In this week’s issue of The Stage:
It’s the annual Christmas and Panto shows issue (oh yes it is). Kevin Berry casts an eye over the variety of seasonal shows on offer across the UK, Qdos director Jon Conway talks about his career in pantomime, you can win family tickets to one of 19 pantos around the country, and we have six pages of seasonal show listings
Peters Fraser and Dunlop represents numerous actors and writers, including Ewan McGregor, Samuel West and Alan Bennett. Nick Awde looks at the unrest between PFD and owner CSS Stellar, and considers the nature of representation and the case for super-agencies
Chris Bartlet considers whether the fallout from the recent spate of premium rate swindles has dented the public’s appetite for phone voting TV shows
Dear John: “With Christmas approaching, what can I do to get more work and make more money?”
Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench tells Maria Esposito why she was so keen to be a part of the BBC’s latest costume drama, Cranford. And the BBC’s head of series and serials, Kate Harwood, tells Matthew Hemley why the public can’t get enough of the classics
Ten years ago Richard Blackwood was one of the UK’s leading stand-up comics and TYV presenters, but all that changed when he was declared bankrupt in 2002. Now he is making a comeback as and actor in a touring production of Agatha Christie’s The Unexpected Guest. he speaks to Jeremy Austin
Ben Barnes has performed in The History Boys in the West End, the recent fantasy film Stardust and won the role of Prince Caspian in the big screen versions of the Narnia novels. He tells Emma Barnett how it feels to play the lead from a much-loved childhood book and acting tips he has learned
Backstage Focus: The Theate Royal in Norwish has been refurbished and restructured by architect Tim Foster, who took inspiration from pre-cinema designs, writes Francis Reid
Columnists: Ian Herbert on the best theatre blogs; Richard Jordan on the resurgence of the musical; Barbara Eifler on why ‘improving access’ to backstage jobs would be best achieved by improving the jobs on offer; Patrick Newley on the golden days of wrestling
Showpeople: Interviews with Lauren Hendry, circus performer; Richard Gauntlett, panto dame; Taresh Solanki, the first Asian actor to play Buttons; Jamie Thompson, New English Contemporary Ballet’s dance education manager.
Plus all the usual news, reviews, national UK theatre listings and recruitment ads.
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