Adrian Smith, publicity and marketing for Crapunzel took some time out to answer some questions on the upcoming performance of Crapunzel.
Tell us about your role in the production?
I play the role of the Evil Stepmother. I keep Crapunzel, trapped in the Castle Restaurant in Creek Road Moonah for my own selfish purposes.
This is the 10th anniversary of the bawdy pantomine. How did it all begin?
The team responsible for the Uni Revue wanted to do a pantomime using props and sets in the children’s panto at the Playhouse one Christmas. A great way of sharing the costs! They came up with a bawdy theme and the idea of having local celebs and theatre types and it’s snowballed from there.
Why Rapunzel?
Because we can call it ‘Crapunzel’. We start with title and then write it from scratch.
You say this production is loosely based on the German fairtytale of the ‘a similiar name”. What elements of the original tale were you faithful too?
Umm….a girl with long hair? Each Bawdy Panto has a similar theme and characters. Evil person, damsel in distress, handsome hero, bungling henchmen. Think of it as jokes held together with a loose plot and some very poor acting!
Have you some additional or new characters and if so who are they and how do they fit into the story?
The Bawdy Panto team give their services to charity during the year, performing songs and jokes at fundraisers. We put a part in the production up for auction at a golf day and a lovely chap, Rob Braithwaite coughed up $600 for Camp Quality to be in it. He’s a great sport and has a heap of fun on stage, even though we’re making him do some pretty silly stuff!
Was the wig expensive and was it sourced in Tasmania?
Scoobie Lipscombe who plays the role of Crapunzel has long blonde hair already, and to do the climbing bits we’re employing some pretty ‘special’ effects! Scoobie’s boyfriend informs me that she is high maintenance, so she is expensive.
Can you give us a clue as to next year’s production?
Next year’s show is called Peter Pansy and is already a part of the Theatre Royal subscription season. So get your tickets now folks. It could be bigger and better than ever. (Plug)
Crapunzel plays at the Theatre Royal from November 13 to November 17.
Paula Xiberras
