Bedste Just Imagine-podcasts (2024)

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Episode 93 - Goldilocks in a Big Top Circus Tent! 28:23

11d ago28:23

28:23

This year due to the refurbishment of the Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock East Ayrshire Leisure took the decision to do pantomime in a big top circus tent – and what better panto to choose than Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a panto set in a circus! Martin talks to director and dame Andrew Agnew; Goldilocks herself, Ailsa Erskine, who is making her p…

1
Episode 92 - Andy Hockley 30:21

25d ago30:21

30:21

Andy Hockley is a hugely experienced theatre and TV actor, despite having originally trained in theatre design. He has appeared in 18 pantomimes at The Belgrade since 1989 in a variety of roles including both dame and baddie and this year he is playing King Rat in Dick Whittington. As well as pantomime Andy has appeared in some of the UK’s most pop…

1
Episode 91 - Choreography in Pantomime 29:20

1M ago29:20

29:20

This week Martin is joined by two choreographers, Mitchell Harper and Claire Darcy. Mitch has a wide range of choreography experience from opera and musicals to pantomime. Claire has been appearing in the Inverness panto since she was a child and has appeared in over 1,000 performances at Eden Court - going on from being a member of the Junior Ense…

1
Episode 90 - Pantomime Ticket Pricing 32:53

2M ago32:53

32:53

Have you ever wondered why ticket prices cost what they do? In this episode Martin delves into the complex world of theatre finance with Sarah Boden to discuss this very question. Sarah talks Martin through the various different aspects that influence the cost of a ticket – from size of venue to the type of casting and all the extras that people ma…

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Episode 89 - Relaxed and Accessible Pantomime Performances 41:24

2M ago41:24

41:24

This week’s podcast was recorded at the North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford at the UK Pantomime Association panel event on Relaxed and Accessible Performances. The panellists were Jess Thom, Annie Bannister, Chris Jarvis and Dr Chris Abbott all of whom also took the time to speak to Martin directly on the subject of making performances as inclusive as…

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Episode 88 - David Lloyd-Jones 34:23

3M ago34:23

34:23

This week Martin is talking to David Lloyd-Jones. From early memories of Punch and Judy in Llandudno and his first panto experience at Swansea Grand aged 9, David has gone on to have a varied career in the theatre industry, including being a current trustee of the UK Pantomime Association. As a young performer he was predominantly a vocalist but he…

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Episode 87 - Behind the Scenes at a Photoshoot 27:13

3M ago27:13

27:13

Martin joined the team at a photoshoot and caught up with some of the Imagine team and casts from a number of different pantos. Jack Malin who is part of the team running the Theatre Café in London and is also playing Prince in Swindon’s Cinderella this year in one of the people chatting to Martin as well Maisie Scarlett who will be playing Cindere…

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Episode 86 - Production Management and Technical Theatre 30:21

4M ago30:21

30:21

Andy Nurse has spent many years working as a production manager for Imagine Theatre and also specialises in many of the technical aspects of live performance. From an early love of playing musical instruments Andy changed course to work behind the scenes in the industry and has worked in many different areas. He discusses his career with Martin and…

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Episode 85 - Nathan Guy 29:06

4M ago29:06

29:06

From playing a mosquito aged 3 in Alice Through the Looking Glass to the present day Nathan has always loved performing. Coming from a strong theatre family Nathan was actually in a panto in the Junior Ensemble before he had even been in the audience to watch one and his love of the genre has been with him ever since. He has spent many years as a c…

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Episode 84 - A Focus on the Pantomime - Part 7 - Mother Goose 26:19

5M ago26:19

26:19

Simon Sladen and Steve Boden join Martin to talk about the history of Mother Goose. Although it is not that frequently performed these days it historically enjoyed great success with Dan Leno and Joseph Grimaldi both appearing in early versions of the show and more recently we have seen Ian McKellen playing the role to great success. They discuss t…

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Episode 83 - Remembering Paul Burnett 26:45

