From Rags to Riches: Being Cinderella

Izzi Rudd has been a member of The Wight Strollers for as long as she can remember - she joined the company in September 2005 and her first show was the February 2006 production of Cinderella. How perfect, then, that she will be playing Cinderella in our February 2018 show!

Congratulations, Izzi! Cinderella is a fantastic role and one of the most beloved princesses - how did you feel when you were asked to play her?
“I couldn’t quite believe it. I remember sitting down at the beach and Sarah said she wanted to 'cast Izzi Rudd as Cinderella'. I almost had to ask her to repeat the name, because I didn’t think it was me - it was crazy!”

It's a major role, that's for sure! 

Cinderella is undoubtedly one of the most popular pantomimes, and she's a favourite princess for a lot of people, including you - what do you think makes her, and her story, so popular?
“It’s that classic fairytale, it's the ultimate rags to riches story. It’s that dream...of being whisked away by a prince and having this wonderful fairytale life. And it’s so much more than that, too - it's a really good story for children to hear, for everyone really, because it shows that, however bad times are, there is a light at the end of the tunnel."


That's very true - after all, things aren't exactly rosy for Cinderella, at least not to begin with, are they?
"Exactly. Cinderella hasn’t really got a great life, and she’s not happy all the time...but she’s not always sad either. But, no matter what, she never stops believing she'll get a happy ending – that’s such a nice story to teach young people.”

Beautifully put. Turning to our version of the fairytale, it's a script that's been written in-house and obviously that means nobody else will have performed or seen it before - can you give us a taster? What's your favourite bit in the show to perform?
“My favourite moments – can I say all of it? I think my favourite part to do is actually when Buttons calls me ‘brainy’ and then laughs about it, and I just give him this really dirty look! The song ‘When You Believe’ is another favourite moment, it’s really beautiful."

And what about a favourite moment that you're not in? The bits you most like watching?
"I don’t know – that’s hard, because it’s just such a good show! I think the songs are all going to be amazing – the singing is just beautiful, and we've set a bit of ‘Dancing Through Life’ with the cast now and it's so gorgeous. I was sat there thinking ‘Wow, this is going to look so pretty,’ because everyone is so good at getting into all their different characters and everyone works so hard - I love watching things like that take shape and come together.”

I'm sure the audience will be blown away! Okay, let's widen the field and make this more difficult...what's been your most memorable moment with The Wight Strollers since you joined the company all those years ago?
“Oh gosh…that's hard! Can I have more than one?"

Of course!
"Well, obviously Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in general was just this absolute phenomenon. I loved being the dancer in the French song in Joseph ['Those Canaan Days'] - that was so beautiful and it’s probably my favourite dance that I’ve done.

That was a beautiful routine, and I agree - an incredible show! So what about going even further back?
"Well, then I sort of go back to things like when I was a skeleton in the last Cinderella we did! But you know what, it’s not even necessarily the shows themselves that I love the most or the things I do in them, it’s all those little memories that come with them, like when I was stuck at the side of the stage with Sarah [Scotcher] and we couldn’t move because we’d both gone off the wrong way – it’s things like that, the little moments, those are what make the best memories.”

Good answer! You clearly enjoy being part of the company - what's the best thing about being a Stroller?
“These guys are my family. They’re my life. This is my thirteenth show, so they've watched me grow up...they’re all my extended family and it’s surreal to have that feeling about so many people. We’re so close, and it’s so special. But I think the best thing is that everyone has bad days, completely, but when we come together we just have an amazing time - we pick each other up and all those worries get left behind because you’re a Stroller. I don’t think many other companies can say that…definitely no other company I’ve been with. But it’s just how we are – it's just ‘us’.”

That's such a lovely way to describe it, Izzi...Like you said, you've grown up with the company and you've been performing since you were old enough to point your toe - why, in your opinion, is theatre so valuable as a pursuit for young people?
“I think it’s a way of expressing who you are through something other than social media, especially in this day and age where there's just so much pressure to be a certain way – you don’t feel like you have to fit into a certain stereotype or group when you're doing theatre. And I think it’s also an escape, because you can play someone else, you can express yourself through a character and you can have fun with it. It’s such a lovely hobby, and especially with a group like the Strollers where you become part of something, a big thing...it's a lovely feeling, and it’s so important to feel like you can just be who you are within that setting and have fun. It gives you such a good support network, too.”

