Just Imagine

Simon Sladen and David Ashley join Martin on the podcast this week for another deep dive into a classic pantomime title — this time, Aladdin . First staged at Covent Garden in 1788, Aladdin has become one of the most frequently reinvented pantomimes in the canon. Simon and David explore how the show has evolved over the centuries, from shifting settings and new characters to bold reinterpretations...

Singer, comedian, impressionist, actress, musical theatre performer and pantomime veteran Hilary O’Neil joins Martin on this week’s podcast.   Although she loved to dance as a child, Hilary never initially planned a career in show business. But after training at Laine Theatre Arts, her talent and drive quickly took her into the spotlight — beginning as a dancer with the legendary Ken Dodd. From th...

This week, Martin is joined by Divina De Campo and Andy Hockley to dive into one of the most deliciously wicked ingredients of any good pantomime – the panto baddie! Together, they explore the fascinating history of the villain’s role — from the origins of the classic characters to the curious tradition of always entering from the left-hand side of the stage. They’ll unpack the art of playing the...

The UK Pantomime Association recently hosted their second Panto Panel at the North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford, this time shining a spotlight on the art of scriptwriting and Martin was there to talk to some of the country’s top panto writers. A panel of top writers from across the country gathered to share insights into their creative process — from crafting jokes and choreographing slosh scenes to...

Actor, singer, and dancer Anita Harris has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning six decades. From chart-topping hits to memorable roles in the iconic Carry On films, Anita has shared the stage and screen with some of the biggest names in show business, including the legendary Morecambe and Wise. A lifelong lover of pantomime, Anita has appeared in countless productions over the years and still del...

This week’s guest on Just Imagine is true panto legend, TV presenter, and all-round entertainer Bobby Bennett. Bobby’s love affair with panto began at just seven years old, when he stepped onto the stage for his very first show. From that moment, he built an extraordinary career in showbusiness. In 1964, he made his mark on Opportunity Knocks , and just a few years later became a household name as...

This week, Martin sits down with Pravesh Kumar, Artistic Director of Rifco Theatre Company, to talk about Surinderella — his brand-new, Bollywood-inspired pantomime, touring this autumn. Produced in association with Imagine Theatre, Wolverhampton Grand, and Watford Palace, the show promises a dazzling mix of East and West.  In the episode, Pravesh shares the story behind Rifco Theatre Company, wha...

This week on the podcast, Martin is joined by the brilliantly funny Jarred Christmas. Originally from New Zealand, Jarred has called the UK home for over two decades, carving out a successful career as a stand-up comedian. He's a familiar favourite at De Montfort Hall in Leicester, where he's been delighting panto audiences since 2021. In this episode, Jarred chats with Martin about his...

This week we are going behind the scenes into the world of the DSM. We are joined by Jazmyne Evans and Kayleigh Alstin who both have a range of experience in theatre including as DSMs.  Martin talks to them about how their interest in theatre led to working in stage management, the training they have received, how they developed in the role and just what a day in the life of a DSM is like!

This week Martin is joined by dazzling La Voix.  La Voix will be spending her third pantomime season at Wycombe Swan this year for Imagine in Jack and the Beanstalk. La Voix was most recently seen wowing judges in the final of Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK .  No stranger to the screen she has appeared on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, Celebrity Weakest Link; Queen of The Universe and in AbFab The Movie . S...

In this episode we explore the rich, provocative history of cross-dressing in theatre with acclaimed author and performance scholar Janet Tennant, author of the book It’s a Drag: Cross Dressing in Performance.  From ancient Greek theatre to Shakespearean stages to modern drag performers, gender has always been more fluid under the lights than many realise and has always played a significant role i...

On 19 May Imagine held an open day to mark the official opening of our new home Trafalgar House. We were delighted to be able to welcome many of the people that have been instrumental in Imagine’s growth over the years as well as many of the Trafalgar team who have helped to make the move a reality. On this episode Martin joins Sarah and Steve on a tour of the building, shares highlights from the...

Comedian, actor, presenter and panto legend Joe Pasquale joins Martin on the podcast this week.  This season Joe is performing in his first ever Imagine panto, returning to Swansea Grand, where he performed panto alongside Swansea legend Kev Johns 35 years ago.  Joe talks through his extensive and fascinating career, from early days on New Faces and being taken under the wing of comedy legends Ken...

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 cem...

This week Martin is behind the scenes at the UK Pantomime Association Awards at The New Victoria Theatre in Woking. The UKPA Awards are an exciting opportunity for the industry to come together and celebrate this special art form. Amongst others Martin talks to Anita Harris, Elaine C Smith Simon Sladen, Sam Munday-Webb, Ben Goffe, Andrew Ryan and Basil Brush about the awards and their love of the...

They say there is ‘nothing like a dame’ and that can certainly be said to be true of pantomime. This episode Martin is joined by two performers who have played the role for many decades, Eric Potts and Iain Lauchlan.  They discuss the development of the panto dame from ancient Greek theatre to the dames of the early 19th century, where what we recognise as a panto dame today came into being.  They...

In this episode Martin chats to performer Ben Goffe who has recently been nominated as Best Comic in the UK Pantomime Awards for his role as Buttons for Imagine’s production of Cinderella at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon. Ben comes from a theatrical family and learned to dance at his mum’s dance school from the age of 3. During his career Ben has spent two years with the RSC and two seasons with t...

We have reached 100 episodes of the Just Imagine podcast, and to celebrate our host Martin Ballard shares snippets from interviews with some panto legends including Morecambe and Wise, Roy Hudd, Danny La Rue, Larry Grayson, Nigel Ellacott, Bob Monkhouse as well as some favourite panto memories from the Imagine team.  Don’t miss out on the special celebratory edition!

This week’s podcast takes place in Coventry, taking you on a tour around our brand new premises and HQ. Martin is joined by Sarah and Steve Boden who will be talking about the move and the need for a bigger space to house all of Imagine Theatres sets, costumes, props and office staff. In this episode Martin gets an exclusive look at the new Imagine Theatre HQ, with a guided tour by Sarah and Steve...

This week’s podcast subject is set design and Martin is joined by award-winning set designer Ian Westbrook. Ian has designed for theatre, television and film since 1985 and despite working on some high-profile productions he retains a deep fondness for panto and has designed a number of sets for Imagine Theatre in recent years.  In this episode Martin learns how Ian came to be a set designer, how...

This week some familiar voices return to the podcast as Robert Marsden and Mairi Cowieson join Martin to talk about Sleeping Beauty.  Variations 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 au...

This week Martin catches up with Steve and Sarah Boden to talk about how the 2024 season has gone. The 2024/25 panto season saw Imagine create their first ever panto in a big top circus tent, perform two brand new titles in Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Robin Hood and produce the first ever panto in the brand-new Fareham Live alongside continuing to develop their digital sets with the additio...

This week Martin catches up with some of the cast of Beauty and the Beastie in Glasgow: Liam Dolan, Valissa Scott and Nikki Auld. The Pavilion panto is a big part of festive tradition for many Glasgwegians as well as the actors themselves – this year is Liam Dolan’s twenty-sixth panto with Nikki just pipping him having done twenty-eight!  With the longest run of any of all of the Imagine pantomime...

This week Martin is joined by The Chase’s Jenny Ryan who is spending the festive season in Crewe as The Enchantress in Beauty and the Beast. Jenny talks to Martin about how she was influenced by theatre from a young age due to her grandparents links with the Octagon in Bolton, how she came to be one of the legendary Chasers and about why panto and live theatre in general is so special to her and t...