With panto preparations in progress across the country, Dick Whittington is making his annual trip to London to seek his fortune. This year, Dick finds himself in Greenwich Theatre, where panto veteran Anthony Spargo is writing the show for a third time. Spargo is joined in the cast by panto regular Louise Cielecki, who played Muddles in last year’s brilliant production of Snow White. We caught up with them to hear all about it. Oh yes we did…..
You’re both panto regulars. What are the key ingredients for a perfect panto?
Anthony: For me it’s story, story, story… as long as you’ve got a clear, fun, exciting narrative laid out, beginning, middle and end, you can’t go far wrong. A lot of pantos rely on style over substance, which of course is fine, but Greenwich is a quite intimate space so story is king. Then you can add all the bells and whistles on top – good comedy routines, great musical numbers, glitter-tastic sets and outrageous costumes!
Louise: The people you work with are everything both on and off stage! The cast, crew and all of the creatives work together so well at Greenwich Theatre – It’s through this solid collaboration that we are able to cook up an extremely fun, wacky, and successful panto!
Anthony, this is your third time writing the Greenwich panto. You’re known for putting a twist on a classic tale. What can we expect from your take on Dick Whittington?
Anthony: Well that would be telling! But you’re certainly right about putting a twist on the tale. Audiences expect certain key moments to play out in each story – as long as you hit those you can play around with a re-telling of the story. Last year in Snow White we had the dwarfs piloting a bomber plane over the wicked Queen’s palace! This year… my lips are sealed!
You typically play the villain. What do you enjoy about being bad?
Anthony: Who doesn’t like being a little bit bad now and again?! Goading the audience is always fun! If I’m getting plenty of boos I know I’m doing my job properly!
Louise, you typically play comedy roles in panto, but this summer you took on the leading lady in the Greenwich Theatre production of Beauty and the Beast. What type of role do you prefer playing?
Louise: I loved playing Belle but comedy is in my bones… Belle still had her moments of being silly and fun and I really enjoyed challenging the stereotype of what a character like Belle should be like. However, although as an actor I thrive on playing an array of characters and emotions, I think comedy will always be my favourite to play!
This year, you’re taking on the role of Muffy Mouse in Dick Whittington. What can we expect from your Muffy?
Louise: You can expect my Muffy to be a classic side kick – a bit (a lot) silly and a little bit (a lot) daft! My Muffy will be fun and energetic with the upmost respect for her boss, Raticous, but she has her own secret…
How much are you both looking forward to working together again?
Anthony: I love working with Louise so much that I’ve written all our scenes together! She’s great fun and a fantastic performer with oodles of energy! It’s her third year here at Greenwich…I hope she’ll be on board for many more to come!
Louise: Aw, Spargo and I are fantastic friends! We really love working with one another and have a really similar take on characters, ideas and how lines could potentially be delivered. Above all we both love to play, which means we will often switch things up but never throw one another off. I suppose that comes with experience and having complete trust in your scene partner.
Greenwich panto has a reputation for punching above its weight. What makes it so special year after year?
Anthony: Our audiences are so loyal. Many of them come back year after year. Also as a company we bond so quickly it’s like having an extended family. We all get together for a few months over the festive period to bring our loyal audiences a show packed with fun and laughter. This production of Dick Whittington definitely has a twist in its tale…or should I say…tail!
Louise: I have to mention Greenwich Theatre’s loyal, supportive and wonderful audiences! This in itself makes panto at Greenwich Theatre so special in my opinion as year after year we are shown the audience’s dedication and love – which keeps the spirit alive! All the hard work everyone puts in truly pays off and it’s so worth it to see happy and entertained audiences. Also, Greenwich Theatre prides itself on really telling the story – no matter how wacky that story may become, we know the importance of the storytelling within the show. We are encouraged to keep on telling the story throughout and to keep driving so that our audiences are with us on a wonderful journey!
Dick Whittington and his Cat plays at Greenwich Theatre from 22 November 2024 to 5 January 2025. Click here for further info and booking details.