Oh yes they did…….is what you’ll tell your great-grandchildren (when they skype you in the care home once a year) about the night you discovered Steampunk Pantomime. Possibly the first of its kind and at the very excellent Bradford Playhouse from 16th-18th December, it’s a nod to all things Neo-Victorian. The creation of Douglas Thompson and a ton of other hands-on, tweaking, geeking Steampunk enthusiasts, this pantomime follows Victorian inventor, Mandrake Eldridge, with the help of evil Lord Rottingham and the infamous Leather Gentleman’s Club, into the enchanted world of Ephemera.
Hmmmm…sounds bonkers. Let’s let Douglas explain…
Where did the idea come from and where were you when you had this ur um…moment of clarity?
With my good friend and co-writer Simon Cantril. We wanted to reinvent the pantomime and make it avant garde, absurd and comic with a dark edge to it. Mandrake has been a character I’ve been developing for quite some time though… he exists out there and even has his own facebook page. That’s where we did a lot of the initial character development… on facebook. I really like using new media in inventive out of the box ways as a writer. You can find him HERE I should also say that the cast have all work-shopped the script and contributed to the writing significantly. The nature of the production was that of collaboration and sharing skills.
Is any of the story based on real world events or is it a madcap invention of the best kind?
It’s a madcap invention of greatest magnitude. The script itself contains parodies and allusions to Shakespeare, Brecht, Becket, Edgar Allen Poe, Gilbert and Sullivan, Joe Orton, Black Adder and Lewis Carroll.
So why Steampunk – are you a fan?
I’ve always enjoyed Victoriana and lampooning the rigidity and repression prevalent in that great age. I think the SteamPunk movement is great fun stylistically and definitely a movement to be taken seriously in our post modern age. It is perhaps encompassing more of the arts than any other current trend. Some really interesting fine art, sculpture, drama, film and television programmes are coming out of the movement. It has a great sense of self parody. I guess I’ve always been into it but only really discovered what it was this year.
What should we prepare for?
Absolute anarchy across the board. On Thursday (16th Dec) we preview our first open art exhibition with the show, on Friday the playhouse is having a massive Christmas party with live music and DJ’s until the wee hours. We also have degree students from Harrogate making a surprise intervention on the first night… but shhh that’s a secret.
Steampunk is often about the style & detail so what can we expect from the costumes, gadgets and props?
We’ve been wonderfully supported by the West Yorkshire Playhouse costume department… they are simply wonderful. The Steampunk Society has also leant us some weaponry. Rather spiffing stuff. We are trying not to over use the tech but to get a rusty, dusty, musty feel that fits the theatre. We have an amazing artist working on the machine over in Huddersfield so I’m quite excited about seeing it for
the first time this week.
What about the traditional audience participation?
It will be a feature of the show particularly in the second half when they travel to the fairy tale land of Ephemera. Lots of room for booing, hissing and shouting. In the first half we open to the scene of a lecture theatre where our cast and audience are expected to jeer like they were in the House of Commons. We also have a song for everyone to sing… but it won’t be in the way you’d expect.
Should the audience dress up?
Yes, yes, yes. Put your top hats and bowlers on. Moustaches, canes and tails too if you have them, the sillier the better. We have the Steampunk Society visiting on Saturday 18th December and I’m told they will be dressing up to the nines.
Will there be sword-play?
Yes. The fight will be great fun and part of the finale. Our fight choreographer is professional Brendon McCoy. It was a real scoop to get the fella on board.
Thanks to Douglas for answering this q&a between rehearsals…i.e. in the very wee hours of the morning!
Tickets for Mandrake’s Magnificent Machine are available from the Bradford Playhouse box office on 01274 820666, Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm at £8 full price, £7 concessions or £5 each for groups of 10 or more. The play runs from the 16th, 17th and 18th December at 7:15pm with an extra Saturday matinee at 2:15pm.
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