During panto season 2014 I worked with actor/director/writer Jennifer Sarah Dean to musically direct and create sound effects for the original panto play Pantopantoland.
It was quite a tight rehearsal schedule and the cast only had one day to learn 12 songs! But they were brilliant and rose up to the challenge, performing the entire panto just four days later.
– Above Pantopantoland being performed. They took an audience member up on stage to be the King which happened to be my partner Mark!
After the panto season, Jen had been asked to direct a short play as part of the 5 minute festival at the Lost Theatre in Stockwell. The play South Australia by Kenneth Emson incorporated the sea shanty song of the same name. Jen asked me to musically arrange the sea shanty for three voices and also perform in the play.
The cast included Brian Mackay, Eleonora Gorini and Victoria Gilbert, and we got through to the final of the festival and got to perform it a second time the following day which was really enjoyable. Although we didn’t win the festival, we all loved being able to perform it a second time.
– Above performing South Australia at the Lost Theatre 5 minute festival.
I first worked with Jen in the musical Flatmates V. Zombies (2013).