Preview:Three Little Pigs at South Shield's Customs House

The Three Pigs are Back

The Three Little Pigs

The Customs House

Tuesday 17 to Thursday 19 February 2015.

Luke Maddison, Gareth 

Hunter & Sarah Boulter

The three little pigs are back and this time in their own show.

Chorizo, Bratwurst and Saveloy starred in The Customs House pantomime, Little Red Riding Hood, and were a hit with children and adults alike. Now the trio will be telling their own tale at the Mill Dam venue in South Shields with the help of Santa's Naughty Elf writer and director Wayne Miller.

Gareth Hunter and Luke Maddison will be back as Bratwurst and Saveloy, while newcomer to the trio Sarah Boulter (who has starred in Santa’s Naughty Elf, Wendy the Witch and Silly Simon the Sailor) will play the part of Chorizo.

Long-time pantomime favourite Steven Lee Hamilton will also be returning as the big bad wolf and Made in Tyne and Wear's Lowdown host Hazel Pude will play villager Marla.

Big Bad Wolf 

Steven Lee Hamilton

Director Wayne said: "We are delighted to have Gareth, Luke and Steven back in their costumes and I’m looking forward to working with Sarah and Hazel again. This is the Three Little Pigs as you've never seen them before in a new take on an old fave."

The pigs have also been out on tour to schools around the region warning youngsters of the dangers of playing on building sites and promoting a good carbon footprint.

Gareth said: "I can't wait to get back into my role. The pantomime was so much fun and I can't wait to hear all the laughter from the children in the audience."

Luke added: "Being a pig is an absolute squeal, the make-up takes a lot to do though we were dab-hands at it by the end of the panto run and I'm looking forward to stepping back into my pig suit. It's like I’ve never been away."

Tickets:

The Three Little Pigs, sponsored by Gentoo, is on at The Customs House from February 17 to 19 and is the perfect half term treat.

Tickets are £6.50 for adults and £7.50 for children and are available from the box office on (0191) 454 1234 or by visiting the website www.customshouse.co.uk.

Review: Little Red Riding Hood at South Shields Customs House

Once Upon A Time In Cooksonville…

Little Red Riding Hood

South Shields Customs House

Until Saturday 10^th January 2015

A pantomime should have something for all of the family including laughs, songs and shouts of “behind you” and this year’s production at the Customs House has them all in bucket loads.

The storyline is revealed in the first scene but this production by Ray Spencer and Graeme Thompson is about much more than the final climax. Natasha Haws is the delightful Little Red Riding Hood and she puts her experience as a singer to good use early on with Pharrell Williams’ Happy. The jokes were flying from the start as Red described her family as consisting of “Aunty Freeze and Uncle Timber”.  Timber, played by Craig Richardson, quickly engaged with the audience.

Granny Hood represented the come back of South Shields’ legend Ray Spencer. His wit and repartee often echoed the late great Les Dawson. Rarely was a line delivered without a pun. Occasionally the innuendo flew over the head of the younger members of the audience.  Ray was as happy performing slapstick in his fish shop as he was tap dancing on the big production number Tap Your Troubles Away.

The lavish production values for one of the regions smaller pantomimes extended to the wonderful bad guys. The outfits of Wolfgang and Bracken coupled with the opportunity to wind up the audience on a regular basis must make these great roles to perform in. Steven Lee Hamilton, as Wolfgang, makes a great baddy for the kids to boo at. Jamie Birkett also produced the singing performance of the evening with her wonderful version of Disney’s Let It Go.  The year’s hits fitted in well with the story and even included Everything Is Awesome from this year’s blockbuster Lego The Movie. 

The supporting cast included Three lovely Little Pigs who were the source of many piggy jokes, a glamorous Prince Charming, the crafty Mr Fracker and a troupe of talented young dancers.

The show describes itself as the “Little Panto with the big heart and eyes and teeth” which is pretty accurate. The show is crammed full of jokes and popular recent hits.  The talented cast offer a fun way to spend time with your family.

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo.

Tickets:

Little Red Riding Hood is at The Customs House from December 2 to January 10.