5M ago26:45

26:45

Musical Director Paul Burnett’s daughter Caroline joins Martin this week to talk about her father’s career and life growing up with theatrical parents. Paul was a prolific musical director in the 1950s to the 1980s in the true heart of variety. He conducted multiple royal variety performances, was the MD of choice for people like Morcambe and Wise …

1
Episode 82 – Pantomime Music with Miles Russell 27:52

5M ago27:52

27:52

Have you ever wanted to know more about the music in the pantomime? This week Martin is joined by Miles Russell who has spent a number of panto seasons as an MD and Arranger with Imagine Theatre. From starting out age seven learning to play the trumpet Miles is now a multi-instrumentalist. He has worked as an actor-musician, Musical Director and Ar…

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Episode 81 - Behind the scenes at the 2024 UK Pantomime Association Awards 27:28

6M ago27:28

27:28

Join Martin as he goes back stage at this year's UK Pantomime Awards. Taking place on Tuesday 18th June at G Live in Guildford, the 2024 pantomime awards were another star studded, glittering evening celebrating all things panto! Martin talks to presenters Ore Oduba, Angelica Bell alongside lots of the award winners and members of the UK Pantomime …

1
Episode 80 - Adam Brooks 31:10

6M ago31:10

31:10

This week Martin is joined by former contestant on The Great British Sewing Bee and current Deputy Head of Wardrobe at Imagine Theatre, Adam Brooks. Adam talks about those early influences that led to his love of theatre and costume. He also discusses his varied career from drama school, to being a Cruise Director, to becoming Deputy Head of Wardro…

1
Episode 79 – Stage Management and Training 36:27

7M ago36:27

36:27

This week Martin talks to two key members of the Imagine team about how they got into the industry and their experiences of training in stage management. Ruth Porter, Deputy Head of Stage Management and Props and Jazmyne Evans, Operations and Production Administrator talk to Martin about how their early experiences of theatre led them to work in th…

1
Episode 78 - Lighting and Sound Design 29:22

7M ago29:22

29:22

This week’s episode focuses on the roles of two key elements of any theatrical production – the lighting and the sound. Lighting Designer and Programmer Matt Ladkin and Sound Designer and Head of Project Engineering and Head of Education at Orbital Sound Mike Thacker, join Martin to talk about these invaluable roles. They talk through exactly what …

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Episode 77 - A Focus on the Pantomime - Part 6 - Snow White 29:44

8M ago29:44

29:44

This week Eric Potts and Palace panto regular James McAnerney join Martin on the podcast to talk about Snow White. Snow White originated from the Brothers Grimm in the early 1800s and it grew and developed from there to become the version of the story we know today. Eric and James discuss the history of the pantomime, the variations in the story, s…

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Episode 76 – What Imagine Are Doing During Spring 27:12

8M ago27:12

27:12

We are already a third of the way through the year and this week on the podcast Sarah and Steve talk to Martin about where Imagine are in the panto process at the moment. New set and costume designs are underway for the three brand news shows being created this year. This includes planning for the team to produce panto in a circus tent for the firs…

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Episode 75 - The Role of the Director 29:08

9M ago29:08

29:08

Episode 75 – The Role of the Director This week the podcast focuses on the role of the director. Robert Marsden and Mairi Cowieson join Martin on the podcast to discuss what being a director actually involves. They discuss how the role of director has developed from ancient times to present day, their routes into directing and their personal approa…

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THE LIGHT EVER AFTER 14:00

9M ago14:00

14:00

Join me as I read a story from my new book. I think you will be amazed. Have you ever yearned to know what your destiny is? Do you wish to move beyond your quiet desperation to a place of fulfillment, joy, and love? Within this book are insightful messages from souls living in the light ever after. These souls have chosen to connect through Mary by…

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Episode 74 – Trafalgar’s Dame Rosemary Squire and Helen Enright 31:42

