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[Music]
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this is the third and final part of my
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interview with actor writer director
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michael garland in this part of the
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interview
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we talked about the difference between
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the pantomime Dame and the role of the
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ugly sister from Cinderella and we also
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talked about the role of the pantomime
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villain so ugly ugly sister right right
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I was yeah I was reading Paul Harris of
00:59
the who wrote the pantomime book he was
01:02
saying that right existed wear high
01:28
heels so you could you could feasibly
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then performed a wearing dr. Martens
01:47
differently than that and that if you
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were flattened female a valid sense so I
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was like no I feel about two inch heel
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in game do you see that sadder you see
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that strange walk open yes and you do
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that strange saga
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across the stage to that sound water
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witching boots he won’t do right
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I’m Jonah bearing down a poor birth of
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his new audience and going yield it’s a
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different move
02:27
and it’s also we’d slight differences I
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need the problem is that technically
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it’s extreme demanding that article
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artists have different shoes different
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costumes for ding for Alice if you’re
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expecting us to play both and the picnic
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thinks there is a strange tradition that
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gains only sisters provide their own
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costumes why would they even say exactly
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what you’re playing out and out and you
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know you don’t
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although I do now because I’m so used to
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it but very but most important no but if
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you slowed down or if you play your
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respective revival and see me not active
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pays that much more yeah suddenly
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respected Hey extra water so why would
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you something say that if you thank
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sister it’s one second just the same
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thing it’s another
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but they are they do have to be subtle
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realtors because those are different for
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you yes are one fashion models I see
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this isn’t one of the they all what me
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sis wants me parrot oh right no Dame’s
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Danes are all all want to be no danger
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all no psychic glamour searching but
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their mothers without so would you would
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you say that this just pops into my head
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that an ugly sister then is very similar
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to what joanna lumley was doing as Pat’s
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home at fab yeah
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that’s an ugly sister
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in fact I’m happy
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there were losers no perfect partners
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yes no perfect absolu which was always a
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good time to play
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remembering apples I play out announcer
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yes if the fact that I would never use
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the voice the full book I said I’ve got
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to the work to tear it up yeah and when
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we see the ticket airing I’m doing twice
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as ugly sister okay okay ours Wow and
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then I other systems let me go with
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radicals my friend yeah and the whole
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shit right and you’ve got quite an you
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will you a said you won’t quite a good
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singer but I remember you having like a
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certain amount of operatic range right
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oh yeah yeah right there you go so
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you’ve got that you’ve got that range to
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go through for that yes really him to
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make them to show today six weeks
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yes right so you can choose to make I
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mean that’s a basic thing you do in
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rehearsals we have to work out within
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your own framework whether this is
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consistent when you can make the sorry
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over time right and that’s one of the
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things where non crows or I this is a
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special thing they not non clothes
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shouldn’t feel a suppose that shuttle
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because they will make something that
