| The Wizard of Bloz - a review of it all. |
by Rich Anson.
The 20th December 2004 will go down in our pub-history as the night the Blues Bar Collective pulled off a incredible success. Less than four weeks earlier no one had even thought of doing a pantomime...
It all began with during an early doors session...
It was cold and wet outside and the usual suspects were gathered, huddled over their drinks. Someone - rumour says it was Rick Lawson - suggested some panto fun to while away the winters' miserable run up to xmas. A scratty note on the wall later and twenty people were 'in'. Then Sharon's masterstroke - she somehow goaded our very own Hollywood player Hugo Speer into becoming our Director. Uncertain of his mates commitment and perfectly placed to co-ordinate our disparate resources Martin Greig stepped up to the plate and took on the crucial role of Producer.
So the decision makers were in place.
All we needed now was a cast, a crew and a story to tell. |
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The story was written over the next ten days by Hugo, Martin and me. It was rewritten and completed by Hugo over an intense weekend later but many of the original gags survived to the final cut. Once the principles characters were decided - Emma for Dorothy, Vicky for the Wicked Witch - the cast fell into place via alchemy and a set of thought processes people would probably rather not know. |
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The Wizard of Bloz is the story of Dorothy, a poor barmaid fed up of being pushed around by her boss and heart broken by the way her beloved pub is being run into the ground.
The play is introduced by Belvedere Gazebo our own colonial colonel with a vast experience of (mis)adventure. When we cast Chris Barnes people knew it was a risk - a man of colossal character it was a matter for the bookies as to whether our powerful director would be able to control his undeniable talent.
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As Dorothy stands stage centre wishing she owned the blues some thing bizarre starts to occur...
A massive storm later - staged by our friends at Fun Time Audio Video - and Dorothy is whisked away to a strange and wonderful land. Replete with fantastic backdrops - designed by Lucy Campbell at Harrogate Theatre and painted by a team of cast and crew - the land of Bloz was beautifully drawn and added greatly to the unmistakable whiff of professionalism that permeated the whole production. |
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| When she wakes up Dorothy is greeted by the Good Witch Bizzandra played with perfect pitch by Sandra Highfield, looking and sounding not unlike Joyce Grenfell. Sadly Dorothy’s faithful dog Toto didn’t survive the impact of the pub and was squashed (a toto disaster). |
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| Bizzandra reassures her with some new shoes and tells her to find the screaming madman Dufus Bonecheese who’s standing at the crossroads waiting for the Devil to teach him how to play guitar. |
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Enter the wailing bluesman Dufus Bonecheese played by Paul Middleton - drawing heavily on his own experience of waiting for the Devil to teach him how to play the blues. This Southern letch is very impressed with Dorothy and tells her that she needs to see the Wizard. To find him she must find Betty’s.To find Betty’s she must venture down Tobacco Road. |
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| Cackling and screaming the Wicked Witch arrives with her faithful sidekick Boo the Cat. These two were amazing. Sharon stepped in at the very last minute to play the Witch when Vikki - our original bad girrl - fell and broke her leg. What Vikki had in Comic timing Sharon had in Volume and Voice - boy could she scream! |
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Boo was played with passion and claws by Claire in a patent leather cat suit - photo’s of which have appeared on dubious web sites across the www.
After trying to make Dorothy smoke, the evil duo are shooed off stage by the entrance of the Three Lions. |
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| Our Gay Pride of lions brought the house down with their unique version of Three Steps to Heaven (step one: you find a lion to love...) Gleon - Leon Varoujian has surely missed his vocation by not being on stage full time - is given energetic support by Badly Shaun Boy (Sean Luker) and Big Jim (Jim Smart) as the deluded trio who finally realise their true feelings for each other. |
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The show was really humming along when the sound system kicks in and ‘Our Friends Electric’ blasts out while The Tinternet Man swaggers down the stairs. Clad in circuit boards and flashing lights with a huge monitor on his head Chris Thompson made his own costume - soon to be exhibited at Tate Modern - and provided the most spectacular entrance of the night. Tinternet man has no modem and believes the Wizard can help him because he’s very well connected. |
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| Then Mo - or ScareMo - silences everyone with a loud “For fuck sake!” as she descends the stairs trying to light a cigarette with a blues bar lighter. She’d love a smoke but every time she lights up she sets fire to her straw! If only she had a brain.... |
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So the crew were assembled and united on a mission to find the Wizard who’ll sort out their problems. But then they are attacked again by the Witch and Boo the Cat. Finally the Lions show their courage. While they wrestle the baddies ScareMo and Tinternet Man share a beautiful moment together. He lights her fag and she turns him on and lights his bulbs. They fall in lurrve and join the fray.
