"Christmas Carol" by Alistair Clinton (18 Dec 2020)
On 18 Dec 2020, as Covid stalked the world, St Michael’s Players took their annual, world-famous, panto online. The show went out live from 14 homes around the UK and over 200 homes tuned in and watched the live stream from as far afield as New Zealand, Malta, Canada, USA, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, South Africa and even Liverpool. It was and remains free to watch with our audience asked instead to consider a donation to the associated justgiving page https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/christmascarol. Thank you, if you do.
This recording is all that now remains of that famous night in 2020 when St Michael’s Players cheered the whole world.
This recording is all that now remains of that famous night in 2020 when St Michael’s Players cheered the whole world.
The show |
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About the show
Determined not to be cowed by the Covid thingy, we went for it. We found Alistair Clinton's script online and with license in hand we set about adding Chiswickian magic and finding our cast.
Luckily no-one was going anywhere and the cast found themselves pretty quickly. On screen acting was a new skill for most of us to learn and Zoom's vagaries added an extra level of complexity. And the prop handling took some working out and at least two pieces of each item which had to pass from person to person.
Covid did help though as we could pretty much rehearse every evening as it was all online so location didn't matter.
On the night, we watched the "audience" arriving and logging in and with our hearts in our mouths, we were off.
Luckily no-one was going anywhere and the cast found themselves pretty quickly. On screen acting was a new skill for most of us to learn and Zoom's vagaries added an extra level of complexity. And the prop handling took some working out and at least two pieces of each item which had to pass from person to person.
Covid did help though as we could pretty much rehearse every evening as it was all online so location didn't matter.
On the night, we watched the "audience" arriving and logging in and with our hearts in our mouths, we were off.
PHOToS/Title Cards |
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Reviews |
"I watched the wonderful Christmas Panto last night with friends and I was so touched by the opening clip – there are no words to express how much that has meant to me and my family. Malcolm loved being involved in the St Michaels Players over the years. You are so right he has not been forgotten as is testament to all the wonderful letters, notes that we have and are still receiving. He had an amazing ability to contact with so many people |
CastScrooge (Neil Dickins)
Charles Dickens (David Burles) Christmas Past (Arabella Harcourt-Cooze) Christmas Present (Bryony Wilman) Christmas Future (Paul Francis) Belle (Flora Barker) Young Lad (Oscar Rai Darby) Bob Cratchit (Paul Francis) Mrs Slap (Alastair Dewar) Mrs Tickle (Guy Fairbank) Fred (Deesh Mariwala) Marley (Jane Atkinson) Fezziwig (Cressida Strauss) Fezziwig Party People (Jane Atkinson, Bryony Wilman, Deesh Mariwala) Young Scrooge (Stella Henney) Mrs Cratchit (Jane Atkinson) Emma Cratchit (Cressida Strauss) Gemma Cratchit (Arabella Harcourt-Cooze) Tiny Tim (Oscar Rai Darby) Sandra (Stella Henney) Mr Smithers (Guy Fairbank) Mrs Smithers (Cressida Strauss) Mourners (Jane Atkinson, Bryony Wilman, Cressida Strauss) Mr Macken (Alastair Dewar) |
CrewDirector (Chris Hulatt)
Producer (Alastair Dewar) Video Supremo (Ian Trowbridge) Script Chiswickifier (Cecilia Coleshaw) Music/Sound Mix (Andy Murray) Zoom Advisor (Deesh Mariwala) Props (Arabella Harcourt-Cooze) Costumes (Jane Atkinson, Bryony Wilman) Make-Up (by Zoom and the cast) |