Update

[pozorvlak]

I got the job application in, finally: here's the revised (or rather, totally re-written) research proposal, and here's the summary for laymen. You will notice the point where I thought "Speculative? Ha! I'll show you speculative!" I'd really appreciate feedback, especially on the one-page summary: the two or three formulae in there should be

Comments

Pantos

[johnckirk]

My only criticism (and I know this is something I go on about a lot) is that some of the USLEs need to learn to project their voices

I went off to an SF convention a while back, and the guy who played Sinclair in "Babylon 5" did one session. I was impressed by how he started: there was a bit of fiddling around with a microphone, then he just put it aside, saying "I don't need this, I am theatre trained!" And he did do a great job of projecting his voice.

As for pantos in general, one thing that surprised me recently were all the posters for "Dick Whittington" (the big Croydon pantomime). They've got Lucy Benjamin as the main star; apparently she was in "Eastenders", although I remember her from programs like "Press Gang". Anyway, I assumed that she'd be playing principal boy (or whatever the term is), i.e. putting on the tights as Dick Whittington himself. However, she's apparently playing Alice Fitzwarren (who?), and it's only some of the posters which even mention the guy playing Dick (some local DJ). Looking at other adverts I've seen (e.g. in Oxford), I think the Croydon panto is unusual in this respect, but have you seen other places moving in this direction?

Re: Pantos

[pozorvlak]

Well, the Glasgow panto had an actual man playing the principal boy - and worse, an actual woman playing the dame! I was shocked, shocked I tell you.

Re: Pantos

[countess_rezia]

To be fair, Alice is the principal girl in Dick Whittington, so it is still a main part. That she's been cast as Alice rather than Dick is probably more to do with her singing range (ie higher) than anything else.

Not that I endorse casting "celebrities" in pantomimes to sell them though.

Re: Pantos

[johnckirk]

Ah, fair enough; it's been a long time since I saw "Dick Whittington", so I'd forgotten about that character. As I recall, Dick and his cat were the two main roles (i.e. both played by humans) - is that still the case?

As for the celebrity aspect, my experience is a bit skewed here because that was always the case when I went to pantos as a kid; I remember that Christopher Biggins would go dashing through the seats (in character) but stop to sign autographs on the way. I was quite surprised when my old flatmate told me that most pantos don't do that.

Re: Pantos

[pozorvlak]

Celebrity pantos appear to be here to stay, alas. Though as long as they can actually act, I have no problem. The Glasgow panto had her off Chewin' the Fat as the Dame, and she was great, but the principal boy was just a cipher.