ENCORE! Blackpool Night Out!

Encore!

Blackpool is to host a very special one off evening – a celebration for those who have worked in live entertainment, not just in Blackpool, but around the UK.

This is the brainchild of Hilary O’Neil, Alan Cullaney, Fran Sheppard and Natalie Cleverley.

They told us here at IBY – It’s a chance to celebrate the real golden years of live entertainment and meet up with friends again after all those years – it’s strictly for professionals past or present -and they are delighted to announce that Nick Thomas from QDOS will be sponsoring the party. They are also extremely tickled to announce that Ken Dodd is to be guest of honour -with that in mind, the party may go on a little longer than first anticipated! Ken is celebrating 60 years in the business, so it will be a very special moment when we raise a glass to him on the night.

For more details about tickets and how to book – please e mail natalie.cleverley@sky.com

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Yoo Hoo Youtube!

Here are a few links to youtube items I’m in- one I have absolutely no recollection of doing- I think it was a busy twice daily day as usual, and I really don’t remember it at all!

Here are a few fun items-From a couple of years back- the racecourse panto launch for Wolverhampton Grand- what a great night!

http://youtu.be/SdBPfwF3pUc  Panto fun at the racetrack! Wolverhampton.

Here are a few pictures of the night:

 

At Wolverhampton that year in “Jack & The Beanstalk” we made a “Merry Christmas” video. (This one I really don’t remember!) Nice to see everyone again though!  Here’s the link.

http://youtu.be/EEuWlyFwcjU  Merry Christmas From the cast at “Jack & The Beanstalk”  Wolverhampton

On a very hot Summer’s day I joined Vicky Price from the Grand Wolverhampton’s marketing department for a trip to Dudley Zoo. That’s when I fell in love with Tallullah The Tapir!

Back at the Grand we recorded this interview with Dame Trott!

http://youtu.be/Z10rPXYZ35o  Dame Trott spills the Beans

 

Sally Mais, an incredible photographer and actress joined me at Wolverhampton during the run. She took some amazing photographs backstage of me, and I was deeply honoured to be one of her twelve Dames Of Christmas that year. All us Calendar Girls can be seen in the following links:

http://12dames.com/the-blog/2012/12/14/dame-five-nigel-ellacott-jack-and-the-beanstalk-the-grand-wolverhampton  The Twelve Dames Of Christmas Photo Shoot at Wolverhampton

and all us “Ladies” can be seen here!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/9756313/The-12-Dames-of-Christmas-panto-performers-photographed-by-Sally-Mais.html?frame=2432440

 

 

 

Return To Hull

During this glorious Summer I’ve been putting the finishing touches to Twankey’s costumes for this year’s “Aladdin” at the New Theatre Hull- a return visit twenty-five years after I did “Cinderella” there with Peter Robbins in 1989.

Twankey will have a few new frocks to celebrate, including a new finale in Pink and Silver, and a few surprise items! It will be great to work with Sherrie Hewson and with Cuddles, Orville and Keith again.

This is the bill last time around when Les Dennis starred as Buttons alongside the wonderful Ronnie Hilton as Baron Hardup. A local hero in Hull, Ronnie was at one point in his career the highest paid recording artist in the UK with many number one hits, and fronted his own Radio Programme on the BBC almost right up to his death. A lovely man and sorely missed in pantoland. He appeared in a great many, most of them for Paul Elliott.

Here are a few random pictures I found tucked away in my drawers! Enjoy!  My- we were all so young back then!

From left to right: Peter Robbins, Paul Frankish, Sophie Aldred, Les Dennis & Natalie Cleverley.

 

Our “French and Dutch” theme – the Sisters entered the very common market!

 

Ronnie Hilton with Chrissie his wife, and a picture of the three of us singing “Only A Rose!”

Natalie in our dressing room. I’m currently costuming Natalie as Queen Rat for the Kenneth More Theatre’s “Dick Whittington” this season. She’ll be busy by Christmas fitting in panto with regular appearances on QVC.

Sophie Aldred, known as “Ace”, the Doctor’s assistant  in Doctor Who at that time, as the beautiful Cinderella before she goes to the ball.