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families and rehearsals and they do four
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shows in this Chronicle yes I saw last
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year I hit hockey hockey in it and I
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wasn’t the NBA doctor and I say well
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this is very much in your range so he
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doesn’t straighten it Barty sex
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high voice like that for you
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I’m very sweetly he was also at for me
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and he you know every show before birth
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he shows he shows that he he swore he
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couldn’t hit that no and I did every
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show yeah comrade up that number pokey
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banging great you know yeah he said no
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he said and you’re doing all the
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shouting you’re sick because of course
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it was combined with yoga so you’re
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shouting and screaming and I go to rule
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the world and you’re all going to die
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and you know against knew this you know
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sake voce so when we actually put it all
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together and I said if you think we’re
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going to be able to do that now because
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it’s a bit odd going up quite that high
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he’s going in their foolishness I mean
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talking his exercises and they were very
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good I like it or not and it’s fabulous
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and he’s the best presenter laugh with
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you right he’s angry anymore
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she’s gone back because he was a sinner
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and European Envy
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[Music]
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yeah and this is what scream and scream
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yeah and so you you you essentially then
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when you’re doing you dumb panto for a
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number of years now see you you pretty
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much alternate between
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and villain right oh that’s right and
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then I saw you a few years well number
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of years ago now I saw you playing
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Merlin in yes that’s right
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so occasionally you do other things but
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it is mostly Dame and villain monk I
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have the gravity you could have told
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that Merlin could have turned it
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unmannered right thing about Merlin was
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he was very pleasant in a kind of
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evangelists are displayed but we
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wouldn’t want to upset him yes you know
11:43
that I do yeah he was not so we say
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there were certainly things to Merlin if
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you picked him off things would not go
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your way a fight with his great funk
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play yeah and the lovely thing about
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knurling because he thought that
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learning can presumably yes with the
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fact there was a big speech I did
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automatically and important things Ruth
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wasn’t there on the producer and the
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director said okay Michael speech no way
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about what bollocks to find those three
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and a half minutes time to see change
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and the way is that all I’ve got anyway
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yeah and I mean okay that’s what we do
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oh you don’t tell me when I get to the
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right point
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so we visit cousin times in the pencil
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and I had a guy waving at me and I wrote
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a basic speaks out and then they waved
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at me and then by the time we got to the
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vessel her I realized when the wave was
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downtown but I had in tech line inserted
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so if the same thing shouldn’t work or
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if they’ve got stuff I could insert
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lines in right so
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sweets with variable depending on how
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does any change where and what was it
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about bullets
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I feel more ganas Pentacles encroaching
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around the palate and magic growing even
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stronger soon soon
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if I am NOT careful if I do not stop it
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she will destroy us all
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it’ll rot I’m pretty good with that I
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made it up as I’m looking maybe up on
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stage in the dress rehearsal
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mm-hmm because you know we’re supposed
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to being in media Tek it didn’t work
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right
