Joe McElderry on the Magic of Pantomime
It's panto season (oh yes it is!) and Joe McElderry is preparing for his fourth fun-filled festive show at Newcastle Theatre Royal
With Pinocchio smashing Box Office records last year, Newcastle Theatre Royal is back with a sparkling new panto for Christmas. Danny Adams returns with Clive Webb and Chris Hayward who’ll join Joe McElderry and dive to the depths of the ocean for The Little Mermaid as you’ve never seen it before. Living North’s Arts Editor had the treat of sitting in on a rehearsal for the show, and can confirm audiences are in for another fabulous and hilarious pantomime.
Taking a seat in his dressing room overlooking the city centre, Joe reminisces on his fond memories of pantomimes. ‘I used to go to The Customs House, where I grew up [in South Shields],’ he says. 'I never really wanted to be a singer when I was a kid but I was fascinated with pantomime. I used to love it every year. I’d come home and imitate the dame and the different characters. I’d study it. I remember sitting, as a kid, wondering what it would be like backstage. In my mind, I thought it was a magical warren of glittery corridors... which it is of course! That is part of the magic. We are a team here and we have so much fun on stage but just as much fun (if not, maybe a bit more) off stage as well. It’s that banter that keeps everybody going. Some of the guys aren’t as lucky as us in a sense that they’re away from their family and friends so we tend to big each other up and lift each other.’
Joe is now part of Newcastle Theatre Royal’s panto family, with this being his fourth panto at the iconic Grey Street theatre. ‘It’s a really special show to be a part of,’ he says. ‘I don’t think anybody takes for granted that this is not just an ordinary pantomime, this is a special spectacle that people come from far and wide to see. To be included and a part of that is really special.
‘When I first came here, I was only due to be here for a year, but this is my fourth year and I’m returning for my fifth next year! In a way, we’re now so familiar with each other and we know each other inside out so it makes the rehearsal process more enjoyable. Normally you’d turn up for a rehearsal, you’d meet the cast, and it takes you a while to get to know each other, whereas we see each other throughout the year and we’re friends now so we hit the ground running when we start because of that. It’s always such an enjoyable process in the rehearsal room, trying things out and testing things. Even from that, it’ll change as soon as the audience comes in, in terms of little bits we’ll add along the way that the audience have loved. That’s the great thing about it – it’s so collaborative. The audience kind of lead it. They decide what stays and what goes in terms of what they find the funniest.’
Since winning the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009, Joe has spent nearly 15 years travelling for work, whether that be for solo shows or as part of theatre productions, but there’s no place like home. He says performing at Newcastle Theatre Royal is ‘a real luxury’. ‘Normally I’d get in a car or a flight and I’m travelling for hours to get somewhere, so this is such a luxury for me to be 20 minutes from work,’ he laughs. ‘Obviously this venue is so iconic to anybody in the North East, let alone performers, so it’s really special. I feel at home here. The audiences are lovely. It means my family and friends can come along, and it means I can be at home for Christmas. There’s so many things that make this so special.
‘Your panto family becomes your social group over the Christmas period because we all start and finish at the same time, and we’re in each other’s company a lot. We go to a lot of the bars and restaurants – Newcastle’s a great city. It’s got that great social atmosphere, you can walk everywhere and there are some great places. Failing that, I live right near the beach. I go for a run along the beach in the morning before work and get a bit of fresh air. I’m very lucky.’
Joe’s excited to see how the audience will react to The Little Mermaid as a panto. ‘There’s loads of new stuff and new storylines, similar to last year with Pinnochio, which keeps it really exciting for us because we’ve never done it before,’ he says. ‘I think that’s really exciting for the audience as well because when we’ve got fresh eyes on something, it gives us more room to play with. You’re developing it from scratch, the costumes are all new, the songs are different – it’s been really nice to do something different. I mean, I’m playing a fish,’ Joe laughs. ‘They always give me a nice, glamorous character... I can add that one to the CV now.’
While panto is fun-packed, we learn from our chat with Joe that it’s also very demanding. ‘My shows are vocally demanding and energy demanding in a sense that it’s just me on stage for two hours, whereas in pantomime (and certainly being a part of a lot of the comedic scenes with Danny), it’s mentally and physically demanding,’ says Joe. ‘The comedy aspects are a completely different way of performing. Also, I have to go into a different headspace because me and Danny go off-piste a lot with ad-libs. You’ve got to really concentrate and lock into the story of knowing what you’re going to do, then have the ability to veer off for five minutes, which the audience love. I have to be ready for that before I walk on – it’s a marathon not a sprint.’
Pantomimes are many people’s first experience of theatre. ‘Everybody remembers what they first saw and how it made them feel,’ Joe says. ‘That’s everyone’s first connection with, not only theatre, but with music and creative feeling – watching something and being able to use your imagination. There’s the subtle messages of kindness and hope, lifting each other up, trying to help each other, supporting each other, saving the day – these are great messages for kids that they can look to.
‘I think in the world we live in now, it’s even more important that you can come here and escape for two hours. I’ve got some young nieces and nephews and they’re just at the age now where they’re fascinated and they live and breathe the moments. They’re terrified when the baddy comes on, they’re obsessed with the prince and the princess, and the dresses and costumes, they’re hilariously laughing at Danny and singing along to the songs. It just opens up the imagination for a child. We can see people’s reactions in the audience and when you can see kids on the edge of the seats because they’re that invested in it, it’s just amazing. You can see everyone having the time of their life every day for seven weeks – that makes everyone feel great.’
Next year will see Clive and Danny celebrate their 20th panto together at Newcastle Theatre Royal, when Joe will also return as The Spirit of the Ring in Michael Harrison’s retelling of Aladdin.