That leads me nicely on to my next question - taking on a principle role for the first time can be as daunting as it is exciting. How have the rest of company been? Have they been supportive?
“Do you know what? It’s really lovely, because it was during our carnival season when everyone was told the cast list, and I can’t think of one person who didn’t come up to me and say ‘Congratulations’ and ‘You so deserve this’ and things like that - I felt so loved, it was such a nice feeling to know everyone was genuinely so happy for me."

That's so sweet! I bet that gave you a big dose of confidence right from the start!
It did - I sung solo for the first time a couple of weeks ago, too, and I had so many people saying well done and telling me I had a lovely voice. Every part of the journey so far has been amazing, and the cast is amazing - and my prince, Ches, is great. He's always telling me how good I am, and that's a real boost, too!"

So here's the big final question: Why should people come and see Cinderella?
"Because you will enjoy every single moment. You’ll sit there and you’ll think ‘I want to be in that’, even if you've always hated the idea of getting up on stage. I’ve had so many people say to me ‘this is great, it's so much fun, those guys are having an absolute blast up there’about our shows – so just come along and watch it, have some fun, and enjoy it! …And you’ll get to hear my singing debut!”

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To see Izzi in action, make sure you’re in the audience for  Cinderella! Tickets go on sale on Tuesday 2nd January 2018 at £9 for Adults and £8 for Under 14s. They can be booked online at www.medinatheatre.co.uk or by phoning 01983 823884. The performances are at 2:30pm and 7:30pm on Saturday 10th February, 2:30pm on Sunday 11th February, and 2:30 and 7:30pm on Saturday 17th February. See you there!

Pretty as a Princess

Last week, we introduced Michael Mullin as Jack - this week, we're introducing our gorgeous principal girl, Princess Primrose, who will be played in our February production of Jack and the Beanstalk by Beth Batchelor.

Beth is another relative newbie to the company; she joined in September 2014, stepping out to tread the boards with us for the first time in February 2015 as part of the chorus for our award-winning production of Aladdin.

She was a member of our chorus, too, for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (2016) before being asked to play the seductive Mrs Potiphar in our summer production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. 

She then proceeded to clean up (and dance!) the streets of the Island as part of this year's 'Dirty Dancing' carnival entry - it's safe to say Beth has thrown herself wholly into Strollers life since she joined, and we love having her as part of the Strollers family!

Prior to joining The Wight Strollers, Beth was no stranger to the stage.

Beth has, in fact, been performing on stage since she was 6 years old, and was an Irish Dancer for 10 years, coming second in the British Championships when she was 14 and even qualifying for European Championships. But that's not all!

"I starred as an extra in a Discovery Channel Documentary when I was 18," she says. "I played an air crash victim - which didn't really help with my existing fear of planes!"

Jack and the Beanstalk marks Beth's first principal girl role within The Wight Strollers, and she will be playing Princess Primrose. Not your typical princess, Primrose hates formality and falls for the charming and witty Jack Dimple, a village boy.

So how is Beth finding playing a princess?

"I love being a princess - I have to say that, in reality, I'm not a typically girly girl. It's been a little challenging getting into character, but I have been "revising" by watching endless Disney Princess films!"

Having seen her in rehearsals, we can tell you she's going to be absolutely fantastic, and she's been working hard with Michael (Jack) to perfect what will be another gorgeous panto duet.

"The singing rehearsal with our MD and 'Jack' went really well," Beth says. "I'm looking forward to adding a few moves to the singing now!"

For Beth, all things panto may be going smoothly, but for poor Princess Primrose the road is a little more challenging; after all, the course of true love never did run smooth, and soon after she meets Jack she's kidnapped by the sinister Giant - Buster Gut-Bucket - and taken to his castle in the clouds.

It's up to Jack to rescue her...but will he succeed?

Make sure you get your tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk - performed at Medina Theatre, Newport, on February 18th, 19th and 25th 2017 - to find out!

