Theatre and Dance Previews

As well as taking in productions from all over the country, the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage produce their own shows at least twice a year. These are usually musicals and almost always take place during school holidays so that youngsters from the local community can be involved.

Fans of the classic J M Barrie fairytale Peter Pan will be delighted to hear that they will be staging their very own professional production of the story as their spring offering.

Peter Pan: The British Musical will be brought to life aided by a wealth of local talent, original music and dramatic flight scenes.

Adapted for stage by Piers Chater Robinson from JM Barrie’s original book, this production has been performed in professional and amateur productions world-wide and includes all the much - loved favourites from the book including Peter Pan, Wendy, John, Michael, the dastardly Captain Hook, pirates, fairies and death defying feats of flying!

It's being directed by Paul Laidlaw and the cast includes Bradley Clarkson, the local boy who got to the quarter finals of last year's Grease is the Word show on ITV.

We caught up with them both during the final week of rehearsals to find out more.

Paul Laidlaw

Why did you decide on Peter Pan for your next production?

Paul: A number of reasons - it's a fabulous story of course, everybody knows the story and likes it. It hasn't been done in Stevenage for over ten years and also, one of the features of these shows is to involve members of the community and there aren't many shows where there's a lot for kids to do. Peter Pan has the Lost Boys, Indians and pirates so that was a factor too. And both Bob Bustance, the producer of the show, and myself know it quite well and just thought it would fit.

It's quite often done as a pantomime, which I don't like, but this is definitely not panto is it?

Paul: It's not a panto, no. There is a certain amount of involvement with the audience because one of the most famous moments in Peter Pan is where we all have to believe in fairies to save Tinkerbell, so there is a direct address to the audience at that point. And clearly Captain Hook is such a villain that he has a raised eyebrow to the audience but even he never directly addresses the audience. It's a musical. Originally of course it was a play - it's only recently that music has been put into it.

I hate it as panto. And once you start messing about with the story like putting the dame in, it's no longer Peter Pan so if it's not a panto and it's not Peter Pan, why bother doing it?

And this has been adapted from the book hasn't it?

Paul: Yes - if you know the book you will recognise a lot of the dialogue, and all the famous scenes between Wendy and Peter and Peter and the Lost Boys. What has happened is that, like with all good musicals, when a particular person is having their inner most thoughts and feelings they are turned into a song so that they can express those feelings - as a result some of the dialogue has gone into the songs.

Is there a little message in this show for all of us?

Paul: What come across enormously is love and family - and that people look after each other and care for each other. And it's not about searching for lost youth, it's actually accepting yourself for what you are.

And it's a particular aim to get people from the community involved in these shows is it?

Paul: Absolutely. This year we've had a problem because Easter is so early and a lot of the schools that we wanted to involve don't have their holiday for another fortnight, but fortunately enough of them were available. Unfortunately, Peter Pan is a bit short on girls but our excuse is that we did Annie last year so it was the boys' turn this year!

And there's a lot of flying of course?

Paul: Yes - all done properly and at great expense! There's four of them in the air at once - Peter, Wendy, John and Michael all fly through the air out of the nursery, across London and onto the island of Never Land so it's a very big scene for the four of them.

How do you do that in rehearsal?

Paul: You plot out where they will be and land so the actors know where they are going to be, but of course the actors have absolutely no control over where they are in the air, that's all done by operators so, if you've got any sense, you don't fall out with your operator!

When do you actually get the flying equipment?

Paul: Today! (A week before opening night!) It is a strong, long technical rehearsal (two sessions of three hours) and of course the added problem is that it's got to be done in time with the music!

But for the men who rig the equipment that's what they do, that's their job, and it's the same with the people who operate it. As long as you've got the pros who know what they are doing it all happens! The people on the end of the wire just have to look good!

A lot of trust is needed then?

Paul: Yes - trust and commitment and belief - you've got to believe you're flying! I know it sounds trite but if you think you're someone dangling on the end of a wire that's what you'll look like!

Bradley Clarkson

Bradley, you are playing Starkey the pirate who is Smee's mate - what sort of role is this?

Bradley: It's kind of a double act really. Everyone's heard of Smee but Starkey is in the original story. They are kind of a double act, Hook's lieutenants in a way. Starkey's a bit of wet really, he think he's quite brave but he's all mouth and no trousers. There's a great relationship between Hook and Starkey because I think Starkey really believes he could be Hook one day and tries so hard to impress but he never quite delivers!

How is working with the children?

Bradley: They've been fantastic so far, there are so many of them. It's actually quite rewarding because you see them getting so excited, and it makes it all worthwhile because you remember why you're doing this. They are great to work with.

So was that you one day?

Bradley: Yes - that was me about 15 years ago - and at this theatre funnily enough! It's great to be back because this is kind of where I got the bug as I did some shows here as a kid. To see it come full circle and to see another lad who could be me 20 years ago is lovely.

I grew up in Datchworth so I did cub gang shows here and came to see the panto and did a couple of the summer shows so it's where it all started for me. Gordon's Craig's like home really.   

So this shows how these productions really nurture young local talent?

Bradley: Absolutely - it's fantastic for local people, and there are lots of local people in it. They come back and do shows and then a few years later they're in London doing big shows. I think it's great for Stevenage to have such an active theatre that puts on its own shows. Not many theatres offer that really.

What did you go on to do?

Bradley: I went to drama school - Mountview - then last year, while still at drama school I did 'Grease is the Word' so it was a busy old year! I was in the quarter finals for that. It was a great experience and I got loads of local support which was good.

What made you decide to go for something like that?

Bradley: It was just literally seeing it on the notice board at drama school and my mum said 'go on, go for it'! So I went up for it, and you never think you'll get that far but I just kept going and got through the various stages. It was a whirlwind journey - amazing really.

Have you learnt anything from it?

Bradley: Yes, an awful lot. It's very different that whole television thing. You've got to know your stuff but it's also about how you look and how you're perceived on TV. It's very clever how they do it. But it gave me a great bit of exposure which was very helpful and I made some good contacts and friends.

So has anything come directly from doing that show?

Bradley: Yes, I was in a new musical straight after that called 'When Midnight Strikes' which was in London in September and then panto last year where I was billed as Bradley from Grease. But whilst it's all been a fantastic experience I think now it's time to move forward from it.    

So you saw this show coming up and decided to go for it - based on past experience?

Bradley: Yes - I'd worked at the Gordon Craig before but I hadn't worked with Paul which I was keen to do. And it's nice because I live so close. What with last year being so mad I hadn't been back home for a while, so I thought I'd go up for it. It's nice to be at home, I was at home over Easter and also it's a great team to work with here - I know it's going to be a big success.  

Why should people come and see it then?

Paul: It's going to be a great evening. It's going to be so exciting and it's so funny as well. There's so little these days [to be happy about], I think that it's just good to find an evening in the theatre that is just sheer joy with fun and laughter and little bit of bitter tears which are always resolved. There's not a lot of that which happens now and certainly not in theatres of this size because putting these things on is so expensive. But you're getting three hours of music and song and dance and spectacle and joy - I'd pay to come and see it and I don't have to!