Proud to be associated with this podacst series. Here are the the six I have contributed to over the past four years. Click on the links below for each episode.
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 approaches to directing pantomime.
Focus on the Pantomime: Dick Whittington
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 versatility and history, and relive some of their favourite memories of performing and directing this iconic panto.
Focus on the Pantomime: Sleeping Beauty
This week some familiar voices return to the podcast as Robert Marsden and Mairi Cowieson join Martin to talk about Sleeping BeautyVariations of the story have existed for hundreds of years all over the world. Rob and Mairi discuss the different ways in which they and others have approached the pantomime and the way the pantomime is forever evolving in line with the changing attitudes of the audience.
Theatre Director and Academic: Robert Marsden
This week it is Robert Marsden’s turn in the hot seat as he talks to Martin about how his love for theatre stems from his theatrical experiences as a child, why he thinks pantomime is so special and his love of teaching.
Author, Director and Teacher: Robert Marsden
Author of Inside the Rehearsal Room Rob Marsden returns to the podcast to discuss some of the exciting developments taking place in the pantomime world at the moment. He and Martin discuss the aims and objective of the UK Pantomime Association as well as Rob’s work on developing a Masters in Pantomime for Staffordshire University.
A Focus on Puss in Boots
This week Simon Sladen and Robert Marsden join Martin to discuss the panto Puss in Boots.
One of the rarest pantomimes to be performed in recent times the panto is usually based on the Perrault version of the story from 1697. It is a typical rags to riches tale with baddies, fairies, skin characters, a panto dame, principal boy and a love story.
It has a fascinating history and was central in cementing the tradition of the female principal boy with Eliza Povey playing the role in 1823 in Covent Garden and Simon and Robert discuss this history along with some of the problematic themes and morality within the story.
Robert Marsden - Theatre Director/Educator 