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Tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk go on sale Tuesday 3rd January 2017 from Medina Theatre Box Office on 01983 823884 or at www.medinatheatre.co.uk - don't miss out!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Feedback, Round 2!

Well, what a second weekend we had! Completely sold out and the positive feedback has once more been flooding in since this time last week - so we thought we'd share a few more of the wonderful things people have been saying about our production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

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"It was the first time we'd seen a performance by you all and it was truly unique. My son hasn't stopped talking about it, [we] can't wait for July!"
- Laura Smith

"Fantastic show - well done."
- Susan Coquio

"Thank-you so much for a fantastic show tonight, we loved it."
- Caroline B Ritchie

"Thank-you so much to cast and crew for another brilliant performance last night! It was hilarious and entertaining as always, and even the two 14-year-olds that I had with me loved it and yelled and clapped along with the rest of us. We absolutely love the Strollers shows, we always leave with a big grin and dried tears of laughter on our cheeks. We will be back for next year's panto and we will see you all in July for Joseph."
- Lou Hewison

"A great show again, I came on Saturday afternoon. Def[initely] didn't disappoint, [it] was great. Loved it and so did my nieces, who are still talking about it now - great job, guys!"
- Samantha Stean

"Thank-you for our magical afternoon from 8th Ryde Brownies, we had a fantastic time and hope you like our photos - see you next year!"
- Caroline Seaward

"Another bloody amazing production. They just get better and better. Love the adult humour. Nice to see some new faces, which means it is still going to be the best panto on the Island for a good few years. What can you say about Sarah's performance apart from 'brilliant as usual!' - can't wait to see Joseph in July. Well done to you all!"
- Lynda Waddams

"Every year, me and my fiance come down to support The Wight Strollers. Having taken part in many shows before moving to London, I must say I truly miss it. A cheeky little shout out to my mummy, Karen Cassford, who somehow manages to work full time, organise, design and create endless number of incredible costumes. And Cheryl Rudd, absolutely incredible choreography! It is just such a pleasure to watch all the beautiful dancers as well - watching them grow into lovely young ladies! An incredible cast and an incredible director - well done, Wight Strollers! Standing ovation!"
- Hannah Cassford

"Thank-you for a wonderful pantomime!"
- Sandra Ma Davies

"The Wight Strollers put on an awesome performance this evening...laughed so much! Well done, all! Very well done!"
- Julie Anne Harris

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We'd also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported us - whether that was by liking one of our Facebook posts, sharing our event, putting up a poster or, of course, coming to the show itself - we couldn't have done this without every single one of you!

We will be announcing our charity totals in April, so watch this space!

In the meantime, if you enjoyed Snow White - or if you missed out and want another chance to see us in action - then visit the Medina Theatre website and book tickets for Joseph - they're already selling fast!

As always, please visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to keep up to date on the everyday happenings of The Wight Strollers.

We're Dreaming of a (Snow) White Christmas!

It's Christmas and that means our tickets go on sale in just a couple of weeks for 'Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs' - how exciting!

The tickets go on sale Monday 4th January 2016 from Medina Theatre Box Office in person, by phone on 01983 823884 or online.

At just £8 for an adult and £7 for a child, we're proud to boast professional quality at amateur prices, and all in aid of Island charities.

So come along, join the fun and support our show - you won't regret it!

With the proceeds from our 2016 pantomime, we're thrilled to be supporting four worthy causes on the Island and they are:

- Scope (Isle of Wight)
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance
- The Martin Poynter Trust
- Saturday Club for the Deaf

We work so hard to keep our prices down, with both internal and external fundraising, as the cost of the theatre is rising almost faster than we can keep up - so your support is more valuable now than ever before, in order to ensure that we are able to continue giving thousands of pounds a year to local charities, all whilst entertaining the whole family and providing a place for talent of all ages to perform on our beloved Island.

It's been such a long time since our last blog post (sorry! Things got a bit hectic!) that there's a lot of news to tell, but one piece in particular of which we are hugely proud:

At the final Isle of Wight Amateur Theatre Awards ceremony in November, our 2015 production of Aladdin won 'Best Christmas Production' - a huge congratulations to our cast and crew - we couldn't be more thrilled!