9M ago31:42

31:42

Joint CEO of Trafalgar Entertainment Dame Rosemary Squire and CEO and COO of Trafalgar Theatres Helen Enright are Martin’s guests on the podcast this week. Despite an early love of theatre, neither Rosemary or Helen set out to have a career in the industry and both came to their current roles through very different paths. Join us as they discuss th…

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Episode 73 - Swansea Legend Kev Johns 31:23

10M ago31:23

31:23

This week Swansea legend Kev Johns joins Martin on the podcast. Kev has been a panto dame for 30 years, with 25 of those at the Swansea Grand. He also presented numerous radio shows, including more than 20 years on the Breakfast Show, as well as being a match day announcer for his local football team, The Swans. Kev is also heavily involved in char…

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Episode 72 - A Focus on the Pantomime - Part 5 - Beauty and the Beast 29:33

10M ago29:33

29:33

The pantomime version of Beauty and the Beast is one of the most popular titles of all, along with being one of the most loved Disney classics. This week Eric Potts and Liam Dolan join Martin on the podcast to discuss one of their favourite titles.Af Imagine Theatre

1
Episode 71 - The Role of the Producer 30:10

11M ago30:10

30:10

This week Steve Boden and Laura Taylor join Martin to talk about the role of the producer. Producers are crucial to each production as they have overall responsibility for the show, but it is one of the roles that many people know little about. Steve and Laura explain how they came to be panto producers and what it entails – from relationships with…

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Episode 70 – The 2023/4 Panto Season Comes to a Close 27:30

11M ago27:30

27:30

Martin catches up with Sarah and Steve to discuss how the 2023 panto season went and what is in store for 2024. Imagine have had their biggest ever panto season with 19 pantomimes and 3 Santa shows. They have employed more people than ever before with around 500 people hired by Imagine to work on the productions, plus around 400 children who were p…

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Episode 69 – Backstage at the De Montfort Hall Panto 36:28

12M ago36:28

36:28

This week Martin goes backstage at DMH where he spent 10 years performing in panto himself to chat to the cast of this year’s Jack and the Beanstalk. He finds out how Scott Mills has settled in to his first ever pantomime, learns Jarred Christmas’s process for choosing his final jokes for the show, discovers how son Jack Ballard is getting on playi…

1
Episode 68 – A Christmas Special from Swindon 36:17

12M ago36:17

36:17

For the Christmas edition of the podcast Martin heads to Swindon to talk to the cast of Snow White at The Wyvern - David Ashley, Divina De Campo, Nathan Connor, Paul Burling and Samantha Dorrance. This episode also features special Christmas messages from some of the Imagine team.Af Imagine Theatre

1
Episode 67 – Scott Mills 26:27

1y ago26:27

26:27

This week Martin is joined by radio presenter Scott Mills who is making his pantomime debut this year in Jack and the Beanstalk at De Montfort Hall. Scott talks to Martin about how his decision to do a panto came about, the advice he has been getting from his showbiz pals and his past performing experience on Strictly Come Dancing. Don’t miss Scott…

1
Episode 66 – The Panto Season is Underway 29:06

1y ago29:06

29:06

This week Imagine’s Joint CEO and Business and Marketing Director Sarah Boden joins Martin to talk through everything that is currently happening at Imagine Theatre HQ as well as on the pantomimes themselves. Everything is in full swing with two shows now open, some shows in rehearsal and others due to start rehearsing shortly. The final touches to…

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Episode 65 - A Focus on the Pantomime - Part 4 - Peter Pan 33:04

1y ago33:04

33:04

This week Martin is joined by Imagine Theatre’s Steve Boden and performer and director Steven Wren to talk about Peter Pan. Peter Pan has been around for 120 years in numerous forms – firstly as a book and then a play, a musical, many different movie adaptations, and now as an increasingly popular panto. They discuss the way that it has been adapte…

