Linda Lusardi at the Playhouse

After the awful year and a half that we have all gone through there is one single word that can change everything and make the world a better place, a single word that means joy, happiness, excitement and magic…and that word is ‘Panto’!

So when we get the call from our friends at Playhouse Whitley Bay inviting us along to Panto Press Day, then you can understand the joy, happiness and excitement we feel at being able to pop down and chat with the stars of Blue Genie Entertainment’s ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’.

Snow White has an amazing cast for you, with the return of local lad and panto legend Steve Walls, returning for his 11th year at the Playhouse and his 25th pantomime as the lead comic helping to run the show. He is accompanied by genuine panto royalty with Linda Lusardi who is playing the Wicked Queen, a role she can’t wait to play jokingly saying ‘I love being wicked queen. I love, you know, shouting at the kids and making them cry’. Linda rose to fame in the 80’s as one of the biggest names in modelling, and has went on to also make it big in the world of stage, film and TV, with roles on ‘Emmerdale’, ‘The Bill’,’ Brookside’, as well as appearing in various stage shows and panto’s up and down the country, a few film roles, and even winning ‘Celebrity Come Dine With Me’ as well as getting to the semi-final of ‘Celebrity Masterchef’!

regular, Linda’s daughter Lucy Kane, who hit the headlines back in 2017 when a certain Sir Tom Jones chose her for his team on The Voice UK. Lucy is no stranger to performing, as she has been doing it since she was a little girl, and she has appeared alongside her mam in several shows already, of which she said ‘it’s lovely, It’s so lovely, she’s literally my best friend and it just makes the whole process of being away from home at Christmas so much more comfortable because you’re still with your family so I love working with Mum’. Lucy is also part of girl group Nova and has released a few solo songs on her Spotify so make sure you check them out to get you all excited for seeing her play Snow White.

Blue Genie Entertainment are pulling out all the stops to make sure this is the biggest Panto of 2021 as they not only bring the stars to the Playhouse, but they are even making Playhouse history by featuring seven real Dwarfs as the magnificent seven, rather than the usual schoolkids playing the roles. Our magnificent seven are Laura Christine, Jordan Sunter, Claire Ibbitson, Bernadette Windsor, Maria Popska, Zita Ferry and Laura Philips.

Dame Patsy is back too, Tynemouth’s very own Daniel Mawston returns as Patsy the cook, which will be his 14th panto, his 3rd panto with Blue Genie. So you know you can expect fun and glamour from the off.

Due to covid there was no panto in 2020, in fact lots of performers found themselves with no work, so

when asked how it feels to be back on stage after so long Steve said ‘Because obviously, this is our first panto for two years, but I did a comedy gig three weeks ago, right? And the first comedy gig for like 18 months and its weird because when they say go and do an hour, you’re trying to remember what you did 18 months ago and it’s sort of… I was on a river cruise, and I just remember standing as I got introduced and I thought I don’t know what I used to do. Usually when I take a break for a panto or if I’m doing ships and stuff and then I take a break and I go back to it I’m thinking what do I do? That’s like a four week break, but 18 months was like wow, you remember bits and pieces that’s the problem and you’ll start doing a gag then another gag, but that’s two routines gone because you’ve took it from a routine it’s like yeah, so it’s a bit freaky. Yeah, but at least we’ve got a script this time’. They all admit that the nerves are there, but once that curtain raises they will be giving 100% to make sure the crowd is entertained and the kids have the most amazing time, as they create a lasting memory, as it was for Linda ‘I remember going as a child and being overwhelmed and crying when the music started because it was just so exciting and Magical’. I replied saying you never really grow out of panto, to which Linda showed off some of her quick and wicked wit saying ‘You still cry, do you?’ to the delight of Steven and Lucy who thought it was hilarious, well played Linda, well played.

When asked if they have performed in the North East before Linda said ‘I’ve been to Newcastle three times in the last few weeks. I went up to see the football, because my manager is a good friend and works for Mike Ashley. So he sent his helicopter for us. So we went to the ground by helicopter, which only took an hour from London and then back the same day, and it was amazing. I can’t believe I’ve been to Newcastle and back in the same day. And then I did a TV programme which will be out Halloween which I can’t tell you what it is because they haven’t announced it yet. But that was starting in Newcastle and then it travelled round. And then today, it’s brilliant’ ‘Mines not quite as glamorous’ replies Lucy’. We’ve got family up here. We have been up a few times to see them but I’ve never done any shows up here. So yeah, I’m excited. Yeah, it’ll be good’.

To which Linda says ‘When I’ve toured with shows, you know, as you go up the M1, the audiences get better and better and better. And the further you go down from the M25. Their worse they become’ as she laughs naughtily

again, knowing she’s being wicked again, showing us how much she is going to relish playing the wicked Queen. ‘You know, in London, they sit downs and sort of say right, prove yourself! Whereas up here. They’ve already had a drink, they shout ‘come on lets go for it’, they are well up for it’.

She continues ‘there’s lots of good things up here, we’re gonna have great fun and you know, our family will be able to come and see the show because some of them are local. My husband will be up and down and Jack, Lucy’s brother will be up down’, so it is safe to say Linda and Lucy are both really looking forward to performing here in the North East.

Tickets for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are already flying out, plus with some great special offers on for teachers and school kids, you really don’t want to leave it too late and miss out on what will be yet another magical panto season at the Playhouse. To book tickets you can either pop along to the Box Office or book online https://www.playhousewhitleybay. co.uk/events/rescheduled-datechristmas-pantomime-blue-genieentertainment-presents-snowwhite-and-the-seven-dwarfs/.

A big thanks to Linda, Lucy and Steve for signing our charity banner, Gary Telfer and David Kirkland for the invite and finally Limelight Studios for the official press day photos.