Backstage Blog: Christmas is coming...
Christmas is coming – in fact it feels like it’s coming at an alarming rate! This week I’ve been quite preoccupied with it. Last week, everything was about our (the Crucible Theatre’s) 40th birthday and the launch of this, the new website. However, no sooner had the cake been cut and the switch been flicked, it was time to start turning our attention to the festive period. There have been discussions about decorations for the foyer, we’ve taken delivery of many of the panto costumes, I popped my head in to the Crucible where the set for Company is being put together, and I had the pleasure of meeting newly crowned Wicked Queen (Margi Clarke).
Margi’s visit came on Wednesday. Margi has replaced Beverley Callard in this year’s panto, Sleeping Beauty and we decided to take a few photos of her in character to use when promoting the change to the casting. She looks fantastic in the photos and we had a great time with her. She’s very funny and down to earth and it was great to hear her reminisce about her time on Making Out with Keith Allen and Tracie Bennett (who was playing Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow at the Lyceum this week). Rehearsals get underway this weekend and she seems really excited about spending Christmas in Sheffield this year. She’s also helping to switch the city’s lights on this Sunday (20th) so if you’re going along, keep your eyes peeled for her and the rest of the cast. 
The set for Company is looking fantastic. Christopher Oram’s design captures the unique style and sense of fun of ’70s New York – I love the stage which looks like it’s part swanky bachelor pad and part disco! I haven’t seen any of the wigs yet, but it sounds like the cast are going to look amazing. To be honest, I’m starting to wish I actually could sing and dance because I think, if I could, this is the show I would want to be in! The cast have been pretty busy with rehearsals, but we had a bit of time to get some new photos of them done as well as a few interviews with regional journalists.
As you can see, this is the first blog that we’ve posted to the site. I’ll write more soon – but only when I’ve got something new/interesting to share with you. Hope you like the pictures! More soon….