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Theatre lovers from across Bahrain are being invited to be part of an exciting new pantomime production this fall, being put on by the kingdom’s oldest English-speaking theatre club.
The Manama Theatre Club, a section of the British Club, will be holding auditions at its Queen Elizabeth II auditorium for cast members on Sunday (September 1) and Thursday (September 5) at 7.15pm, for approximately 30 roles in its upcoming production, titled Help, I’m a Celebrity Pantomime Dame: Get Me Out of Here!.
The unique pantomime by Ian Hornby is set in Pantoland, several years after the ‘good’ characters from a number of well-known tales have triumphed over their respective antagonists.
A number of these well-known characters get together to fight off the evil queen and her dotty sidekick, the wicked stepmother. The queen banishes the ‘good’ characters off to the jungle where challenges and trials await them.
Male and female actors, aged 15 and above, are being invited to audition for the roles.
In addition to the cast, MTC is also looking for a full team of crew members for the production, which is being directed and produced by MTC veteran Hannah Lynch.
“There are about 30 roles, including 15 main ones,” Hannah, who is also the chairperson for the MTC, told GulfWeekly.
“For the auditions, there is no preparation required - those interested can just show up on the audition dates at the auditorium.
“We are also looking for volunteers for our crew, who will do everything backstage from lighting to costumes, building sets, social media, stagehands and more!
“Those interested in the crew roles can contact us through Instagram.
“If you’re chosen for a role, here are some key dates to remember: Rehearsals will take place on evenings of Sunday, Wednesday, as well as Saturday mornings and afternoons, with the show hitting the stage in the first week of December.”
Primarily popular in the UK and Ireland, a pantomime is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, and is usually staged during the winter holiday season.
It includes songs, gags, slapstick comedy and dancing, combining topical humour with a story loosely based on a well-known fable, folk or fairy tale.
It is participatory in nature and the audience is encouraged to sing along with some of the music.
“The pantomime is probably one of the most challenging forms of theatre out there, just because of the sheer number of people involved!” Hannah added.
“In total, more than 70 people will be coming together to put on this show and I am quite excited to see the magic happen, even though it’s going to be a lot of work.”
Performance dates are not confirmed yet, but are anticipated to be towards the end of the year.
The last pantomime staged by the MTC was Beauty and the Beast in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“MTC welcomes all volunteers from seasoned professionals to complete amateurs with no knowledge of theatre,” Hannah noted.
“We aim to put on a variety of events each year, from plays and pantomimes to improv workshops and socials.
“We use ticket income to pay for the essentials and aim to have a percentage of profits left over to give to charity and support the beating heart of drama in the local community.”
For more details, follow @mtcbahrain on Instagram.