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they couldn’t make it work so I said
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well I’ll talk alone the Daleks then now
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what was so funny was how you didn’t
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need to come status I used to get around
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crap speech every night Wow
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and Haley wait what the fucking we going
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she said anyways comment if you say it’s
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rubbish that when of course is rubbish
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everywhere
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what’s he doing Dana it’s beautifully
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spoken rubbish she said yes what is
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fokin is you think that sound like
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you’re listening PR I think it was my
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big Shakespearean speech write it with
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absolute bollocks right and I do
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remember that I would go through the
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world of darkness will encroach oh yeah
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and I just need to make it out and how
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we need to find it hysterical and I go
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sit around at the end of it nice and it
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was you know like things are happy
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making sure they complete rankings girls
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down the class in fact what I need that
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was done I could wrap it up yeah okay
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let’s wait as soon as I got on cleaning
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okay wait wait
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they are how pretty he recommences all
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the dances are in place for all finishes
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absolutely always around on it
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I am nothing shit the same place because
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we always think shit we got answers yes
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yes so he can sometimes break off in the
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sentence that was because we had there
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was no filler for that yeah right and it
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was done to thee we decided to do it to
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the hectic scene from Harry Potter
16:35
underneath it makes it sound fabulous
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and it doesn t nothing what I’m saying
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then because I think it meaningful and
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we’ll just talk rubbish
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yeah that all it was for it was just
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that they couldn’t see any change in
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time yeah it was terribly funny and
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that’s what I did I just got around to
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that every night well you know how you
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come out and listen and go what the
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fucking doing and I like no idea so you
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you write and direct
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pantos as well right and you have you
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basically been doing that for the same
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amount of time you’ve been doing them no
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I started writing them when I started
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working for Martin so I was doing other
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people’s plateaus
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what started happened was I was like big
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scene six after I receive pantos now
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like big thing because eating work or
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Atkins work I couldn’t make it make
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sense or the dialogue was safe or or
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whatever and I would just go do you mind
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try writing are there right now is right
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out of people sitting there by other
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people that people sit in it
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so one shark eat when I was Amelia third
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a bit and I was only cause and then we
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did our DQ shows for company Berry in
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Harrogate and I super rewrote that very
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slightly yeah Danny knows Baker drafted
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a rotating he told me what he thinks
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bration was incised out to that mean see
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what I used to do was I would not I
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would not destroy okay
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so yeah and this is and
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specific accuse no yes I know it all
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starts now yes
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I think certainly after he cannot and I
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have to take a stretch to go yellow as
20:00
in ownership its Afghan right again
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right sorry things like there was a we
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have Eliza we had very good and i can
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nort it will see and always own work and
20:18
his threats because actually he’s got a
20:20
lot of things genuinely right the only
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thing that he needed was fattening was
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always funny but his shakily was
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beautiful
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so I would keep her safely in people’s
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you know understand no no no we can’t
