Having put the ‘boo’ into Sleeping Beauty at Lighthouse last year as showstopping bad fairy Carabosse, it’s fair to say that Sarah-Louise Young is positively relishing the barrage of boos and hisses that are sure to come her way this Christmas as the regal rodent King Rat in Dick Whittington.
“Honestly, I am so excited to be back in Poole this year to play King Rat,” she says. “I’ve done a lot of pantos and I would say last year was one of my very happiest experiences.
“So, bring on the boos!”
Made in Poole especially for Lighthouse audiences, Dick Whittington is the latest in a run of hit productions in recent years that has included last year’s smash hit Sleeping Beauty as well as national Panto Award winners Aladdin and Cinderella. Written and directed by CBeebies’ Chris Jarvis and with production design by James Smith, it’s the original pantomime adventure story – a quest for fame and fortune on the streets of London.
And, in King Rat, it boasts a classic panto villain – music to Sarah-Lou’s finely tuned ears.
“When I went to do the photo shoot, I put the costume on and I said to James, you have absolutely gifted me this character. Chris and I had discussed the character, but the costume brought it all to life – think Jack Sparrow meets Del Boy with a bit of Fagin and some Errol Flynn thrown in for good measure. That’s who I’ll be channelling.”
In a neat twist, Sarah-Lou is playing it as a male character…
“As a woman playing a male character I can go further with the comedy than a man playing the same part. I can be cheekier in the role because I am so obviously a woman playing it as a man.
“There’s a scene where I’m going to try and flirt my way into the Dame’s heart, so I think Chris and I are going to have a lot of fun with that! And if I want to flirt with one of the mums in the front row, I can do it in a way that is not going to be offensive. We’ve had girls playing Principal Boys. Why not have a woman playing Principal Rat?
“It’s important to acknowledge that men playing women and women playing men is part of panto’s tradition and heritage. The Dame is a man-in-a-dress: not a female impersonator or drag artist. It’s a larger-than-life comic creation and with Chris at the helm, the humour is always kind and inclusive.”
By the time panto opens Sarah-Lou will be even more familiar with Lighthouse. She was here in September working on a new show for next year as part of the Sanctuary artist development programme, before returning in October on tour in her phenomenal, award-winning tribute An Evening Without Kate Bush, and again last month to debut a new cabaret show, This Is Your Tribute.
“There’s a good energy about Lighthouse and the team are always really supportive, particularly in helping with space to get the new show off the ground. I don’t want to say too much, but it’s called The Bob Ross Effect after the American painter with big hair and a beard who had a TV show called The Joy of Painting. Watch this space!”
But first, there’s the small matter of a ratty mission to drive Dick Whittington out of town this Christmas.
“What you have to remember with panto is that it’s an incredible team effort with so many aspects that have to come together in such a short space of time – we only get two weeks in rehearsal – but I think because there’s such a strong unity between Chris, Adam (Tuffrey) the MD, and Dan (Todd) the choreographer, and with James as well, you really feel like the team creating it have got a shared vision and it filters down. It’s really special.
“When you think that Chris has written it, is directing and also appearing in it, he just turns up and he’s ready to go, he’s got three different hats on. It’s very impressive. He’s right, panto is about making people feel connected, like they are sharing an experience with other people. It makes us feel like we’re all in the same thing together and I love that kind of work, that makes you feel part of something – even as the baddie.
“You can’t have Team Good without Team Bad. I’m the necessary ingredient.”
And there’s usually at least some element of forgiveness and redemption…
“I think Chris is really good at that actually, because sometimes it just gets wiped away. Last year was fun, because I got magicked good, but it was clear that my ego was still rising high. I think to know that if people are sorry, they can be forgiven and redemption is possible, that’s a good thing.”
:: Dick Whittington is sponsored by National Express and Raymond James Poole and can be seen at Lighthouse Poole from Thursday 11 December until Sunday 4 January. Tickets available at https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/dick-whittington/ or on 01202 280000.
(NC)