1
Episode 64 - Panto Set Pieces and Routines 31:38

1y ago31:38

31:38

Panto Set Pieces and Routines Simon Sladen, Paul Morse, Janice Dunn join Martin on this week’s episode to talk about the traditional panto set pieces and routines such as slosh scenes, ghost gags, song sheets and call backs. They delve back into the early days of panto to talk about where some of the routines originated as well as discussing some m…

1
Episode 63 – Andrew Agnew 32:15

1y ago32:15

32:15

This week on the podcast Martin is joined by actor and director Andrew Agnew. From starting out in The Wizard of Oz at school and being mesmerized by panto as a child to playing PC Plum in Balamory, Andrew talks about how he got into the industry and how his career has developed. He also talks about the differences between English and Scottish pant…

1
Episode 62 – The Role of Technology in Panto 37:53

1y ago37:53

37:53

This week on the podcast Martin is joined by three guests to discuss the role of technology in pantomime. He talks to Imagine’s Artistic Director Eric Potts, Head of Operations, Dave Edmunds and Nina Dunn from PixelLux. They discuss the innovations throughout the history of pantomime and how technology has helped with the evolution of the genre in …

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Episode 61 – Behind the Scenes at the Photoshoot 27:43

1+ y ago27:43

27:43

For this week’s podcast Martin joined the team at their largest photoshoot event of the year. Taking place over 4 days the August shoot brings people together from all over the United Kingdom to have their publicity photos taken and promo videos filmed. This is the final shoot of the year and is the last opportunity to gather marketing assets for t…

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Episode 60 - Focus on the Pantomime - Part 3 - Dick Whittington 29:42

1+ y ago29:42

29:42

The pantomime version of Dick Whittington has been around since the early 1800s and is believed to be the only pantomime based on a real person. This week Eric Potts and Robert Marsden join Martin on the podcast to discuss one of their favourite titles. They discuss the delights and challenges of staging this particular panto as well as its versati…

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Episode 59 – MD, Composer and Arranger Daniel Jarvis 27:37

1+ y ago27:37

27:37

Daniel took an unusual route to being a professional musician having first studied Sports Science at University before going on to Mountview Dan has worked with Imagine for a number of years as a Musical Arranger and Musical Director and he talks to Martin about how he came into the theatre profession, those that have influenced him, as well as mor…

1
Episode 58 - Summer at Imagine HQ 28:40

1+ y ago28:40

28:40

This week on the podcast Martin catches up with Steve Boden to learn why there is no such thing as a restful summer for the Imagine Team. With casting auditions for both adults and juniors, photoshoots, set maintenance, hires, props creation, script reads and much more going on, it is full steam ahead on panto planning during July and August. Take …

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Episode 57 - Mark Thorburn 32:10

1+ y ago32:10

32:10

This week Martin talks to Mark Thorburn. Mark’s love of the theatre began with a pantomime at the Coventry Theatre aged 8 and he has gone on to be involved in theatrical industry in many different roles, some of which include Chief Executive of NODA, Editor of the Amateur Theatre Magazine, Artistic Director of YOG, a Coventry youth theatre group, a…

1
Episode 56 - Martin Ballard - The Tables Are Turned 30:51

1+ y ago30:51

30:51

This week the tables are turned and it is Just Imagine podcast host Martin Ballard who is in the hot seat with Imagine MD Steve Boden taking over the role of interviewer. Martin spent many years hosting on BBC radio and his links with Imagine go back 20 years from his time as Dame at Loughborough Town Hall. Steve discusses with him how he got into …

1
Episode 55 - Chris McGuigan - A Theatre Management Perspective 29:07

1+ y ago29:07

29:07

This week Martin talks to Chris McGuigan from Trafalgar Theatres, which is part of the wider Trafalgar Entertainment group. Chris has had an extensive career in the theatre industry and is now Group Commercial Director for Trafalgar Theatres. Imagine and Trafalgar Theatres began working together for the 2022 season and Chris, a lifelong panto fan, …

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Episode 54 – All About the Junior Ensemble 37:21