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assume he came back why he gonna that’s
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really those sequence one tiny he he’s
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ever seen ativan catalyst and put it
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into prose and I don’t know we can keep
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things ronica it’s funny huh wanker
20:52
because I’m cops are funny if they’re
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done right yeah and we can take you on
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tablets and Ryan cool ridiculous and so
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yeah how important is it do you think to
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keep the pan tradition song sheet ghost
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seen slop seeing that sort of thing
21:17
absolutely yeah I mean you don’t have to
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have all them in every show every time
21:21
but you have to have some of them in all
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the time right and the villain and the
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villain has to enter from the left is
21:29
that right
21:30
yeah there’s whole routine the very same
21:33
from stage left know if you’re facing
21:50
audience variant from from the right as
21:57
that goes back to what Victorian era
22:00
melodramas
22:11
right and there – yes over here as well
23:11
yeah something a little city and
23:22
something we have started doing not you
23:26
know it does shift it shift sorry we’re
23:29
starting to lose the ball you know I
23:31
really wasn’t do some female you know
23:38
lady 15 came to Robin Hood punks right
23:42
yeah yeah I like the lake or miss my
23:47
house yes don’t she know what she worked
23:51
absolutely brilliant but most beautiful
23:58
boys don’t have it no it’s a trick and
24:03
it’s gone from a lot of people you know
24:06
we’re sticking any pops down anymore
24:12
everywhere right
24:16
with three failures male islands are
24:21
very good male yes and they’re very old
24:32
about parties which is fundamentally
24:33
it’s a male environment otherwise
24:36
beauties and women are not happening if
24:43
we ever shown you soon you’ll get you
24:46
know the name Ariel carries and we’re
24:48
sitting there – you remember bently
24:51
addendum I don’t know walking eating
24:55
damn it was lacking in deal that it
24:57
nothing you can actually it’s very
24:59
difficult to pull out and we fry it but
25:02
he’s don’t enjoy it as much an aborted I
25:05
guess it’s because right the villain is
25:10
always a male and that’s a great part
25:12
the Dame is the male that’s another
25:14
great part Tom it yet is the male that’s
25:16
another great part and then there’s
25:19
everything else occasionally lucky no
25:26
wait so you get a female Queens and now
25:29
also when you get and they’re fantastic
25:32
but but oddly I worked with one two
25:37
three four five six seven
25:39
then female villain asses and only two
25:43
of those really enjoyed it oh I don’t
25:47
like you know and all that stuff in the
25:49
yet oh yeah what does that mean so he so
26:18
Saeng
26:19
I somehow feel and I could be horribly
26:22
wrong I’m almost any southbounders
26:27
not necessarily female environment I
26:32
think this has got to do with fat with
26:35
theater say there’s not exist for
26:38
waiting until 1500 yeah that’s right
26:42
till the restoration until and therefore
26:45
there’s a hot not female friendly
26:51
although
26:53
panto as it is now evolved after that
26:56
though right yeah comes from comes from
27:00
Dave is entirely a the nurse could have
27:11
been a female right Wow Wow
28:23
[Music]
29:03
[Music]
29:08
and so the whole concept of the Dame was
29:12
already damaged two things but his
29:14
holster before pattern right right God
29:18
so always yeah yeah so that’s why when
29:23
we get people saying yes yes and also
29:36
female range I think you’ve seen any
29:42
they don’t work mmm interesting ring
29:46
that work what do you think that is yes
30:02
got it okay because you meet that what I
30:17
make paint that without it sounding
30:23
appalling right yes I mean III I’m one
30:34
rename any mark show oh yeah
30:44
yeah that one
30:48
why I’m fine
30:52
we’re gonna blow these sounds yeah
30:56
sickly being outrageous problem they add
30:59
on yeah interesting
31:07
young young enough now
31:12
they’re all X ounces always we found
31:16
this they are those moving at and the
31:20
vocals are boring were lacking the both
31:25
lines and so like line the last young
31:35
hanging on them that’s right um I also
31:47
wanted to ask you Michael how do you
31:50
where do you stand on creating a new
31:53
panto what I mean by that is instead of
31:56
the traditional fairy tales that we all
31:57
know you know like the Beauty and the
32:00
Beast for example or Cinderella’s and
32:02
that’s is there room do you think to
32:05
create something new like a new fairy
32:07
tale or a new story I don’t see why not
32:12
as long as people are prepared to allow
32:16
us to do the old ones
32:24
Jackson Alaska if they also want to do
32:27
the others I can’t see a problem with
32:29
that oh you problem right so you think a
32:40
healthy mix of the old traditional and
32:42
and new works yes right because again
32:51
one piece yeah but what you don’t want
32:54
to do is clear
32:56
one big lava right no
33:00
and with no reason certain cases would
33:03
be one candle times the theatres will be
33:05
much more interested in doing the new
33:08
ones
33:08
yes I mean he’s got a pound that’s our
33:13
big theorem is doing back in with any
33:15
storms renowned theatres if that one is
33:17
inducting lethal correct yeah they’re
33:20
doing Dracula the Disco’s and ho for
33:26
example yeah Wow and result it
33:32
understands what is suing hungry
33:34
definitely doing right your problem you
33:37
have a flame bending the rules so we
33:50
were talking about with a song and also
34:08
[Music]
34:11
things putting things in the right place
34:13
not appalling there but in the right
34:16
position yes those that also than that
34:18
too right and the other nothing I want
34:46
to ask you know I came across I was
34:47
looking at some theaters that were doing
34:51
panto and I came across one that was
34:53
just at Easter how they do
35:01
yeah that’s a very odd isn’t it they
35:03
must take out all their Christmas
35:04
references it’s kind of a cookie
35:08
yeah yes I do sound that is that
35:13
Wow I mean with the this so you would do
35:18
the same stories like the syndrome is
35:20
very important thing Wow
35:25
and is that essentially what it’s very
35:28
similar to summer season right not
35:31
necessary okay so if I do a holiday camp
35:37
yeah for a while pattern afternoon and
35:41
then magic show
35:43
sometimes so nice oh wow okay do those
35:46
shows and move on those always go sounds
35:49
even wearing a permanent venue almost oh
35:57
[Music]
35:58
yeah okay and so do the pantos
36:17
year-round work then – they still bring
36:19
it because the idea you know my
36:21
understanding is the idea of doing a
36:22
pant or Christmas you bring all the bums
36:24
on seats Theater makes whole bunch of
36:26
money and that sort of lasts and the
36:28
actors I see these buttons even whatever
36:50
Viscountess and a cosmetician usually
36:54
see and peer patos appear at Blackpool
37:00
with the Panthers oh wow okay
37:05
they baking that but that’s it really
37:09
that’s two weeks in the Eastern sauna
