Picture: Alan Place/Fusionshooters.
NEVER doubt the complexity to the making of pantomime. For all the laughs, silly hats, bogus royalty, music hit machine and billboard stars, there’s a ferocious team tweaking, inventing, pulling the work together. Up front at the media launch to ‘Sleeping Beauty’ in Hunt Museum were actors Keith Duffy, Hilda Fay Leanne Moore, Richie Hayes, George McMahon and “the two Limerick legends, Myles Breen and Richard Lynch”.
Fabulously costumed, festooned around a four-poster, it’s a high-profile preview as to what lies ahead. Keith Duffy flies back for rehearsals on December 1 when finished making the BBC children’s series, ‘Little Roy’ and once ‘Sleeping Beauty’ is over (December 16 to January 3), he revives his major hit ‘Big Maggie’ at The Gaiety.
What about Christmas? “Now that my kids are grown up, we go to a hotel,” admits Mr Duffy, those wonderful pearly-whites gleaming. “I don’t see the point in my wife cooking for two days. And they come down here to Limerick for some of the pantomime”.
Photo: Alan Place/ Fusionshooters
Women, how can we not love him? Cast as King Anto to Leanne’s Beauty and Hilda’s mean Queen, his schedule is eye-pop. “Three years ago we took ‘Big Maggie’ to every county and corner that would take us. It was a huge success and sold out everywhere. This year it’s on the curriculum so we revive it at the end of January for six weeks”.
Previous acting chops include ‘Coronation Street’ and six months in the West End for Billy Roche’s ‘A Handful of Stars’. His work ethic and stamina are terrific. Audiences love him and co-star Richard Lynch speaks of Keith “bringing such joy with him, his energy is so positive and upbeat. Our panto is a very pleasurable experience”.
Robert C Kelly, producer, was introduced by co-producer Sinead Hope of the concert hall as having brought “the best of comedy and theatre to Limerick for the past 10 years”. He made the point that writer Karl Harpur is on his 3rd draft of a script that has to be rinsed through Robert, the UCH team, director, designers, techies, choreographer (Belinda Murphy) and music scene – before ever the cast gets a glimpse.
Photo: Alan Place/ Fusionshooters
So alas, no story leaks yet for panto buffs and Duffy Doves but closer to Christmas, let’s take a peek at the Robert C Kelly/ UCH promise of ‘the pantomime of your dreams”.
Book ahead for school shows December 16 to 18, the ‘sensory friendly’ performance on Wednesday December 23 at 2pm and all others at typically 2pm or 6.30pm until Sunday January 3. Box office online is www.uch.ie and The Hunt Museum is site for a city centre ticket desk. Enquire as to family bundles.
