This blog has been prompted by the appearance of a chicken in my front garden. After a little commotion, the chicken has now been cornered, captured and returned to my neighbour's house. Unfortunately no eggs left behind!
So, what has that got to do with panto? What has a chicken got to do with panto? Some may say 'not much', but, as you may have noticed, I have a particular fondness for chicken in panto. I mean, who couldn't love such a comical bird? And who couldn't agree that a chicken is a perfect panto bird?
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| This clock served it's time! Time's up for the clock! You can't turn back the clock! |
So this brings me on to SPS panto traditions. If you read the last blog post about the 'STORES', the 'famous' SPS cuckoo clock was mentioned. This clock has been around for many past pantos and was, at one time, a vital piece of scenery. In recent times, however, it's been sidelined (but not ditched). Now it sits in the stores, waiting for a future appearance (it'll be lucky!). Maybe it's time to start a 'bring back the clock' pressure group? Can I hear your mind ticking over that thought?
Another SPS panto tradition is the chicken (you knew I was coming to that didn't you?). The chicken was often seen in a 'walk on' part during many pantos over the years. That walk on chicken had such an impact on me in the audience that I instantly wanted to be that chicken.
After moving to France and seeing my first SPS panto in Pibrac (it was Sleeping Beauty in 2003), I thought I'd like to have a go at being involved. Later that year, I left a message on the telephone number provided saying 'If you need someone to be the chicken, I would be very happy to fill that role'... I had no reply! Another panto came and went (Wizard of Oz I think) and I turned up at the panto AGM in spring, ever hopeful that I could be the chicken in the next production. Unfortunately at that time there was no vacancy for the job and I was told quite firmly (yes, quite firmly) that 'we already have a chicken'. That sad event only put me off for a couple of years (3 actually!). So in 2007, with my heart in my mouth I ventured out on a hot and sizzling day to the auditions for Way out West. And yeehaa! I had the good fortune this time to get a part on stage. It was not the chicken, but I was content. I have to say that I had my eye on a cameo part of Elvis Presley but realised, after embarrassing myself by singing 'TeddyBear' with all the men in the audition, that I was not the man for the job! This was not the last time that I embarrassed myself at a panto audition by singing an Elvis song, but that particular story is still too painful to tell! By the way, there wasn't a chicken in 'Way out West'.
Just to round off this little story... Several years later I became the panto director and was keen to bring the chicken back. Thankfully my production colleagues agreed that there was a place in 'Jack and the Beanstalk' for a chicken, so the chicken was back! (with a new costume because the old one had clucked off somewhere never to be seen again).
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| Ben S as 'chicken licken' in Jack and the Beanstalk accompanied by Daisy the Cow! |
Then I got that fluffy chicken into 'Robin Hood' as well - yay!
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| Patrick F as 'Plucky chicken' in Robin Hood accompanied by a selection of archers! |
Now this year's panto is Puss in Boots, set in the wild west - can I get a chicken into that panto? You bet your boots I can! But, the burning question is: who will have the honour of donning the freshly laundered chicken suit? Could it be me? I wish that were possible, but unfortunately for me, someone else will have that most illustrious of roles: the small but beautifully formed cameo chicken role. You'll just have to wait and see. Perhaps it could be you?
Just for the record - I really don't bear a grudge about those wilderness years following the chicken rebuff - my psychiatrist says I'm nearly over it!
Right, now you've read this, cluck off - but not for too long - there will be another cluckin' blog post soon!
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