1+ y ago37:21

37:21

This week’s podcast is all about the Junior Ensemble. A big part of the ethos at Imagine Theatre is to give as many children as possible the opportunity to experience performing in professional productions and Martin has a variety of guests on the pod this week to talk about the experience from different perspectives. Martin speaks to Sarah O’Gleby…

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Episode 53 – Focus on the Pantomime – Part 2 – Jack and the Beanstalk 33:31

1+ y ago33:31

33:31

Eric Potts and Iain Lauchlan join Martin on the podcast this week to talk about Jack and the Beanstalk. This is the second of several ‘special’ podcast episodes where we work through the popular pantomime titles in turn, examining them in more depth by talking through the title’s roots, such as Jack’s origin in Cornish folklore, the background stor…

1
Episode 52 - Imagine's 18th Birthday 25:36

1+ y ago25:36

25:36

This week Imagine Theatre is celebrating its 18th birthday and Martin talks to Steve about the history of the company – how the company came into being, how it came to be called Imagine, Mi workshops, the landmark moments and much more. The podcast also features birthday wishes from some of the amazing people Imagine have worked with over the years…

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Episode 51 – Behind the Scenes at the MA in Contemporary Pantomime Practice at Staffordshire University 34:31

1+ y ago34:31

34:31

Martin heads to Staffordshire University for this episode of the podcast to speak to the students on the MA in Contemporary Pantomime Practice as well as Robert Marsden and Richard Cheshire who created and run the course and Sarah Boden who was a guest speaker on the day. This vocationally led course offers both research and practical study in the …

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Episode 50 - Behind the Scenes at the 2023 UK Pantomime Association Awards 28:17

1+ y ago28:17

28:17

This week Martin went behind the scenes at the 2023 UK Pantomime Association Awards at the Trafalgar Theatre in the West End. The event celebrates all things panto and is an opportunity for everyone from the panto world to come together to honour the genre. Martin spoke to Sir Ian McKellen, Vernon Kay, Debbie McGee, Joe McElderry, JP McCue, Anna-Ja…

1
Episode 49 – The UK Pantomime Association 30:30

1+ y ago30:30

30:30

This week Martin talks to three members of the UK Pantomime Association - Simon Sladen, Samuel Munday-Webb and Nick Humby. Founded in 2021 the UK Pantomime Association is a charity with the aim of exploring, sharing and celebrating pantomime. They ardently believe in the positive promotion of pantomime and inspiring and encouraging others to engage…

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Episode 48 – Behind the Scenes with Steve and Sarah 28:14

2y ago28:14

28:14

This week sees Martin catching up with Steve and Sarah to see what is happening at Imagine during March. He talks to Sarah about the huge workload she and the accounts team have in reconciling accounts for the end of the financial year and how this affects budgeting for the 2023 season. Also under discussion are the current challenges faced by both…

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Episode 47 - Focus on the Pantomime - Part 1 - Cinderella 34:15

2y ago34:15

34:15

Something different for the ‘Just Imagine’ podcast series, Martin sits down with Imagine’s Managing Director Steve Boden, and our Artistic Director and renowned pantomime writer Eric Potts to talk about the pantomime Cinderella. This is the first of several ‘special’ podcast episodes, spread over the next 2 years, where we work through the popular …

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Episode 46 - Nigel Ellacott 35:46

2y ago35:46

35:46

This week Martin interviews the incredible Nigel Ellacott, pantomime dame extraordinaire and the brains behind the encyclopaedic pantomime website www.itsbehindyou.com. Join them both in this fascinating walk-through pantomime over the years. Listening to Nigel talk, you’ll soon understand why the UK Pantomime Association chose him as the recipient…

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Episode 45 – A Look Back on the 2022 Panto Season 25:27

2y ago25:27

25:27

This week Martin catches up with Steve and Sarah and finds, contrary to popular belief, they are not able to put their feet up now the panto season has finished and have a well-earned rest. Join him as he talks to them about how the 2022 panto season went, how it was to have six brand new venues for 2022, their pride at having almost half a million…

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