37:18
Wow
37:24
yeah yeah but Audrey how old was he when
38:29
you correlated in Chicago right I’m
38:32
waiting I’m waiting people salmon being
38:35
gained with my I’m not sure if could
38:40
afford you Michael could you tell me a
38:51
little bit more about a year-round
38:52
pantomimes and summer seasons please
39:02
[Music]
39:09
sound when an opponent venue okay
39:35
and
39:36
so do the pantos year-round work then –
39:39
they still bring it because the idea you
39:41
know my understanding is the idea of
39:42
doing a Christmas you bring all the bums
39:45
on seats whole bunch of money and that
39:48
sort of I see okay yeah
41:40
but yeah seems that’s that’s that Audrey
41:47
how old were still 40 when you
41:50
correlated in Chicago
41:53
I’m working to salmon being gained with
41:56
my crew market I’m not sure if good
42:01
afford you Michael we’ve got to get you
42:11
got to get through the flight first well
42:23
anyway Michael that’s it’s been an utter
42:25
delight talking to you thank you so we
42:31
saw you at some point right yeah we can
42:35
do this again we can talk again yeah I’m
42:39
just trying to figure out when I’m Lex
42:41
coming over and it it could very well be
42:44
sooner rather than later yeah melissa is
42:55
B last year she was taken on a cruise
42:58
with her grandmother oh wow it was all
43:01
paid for and Melissa right well it’s
43:04
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so I’d
43:07
like oh okay she went why didn’t you go
43:09
to the UK and that’s how I came to go to
43:11
the England by myself I was like fine
43:14
and then this year she going I’ve got
43:15
another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
43:21
right so her grandmother’s pretty much
43:25
all but paid for it yes this is this is
43:32
next year so then it leaves me to
43:35
potentially come again almost well we
43:41
wouldn’t go at the same time when she
43:43
goes on the cruise I’d be looking after
43:45
the children and then when I’m in
43:46
England should be off looking after the
43:48
children
43:52
no no sadly no no okay
44:01
open I was doing a master class the
44:03
other day and I was actually teaching I
44:05
was thinking of you because we were
44:07
teaching the sunlights room okay and I
44:11
was doing the whole I was in the bottom
44:12
screen sequence yes and I think of you
44:17
did I ever tell you just quickly before
44:20
I wrap this up did I ever tell you that
44:22
when we first started doing that show
44:24
and you were you know you and I were
44:26
working together now and you were sort
44:29
of giving me some direction and all this
44:30
other stuff I was thinking my goodness
44:31
you know we’ve got two directors here
44:33
and then I as I as we went on I realized
44:37
I was getting a master class from you
44:39
don’t I ever tell you that
44:41
yeah I thought holy shit this guy is so
44:44
experienced I’m getting a master class
44:48
so I’m just gonna shut my mouth and
44:51
learn and that’s very kind
44:57
[Laughter]
45:01
right right or anything but yeah that’s
45:06
what I thought I didn’t say anything but
45:08
I thought I’m just gonna listen to this
45:10
guy over here and I’m not gonna listen
45:12
to you know what I wasn’t allowed to do
45:18
it in the original accent I wanted to do
45:20
it in which was what do you remember I
45:22
was really going to do it no wait it
45:32
screams yes I wanted to do a spring
45:36
northern because I said it’s much
45:37
funnier in the woman and Susan were flip
45:42
whatever her name was wanting mr. West
45:45
century and I said well I will probably
45:51
because a guy who did it for you did
45:53
West country back in what happened
45:55
exactly what happened because she just
45:57
like she just restaged it not as funny
46:02
[Music]
46:04
and one line it’s simply one paragraph
46:09
because if you ignore them it goes with
46:15
her at night outside the city walls we
46:18
can question live there in West Country
46:24
it’s not as funny so lovely line um she
46:29
figured out that that cookie not working
46:31
with there yeah in organ just works
46:35
beautifully
46:37
yeah and and I mean lesson yes it’s very
46:46
interesting country sound and
47:13
interesting yeah and I come on it and
47:16
you’ve said it before and I was thinking
47:17
about this the other day that I could
47:20
have swore there were two characters
47:23
where you you crossed yourself and
47:25
obviously that’s impossible
47:26
you know what you will you left us one
47:28
character came back on as another but
47:31
and you did yeah yeah and it was it was
47:39
just bizarre how there were there were
47:43
two of you but they couldn’t have been
47:44
no and it was when I came off as sin
47:51
stroke and came on batters oh it was
47:56
lifted off and stick that’s gonna go
47:57
yeah yeah and then you but you also
48:03
looked at yourself I think yes okay yeah
48:11
yeah yeah yes yes you know you know
49:20
right I’ll remember I did a show friend
49:29
and it was seconds and he yeah that was
49:38
that it was just it was
49:45
[Music]
49:59
[Music]
50:30
[Music]
51:31
okay okay
51:50
[Music]
51:57
yeah but it’s funny
52:00
maybe convinced ego goes really get to
52:06
see that extra comedic flick but it
52:18
recessed we know so telling razzle yeah
52:22
the opposite end of the day we have that
52:26
number thirteen universal well so we
52:29
used to read city policy own
52:32
we had to vote count dances in the
52:35
middle there was me and the enemy’s
52:41
Saints after the middle and borne out of
52:44
the military a key key and very gown
52:48
they will about eighteen nineteen and
52:50
tend to be extravagant nice is
52:53
qualitative quiet for weeks
53:07
okay sunny Worthing won’t be no it never
53:15
is i I used to I used to go around there
53:17
when I was a teenager it’s gonna work
53:19
well yes yeah we’re angering Lane not
53:32
your cousin used to work impact yeah the
53:38
cousins were in fact now a teacher in
53:44
high school is decide wearing turned out
53:59
with drama in our show with his Nana and
54:06
hop dancers he was there what the work
54:10
you officer whatever heat that children
54:17
have now hanging person not the future
54:32
[Laughter]
54:36
why okay it’s me insane
54:42
my uncle Marco yes like Yankee so you
54:48
say they look like they were very used
55:26
to walk on stage you know and I go good
55:28
afternoon and they will go deep trouble
55:53
for that and yes cannot no doubt
55:58
thank you Michael yes okay so your and
56:13
your your Dame in babes in the wood for
56:15
shriven I’m I bake in daily basis here
56:19
and then I’m going Emperor and so you go
56:26
from you’re going for you’re doing babes
56:28
first that closes no no no the big end
56:38
of the tent
56:38
got it Wow so I do I love him in the
56:43
middle okay what you’re doing in
56:47
Leicester yeah so there’s anybody
56:52
this lot of doing bass they they were
56:54
promoted Paulo so I check this out then
56:58
I’ll go off and rehearsal a diamond
56:59
working all right yelling please play
57:01
and respect that and do Aladdin until
57:06
then the second time back take big ones
57:08
only third rehearse it in to examine the
57:11
plant and then we’ve done it
57:13
Wow yeah tense yeah everything moves out
57:22
and I shout oh yes Michael thank you so
57:41
much I really pretty is at the end of
57:46
this interview if you’d like to hear
57:48
more interviews please check out our web
57:49
site comedy Q&A calm that’s the word
57:52
comedy there letter Q the letter n the
57:54
letter a.com thanks very much for
57:57
listening
57:57
[Music]
58:03
you
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