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Outnumbered, the Witch and Boo flee and our friends are victorious. With everybody else sorted only the lovely Dorothy is still stranded. Miraculously a rainbow appears and she and her friends continue to Betty’s in search of the Wizard....
More loud music - ‘whoa black Betty bamalam’ - full blast. And Klinger appears - the pub goes mad. He’s Widow Twanky and he just happens to be the doorman at Betty’s Ford Clinic. Charmed and distracted by the Gay Lions (who love his outfit) the newly educated ScareMo gets their names on the list and they gain entry to Bloz. |
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Initially reluctant to stop enjoying his massive bottle of gin and his own private disco - ‘Smack yer Bitch up’ is blearing out while flashing lights and bubbles swirl around him - our Wizard of Bloz finally confesses to being... the man.
Unfortunately he turns out to be a twisted old drunkard who is bitter about the popularity of Harry Potter and misses his flying monkeys. |
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| The Wicked Witch attacks again but is intercepted by the Wizard who sprays her with evil put-downs which melt her heart and they waltz off together. Abandoned after years of bad service her evil sidekick Boo is understandably miffed but soon finds solace in arms of Badly (Bisexual) Shaun Boy. The Good Witch flashes on to the stage and reminds Dot that hers are magik shoes and they’re all she needs to get home. |
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After an emotional farewell Dorothy is magiked back to the Blues Bar where she finds her old mop and bucket and begins to clean.
Enter her old boss to take over and remind her that she’s in charge and it’s not her job to clean up. |
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The crowd cheer and Colonel Belvedere Gazebo reappears to remind the audience that making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got...
The audience, cast and crew all sing the theme from Cheers and the panto ended to a standing ovation while Elton John belted out ‘ I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues’.
What a show. |
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Special Thanks...
A good deal of pressure was on Emma Gibson who played the lead character. She had every scene to learn and the whole plot to hold together. She carried it off with cool comedy and mad style.
Sharon who stepped into the breach at very short notice and was brilliant. Also Emma Wensley who was our bunny girl leading the audience in their ‘she’s behind you’ and ‘oh no they didn’ts’.
Plus Sarah Bear, Jed and Karen who gave us superb musical support. |
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| The technical staff did an incredible job especially Nick Ellam and Alex Eadington who sat in a tiny space above the doorway all night to trigger the lighting and sound effects. Thanks to Rick Lawson for lending us the gear. Lucy Cambell, Darrell Gardner and Spanner for all their hard work and the loan of their workshop to make the props and backdrops - they really gave us an amazing stage to work on. |
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| Hayley Ruddy did fantastic work on the costumes and makeup. Thanks also to Alison and Nick Balmer for designing the posters and the programmes, to Mike Ruddy for filming it at very short notice and to Andy Sandiford who took some great pictures - which are available to view and purchase at www.harrogate.com/bloz - all proceeds towards our chosen charity. |
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The Wizard of Bloz would not have been so good or so much fun if it hadn’t been for two men.
Hugo is a very busy man (with a reputation to protect!) but he brought all his enthusiasm and professionalism to the project. He inspired and impressed the whole cast and crew with his commitment and skill. |
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Martin put in the hours for sure. Organising and cajoling all our resources, creating deadlines and motivating people to met them. Often the most thankless task he kept everything together and delivered everything that everyone else needed. The two of them deserve to feel very proud of what they did for the Blues Bar and everyone involved.
If anyone didn’t know...
The Blues Bar Pantomime was produced in aid of the Special Baby Care Unit at Harrogate District Hospital. As this piece was written the total raised had reached £1982.00 and was still rising.
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