Tickets, priced from £9, are available from the box office on 0191 454 1234 or visit www.customshouse.co.uk.

Cast:

Natasha Haws: Red

Ray Spencer: Granny Hood

Steven Lee Hamilton: Wolfgang

Jamie Birkett: Bracken

Jamie Brown: Prince Chop-a-lot

Craig Richardson: Timber

Stephen Sullivan: Mr Fracker

Luke Maddison: Savaloy

Gareth Hunter: Bratwurst

Kylie Ann Ford: Chorizo

Preview: Little Red Riding Hood at South Shields Customs House

Panto has the Axe Factor

Little Red Riding Hood

South Shields Customs House

Tuesday 2^nd December 2014 to Saturday 10^th January 2015

This year’s Customs House panto has the axe-factor. For the first time in the venue’s history Little Red Riding Hood will be the festive offering. Leading the cast through the run from December 2 to January 10 will be panto legend and the Mill Dam venue’s Executive Director Ray Spencer as dame Granny Hood.  It seems panto fans are seeing red with more than 15,000 tickets already being snapped up. 

Ray, who’s starred in pantomimes in South Tyneside for almost 40 years, said: “Panto is in my blood and after a year out due to a knee injury I can’t wait to get back up on our stage and perform.   It’s an exciting year – it’s the first time we have performed Little Red Riding Hood and we have created a brilliant family show.”

The show will mark several firsts.  Ray’s daughter Natasha Haws will make her debut in a leading pantomime role at The Customs House as Red, long-time principal boy Steven Lee Hamilton will swap his smile for a sneer when he is unveiled as baddie Wolfgang and three new faces will be joining The Customs House panto family.

Ray, who also directs and co-writes the show with Graeme Thompson, added: “I can’t wait to get started and more importantly for the audiences to come in and see what we’ve created for them in this year’s ‘little panto with the big heart’.  This year our designers Paul Shriek and Matt Fox have outdone themselves – the costumes are stunning and the sets are going to be just as amazing.”

Steven, 30, from South Shields, said: “I loved playing the principal boy and now I can’t wait to get my teeth into this new role.”  Pairing up with Steven’s ‘Big Bad Wolf’ will be Jamie Birkett as Bracken the Witch.  The West End star and I’d Do Anything finalist from Cumbria joined the cast last year as Cinderella’s stepmother and is looking forward to getting back on The Customs House stage.  She said: “Once you’re in the panto family it just stays with you, I’m so excited to be back!” 

Craig Richardson, one of last year’s Ugly Sisters, will play Timber and certainly has big boots to fill when he takes on the funny role traditionally filled by Ray’s alter-ego Tommy, while fellow ‘Ugly’ Stephen Sullivan will attempt to woo Granny Hood in his first none-dame pantomime role, Mr Fracker.

Also back from last year’s cast is the loveable Luke Maddison who will play one of the Three Pigs, Savaloy. His fellow pigs will be played by panto newcomers but Customs House regulars Gareth Hunter (Bratwurst) and Kylie Ann Ford (Chorizo).  Also making his panto debut will be Jamie Brown as Prince Chop-a-lot. Jamie impressed earlier this year in Catherine Cookson’s Fifteen Streets, helping to land him the role.

No Customs House pantomime would be complete without the dancing babes. South Tyneside Dance Workshop – where Natasha first debuted in the pantomime – will once again be adding to the glitz and glamour.

Tickets:

Little Red Riding Hood, sponsored by Hays Travel, is at The Customs House from December 2 to January 10.

Tickets, priced from £9, are available from the box office on 0191 454 1234 or visit www.customshouse.co.uk.

Cast:

Natasha Haws: Red

Ray Spencer: Granny Hood

Steven Lee Hamilton: Wolfgang

Jamie Birkett: Bracken

Jamie Brown: Prince Chop-a-lot

Craig Richardson: Timber

Stephen Sullivan: Mr Fracker

Luke Maddison: Savaloy

Gareth Hunter: Bratwurst

Kylie Ann Ford: Chorizo