As for what's next on our blog, we're about to ramp things up a gear - watch this space for weekly behind-the-scenes posts from 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' - interviews, photos and sneak peeks into how the Strollers is run, it's all to come as we move into the new year, so stay tuned!

On that note, The Wight Strollers would like to wish everyone - friends, family and supporters alike - a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

May it be filled with magic, fun, love, laughter and, of course, our pantomime! 

A Princess' Perspective...

I don't usually write these blogs from my own perspective, but this year I thought it would be nice to take a look at a character type that may not bring the biggest laughs or cheers, but is a crucial and beloved part of pantomime nonetheless: the Princess.

I first stepped onto Medina Theatre stage for the first time in Prince Crispian and the Magic Sword, dressed as a snowflake, in February 1995. Far from being frightened, I was so desperate to get on stage that I pushed the terrified snowflake ahead of me on, just so I could  get out in front of an audience that little bit faster.

Not much has changed.

In the twenty-one years I've been with The Wight Strollers, I've been lucky enough to have some wonderful experiences as a dancer, a chorus member and as a principal.

With every year, I've loved it a little more, and anyone who knows me will know how much I love the company, and the people in it.

I always struggle to put into words just how I feel about them - 'family' is about as close as I can get. No matter how long the day, there's always a smile to be found in the company of these wonderful people.

This year, I am thrilled to be able to step into the role of principal girl, and I have to confess...there is nothing quite like the feeling of shaking off reality and becoming a princess for a few hours a week!

Alright, so it's true that princesses aren't always the brightest characters on the bill...

They ignore all the best audience advice, engaging in many a fairytale faux-pas, from swapping magic lamps to eating poison apples: memorably, when playing Snow White, I had a little girl shout 'Don't eat the apple, Snow White - you'll die!' from the audience, but the script, sadly, forbade me to listen.

They usually don't think beyond first impressions: Princess Mandarin in this year's Aladdin, for example, conveniently runs into a peddler man exchanging 'new lamps for old', mere moments after Aladdin has handed her a battered, old lamp and told her to guard it with her life...

And they often find themselves in mortal danger: so far, in my panto princess experience, I've eaten two poisoned apples, pricked my finger once, almost been eaten by a wolf and been captured twice. Not a great track record.

But those are minor details. I, for one, adore every second I spend in a princess dress!

Over the years, though, I've come to realise that there is so much more to playing a princess than just a pretty dress (although that is a major perk!) - so, for a bit of fun, I've come up with five top tips for any Panto Princess in the making...

1. Know what makes your princess tick...
Princess Mandarin is in equal parts sweet and feisty, and she will settle for nothing less than what her heart wants...and that's something to be admired, I think. It makes her easy to love, and even easier to play.

2. Embrace the Princess Persona
Most of the audience will associate the word 'princess' with the Disney Princess franchise...and with those expectations come faraway looks, wishful sighs and plenty of flowery hand gestures!

Just try not to smack the other cast members with your hair, hands or billowy sleeves while you're twirling and prancing around from dawn 'til dusk!

3. Get the Look!
When you play a princess, you just know that dozens of little girls in the audience, who have all come dressed up, are waiting to see what you look like...

Your make-up has to be perfect, your dress has to be pristine and you have to be prepared for your feet to suffer in many an itchy, glittery shoe. Sometimes it hurts, but it's so worth it!

4. Find the right prince!
The perfect panto prince depends on the panto - he can be anything from charming gentleman to cheeky chappy, as long as he's believable from the first moment you meet to the final curtain call.

I've been so incredibly lucky to have played opposite some super talented actors and some of my very best friends over the years, and often they wind up being one in the same. This year is no exception, though don't tell him I said it!

5. Wishes, Dreams and Happy Endings
For me, the most important part of being a princess is what you represent. In a world where children are encouraged too soon, at least in my opinion, to abandon the fairytale role models of their childhood, it's a thrill to be able to inject a little magic into their imaginations as a real, live person.

After all, in PantoLand, the princesses aren't animated, airbrushed or photo-shopped; they are real girls, with real lives and real bodies. Real people who have probably once sat in an auditorium wishing they could wear a Snow White dress, or sing like Sleeping Beauty or dance like Cinderella.

