Honkingly good

Panto in February? Oh yes there is...

“I’m married to John Bishop,” announces Sir Ian McKellen. “At least until February anyway, when we get to Wolverhampton and that beautiful theatre!”

The much-loved 83-year-old actor, whose long and impressive CV includes playing Lord Of The Rings wizard Gandalf and Marvel Comics supervillain Magneto on the big screen, is heading for the Midlands to star in pantomime as Mother Goose.

And he’s doing so alongside popular funnyman John Bishop, who’ll be taking the part of Mother Goose’s husband, Vic.

“I’ve only played Wolverhampton once, so I’m very excited to return to that gorgeous theatre,” continues Sir Ian. “I played the venue in 1971 with Hamlet, and it was a long tour. By that, I mean a very long tour - and it was such a long time ago! Much of it now I can’t remember, but to this day, the image of the Grand’s gorgeous auditorium remains in my mind. The auditorium wraps itself around you when you’re on stage. And then there are those plush red seats. It is indeed very grand!”

By the time the pantomime production reaches Wolverhampton, Sir Ian will have been playing Mother Goose for more than two months. He spent the festive season starring in the role in London’s West End, where he enjoyed rave reviews.

“There are lots of sorts of Dames,” he explains. “There are men in frocks who look nothing like women - and that’s very funnyright through to the other end, who are really convincing women, like RuPaul and Danny La Rue; hugely entertaining and altogether the most glamorous things you’ve ever seen.”

So what can Sir Ian reveal to an expectant Black Country panto audience about his take

on Mother Goose?

“I asked Jonathan Harvey, who has written this pantomime - and who has written so beautifully for Coronation Street - to create me a strong woman. He created the part that I played in Coronation Street for 10 episodes, and I knew that he would come up with something equally brilliant for my Mother Goose. Think Coronation Street housewife; she’s a strong woman but she’s flawed… “Mother Goose is a very special part. Although all pantomimes have a Dame, this story actually revolves around the Dame, which isn’t true of most other pantomimes. Mother Goose is the Dame of Dames!”

Mother Goose shows at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Wednesday 22 to Sunday 26 February.