely with Falmouth University as we look to deliver creative dynamism and prosperity to Cornwall. We simply wouldn’t be able to mount such an ambitious production without this partnership.” 

Emma Hunt, Vice Chancellor of Falmouth University: “Seeing the creative work of our students on stage, as Dame Trott struts her stuff, is going to be one of my festive highlights. Not only will Ttheir imaginative and clever creations will no doubt delight the crowd., I am very proud of this partnership between two of Cornwall’s biggest cultural institutions, which are putting creative skills at the heart of the county’s growth and community resilience.” 

Second-year student Florence Kenny’s design elements will also feature in the final costume, adding an additional Cornish flourish: “It’s going to be a big emotional moment for us to see Edward Rowe on stage in the dress and cape, especially as the show will be building up to the big reveal. It will be hard not to get caught up in the moment when we see it and hear everyone’s reactions. The Hall for Cornwall is an amazing place and I have volunteered in the costume department before working on other people’s designs, so to actually make a piece to be on the stage will mark a really nice progression for me.” 

Both Tabby and Florence will be invited to attend a dress rehearsal to see their creations come to life on stage and will be credited in the Jack and the Beanstalk programme. 

Director of Jack and the Beanstalk, Joyce Branagh: “It’s really exciting to have the students on board and having that injection of young energy and humour to give us a little blast of Cornwall in that finale moment. We’re very excited about it!”

The project provided  students with the opportunity to experience the real-world process of theatre costume design. They were tasked with balancing both artistic expression and practical considerations – including quick costume changes, scale, and how the outfit would be viewed by audiences from different perspectives. The collaboration gives the students a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and rewards of designing for the stage. The magic of the on-stage reveal is in celebration of both talent and the strong collaborative relationship between the creative arts in Cornwall.  

 

Photography by Hugh Hastings

Categories
Christmas Christmas show Community Pantomime Projects

Jagga on Tour: Cornwall Airport Newquay Announced as Panto Partner

Hall for Cornwall has announced Cornwall Airport Newquay as a new partner in the run up to the theatre’s giant 2024 pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk.

Our very own Cornwall Playhouse Production, produced in association with Falmouth University and starring Kernow King Edward Rowe, is expected to be seen by over 35,000 people this December. The show features the character of Jagga, Jack’s beloved cow, who, in celebration of the partnership and in the spirit of pantomime fun, was unveiled at Cornwall Airport Newquay before later visiting Callestick Farm to meet the herd and farm mascot, Callie.  

At Cornwall Airport Newquay, Jagga made her way through check-in and baggage reclaim before heading up to the control tower and watching the planes land! 

At the home of Cornwall’s beloved ice cream parlour, Callestick Farm, Jagga became part of the herd and met Callie the Callestick Cow mascot, who will be staying at the Hall for Cornwall Greenroom Café over the festive season. 

Photography by Hugh Hastings