Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Panto pops up in the Light
The final year students, all completing a BA (Hons) Art, Event Performance degree, have created a modern twist on the well-known tale of Aladdin, set in Leeds.
One of the students organising the pantomime, Frankie Farrow, commented: "We have had chance to experience all elements of promoting an event; from liaising with outside marketing companies and online magazines to managing budgets and designing and distributing our own marketing materials. The process has been enjoyable as well as valuable and we now feel more commercially astute and confident in entering the professional working environment."
Course Leader, Gillian Dyson, added: "The students are working on a 'pop-up panto' in The Light shopping centre, as an opportunity to expand and develop their 'real life' experience of working in a public, non- traditional art context. They are taking a traditional theatre form and making it their own; writing, performing, producing and marketing the event for family audiences. Working as a team, with little or no resources, they have put together a fun and professional live event. This is a great personal and professional learning opportunity, enabling them to gain invaluable skills - typical of what is needed as an arts practitioner today."
The students' adaptation begins amongst the pots of gravy and greasy scraps of the 'I'll Batter You' chippy in Leeds where Alan Dean spends his days working for his eccentric and flamboyant mother, Widow Whitebait. Alan spends his days lusting after the glamorous TV princess Katherine who dwells in a land far away: London. In a battle of good versus evil, north versus south, Alan takes on a quest to release Hugh Genie from the magic miner's hat, flying on a tile of laminate kitchen flooring and defeating the evil sorcerer.
Live performances, with audience participation encouraged, will begin on Friday 20 January and Saturday 21 January at 12pm, 3pm and 6pm on the second floor of The Light shopping centre.