For all those children that sit and watch you get your happy ending, whatever the trials that come before, you are a reminder that happy endings exist and dreams can come true. And that you can grow up, at least in some way, to be a princess.

And sometimes, for a little girl doubting herself, that little glimmer of hope can go a long way...

See Princess Mandarin in action at Medina Theatre this half term by booking tickets for The Wight Strollers' fun-filled family pantomime, 'Aladdin'. Visit the Medina Theatre website or phone 01983 823884 to book your tickets today!

'Aladdin' 2015: Tickets on sale!

Tickets are now on sale for our 2015 pantomime: Aladdin. 

We have a fabulous cast of local talent, a stunning dance troupe, spectacular scenery, a live band, laughs by the bucket-load and plenty of magic for all the family in our biggest and brightest show yet.

To whet your appetite, we're going to play a game of 'Meet the Cast' over the coming weeks...so watch this space!

In the meantime, buy your tickets at Medina Theatre Box Office, Isle of Wight, either in person or by visiting www.medinatheatre.co.uk or phoning 01983 823884.

See you all in Old Peking!

Sleeping Beauty: The Debrief, Part Two!

10:30pm on February 23rd. Pantomime was over and the post-panto blues had hit with a vengeance. In fact, several of the cast were moping for weeks, and a few were even spotted sitting in their cars outside Medina Theatre, costume in hand, gazing woefully at the doors and wishing the show was still going...

Alright, that's a slight exaggeration – but everyone was pretty gloomy!

The reviews were out and they were fantastic. A full-page spread in the Isle of Wight County Press and a spot on their website had everyone smiling, and an extra giggle came from Sara Bryce, the reviewer, when she revealed that her boyfriend had got so into the production that he'd hit her in the face in his hurry to snatch flying sweets from the air.

We also received a review from Fern Alexander, one of the contributors on the Island's website for under-25s, yoppul.co.uk. Another glowing report.

The show had been hailed as our 'best panto yet' and that felt good. For all the people who had put so much hard work into the production, both on stage and behind the scenes, it was just the response we had been hoping for.

An after-show night out for some of the younger cast members and an after-show lunch at the Ponda Rosa the day after the final performance seemed to lift everyone's spirits, and the highest honour the Strollers have to offer was awarded to its unsuspecting recipient...

The Orchestra's Accolade.

More commonly known as the 'Cock-Up Cup', this is a trophy that has been passed on from year to year to the cast or crew member who makes the biggest, most embarrassing cock-up of the show run.

Last year, it was awarded to fabulous fairy Nicola Steedman, whose skirt made a dramatic drop from her waist, leaving her in a bodice and granny pants, in the opening scene of Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood.

This year, the nominees were plenty, but the winner was unanimous:Step forward Patrick Barry, our Prince Rupert, with a hideous case of gender confusion.

Whilst engaging with the audience (beautifully), he found himself ad-libbing and in conversation with one of the audience's youngest members in the front row. As they shouted a response, he turned back to check he'd heard right:

"What did you say, little boy?" he asked.

"I'm a girl!"

Whoops. Bad luck, Patrick, in that moment you were crowned the cock-up champion for 2013. Better luck next time!

Next stop: the AGM in April, where Princess Aurora and Prince Rupert presented the cheques to our chosen charities for this year.

We pride ourselves on making sure our money never leaves the Island and goes to local charities, to make a difference to local people. This year, the causes were as worthwhile as ever, and we were thrilled to give away a grand total of £6000.

£500 went to the 1st East Cowes Guides, £500 to the Isle of Wight Synchronised Skating Team, £1,000 to the Isle of Wight Youth Trust, £2,000 to the Isle of Wight branch of Parkinsons UK and £2,000 to Layla's Trust.

Three new committee members were elected, and the carnival theme was announced. It was decided, as we did last year, to keep the theme a secret until the big reveal at Newport Carnival on Saturday, July 20, 2013 – it's become quite the popular guessing game!

Another lovely article in the Isle of Wight County Press followed the AGM, and pantomime was deemed truly over for another year, which could mean only one thing: it was time to start planning for the carnival season!