Old pals unite as the dames in Cinderella

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30: The dames in this year’s Christmas pantomime Cinderella are just as entertaining off stage as they will be on it.

Kelvin Hastings-Smith and Phillip Jones, who play the ugly step-sisters Millipede and Aphis, are like an old married couple finishing each others’ sentences and teasing each other rotten.

It’s hardly surprising they get on so well as they have been good friends for almost 20 years and have shared the stage on several occasions.

Hastings-Smith is rather an old hat at playing dames in the Christmas panto — this will be his “umpti-ninth” time, while Jones is making his dame debut.

With a face plastered with paint and dressed to the nines in a blue dress covered in bright orange fish, Jones explains: “I’ve always loved the panto and I have kids now and so it’s really fun.

Feet of a master

“It is a very different genre to straight theatre which is what I usually do. I never thought about auditioning for the dame because I thought if Kelvin’s auditioning there’s no point because he would be better! So when Cinderella came along with two dames I thought, ‘Aha! Here’s the chance to be mentored at the feet of a master’.

“Kelvin has really mastered the genre, he gets being the dame and knows what is important about the panto.”

Hasting-Smith’s role in Cinderella, which opens at City Hall Theatre on December 8th, will be his 13th time performing as a dame.

“I even played this very role nine years ago,” he recalls. “The difference between this production and 2002 is that I can’t remember my lines! And Phillip and I seem to lose focus for some reason.

“We’ve known each other for eons and when we were cast everyone said ‘oh, it’s going to be such a laugh with Phillip and Kelvin. And we are having great fun.”

The pair might have been having a little too much fun while rehearsing for their parts in the traditional fairytale directed this year by Jenny Burrell. They were given a “telling off” for acting up and causing mischief while they were supposed to be learning their lines.

“Kelvin and I have always had a good repartée together so when there is a space during rehearsals we tend to fill the dead air and none of the other actors are sure if it is supposed to be in the script or not,” explained Jones.

“We were given a talking to and told to stick to the script, at least until everyone recognises what the script is supposed to be.”

The pair first met during an acting workshop on the island nearly 20 years ago. They were both on the Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society’s drama committee together which, according to Hastings-Smith, “was a drama in itself as we caused havoc!”

They have performed in several productions together including Beauty and the Beast, The Deep Blue Sea and Guys and Dolls. They are also two of the creators of the Famous for Fifteen scriptwriting competition which is approaching its tenth year.

Burrell’s version of Cinderella has a local and modern twist to the traditional fairy tale.

The story begins with a family at a picnic who tell their children the fable of a once wealthy Baron. Baron Hard Up (Jym Bryer) is strapped for cash as his ugly step-daughters (Hastings-Smith and Jones) have been using up his credit cards.

The Baron is saddened because his step-daughters make life difficult for his real daughter Briar Rose (Katie Witkowski) who they call Cinderella as she has to clean out the cinders from all the fires at Hard Up Hall.

Magically the Baron appears at the picnic and the story unfolds about Cinderella and Buttons (Dion Ming) who loves and loses her to Prince Charming (Matthew Wedlich).

The dames have been given a little leeway to add to the script and so we can expect a few topical jokes thrown in for good measure.

“A lot has changed in Bermuda — we have a new political party,” says Hastings-Smith.

“Yes, they will get a little mention because they are only a little party,” Jones laughs.

“And they haven’t done a lot yet,” interjects Hastings-Smith. “But the governing party have been in for such a long time there is a wealth of material there.”

Jones added: “Yes, I think Paula Cox’s dresses are lovely — this is actually one of her cast-offs.”

The audience is invited to dress as their favourite Cinderella character on the opening night and have their picture taken with the stars of the show.

There will also be a raffle for flights with Jet Blue and Daisy and Mac discounts for those who hold on to their ticket stubs.

Cinderella herself (Katie Witkowski) will be at Daisy and Mac on Saturday, December 3^rd.

Information

When: December 8 to 17 at 7:30pm. Matinees are on December 10, 11, 17 at 3pm. There will be no evening performance on December 11.
Where: City Hall Theatre
Tickets: Available through the BMDS box office for $35. Open from 5:30pm to 7pm until Friday December 2 and open on December 5 and 7. Tel: 292-0848. Also open one hour before performances at City Hall box office. Tel: 292-2313. Online bookings can be made at www.bmds.bm from 3pm.