Gay London Life | April '25 Edition - Magazine - Page 16
La Voix
Life of
a Luvvie
Our theatre buff, Thomas Magill,
shares his month of hopping between
the capital’s stages
With Elaine C Smith
It might feel strange to be talking about
feast for the ears, but my eyes were
the merits of panto as we head towards
dazzled by the thousands of candles
the summer, but stick with me. A few
that decked the stage of the Palladium.
weeks ago, I attended the Pantomime
This was a one-off performance, but
Awards in Woking to celebrate the
the show has been touring since the
great and the good of this growing and
first lockdown, so I have no doubt
highly skilled sector. Co-hosted by
you will get a chance to see this show
our very own La Voix alongside Elaine
somewhere near you sometime soon.
C Smith and Dave Benson Phillips, it
*
was a truly wonderful night — and as
But it was my second trip to the
you’d expect, full to the brim with glitter,
Palladium that really tickled me pink.
glamour and campness. Winners came
My dear friend and colleague, Jodie at
from across the country, but I was
BBC Radio 2, had the task of planning
really thrilled to see a special prize for
a night of musical theatre brilliance
Inclusive Practice go to He’s Behind
to mark 60 years in showbiz for the
You at the Charing Cross Theatre. It
mother of musicals, Elaine Paige. It
was an absolute hoot, and each year
was an exceptional night with songs
the team there gets better and better,
from Elaine’s past performed by some
so it was very well deserved.
of today’s biggest names, including
My local, Greenwich Theatre,
Mazz Murray, Charlie Stemp and
picked up two gongs for its production
Summer Strallen. There to celebrate
of Dick Whittington and his Cat. There
alongside Elaine were Gloria
were also prizes for Fairfield Halls in
Hunniford, Angela Rippon, Scott
Croydon and Brick Lane Music Hall.
Mills and Zoe Ball, who did a sterling
It was an honour to meet someone I
job hosting the show. The evening
have admired from afar for years — the
is available on BBC Sounds and I’d
one and only Elaine C Smith. Not only
urge you to give it a listen, not just for
did she do a sterling job presenting
the wonderful songs, but also for the
part of the ceremony, but she was also
tributes from the likes of Tim Rice,
the worthy winner of the Outstanding
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Elaine’s
Achievement Award for her
BBC Radio 2 bestie, Michael Ball.
contribution to panto over many, many
*
decades. The star-studded evening
Looking ahead and the diary is busy as
reminded me how important this sector
always, with trips to the King’s Head,
is, employing thousands of people
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and
and generating millions for regional
the Menier Chocolate Factory planned.
theatres up and down the land.
The powerhouse that is Trevor Ashley
*
returns to the South London venue
Back on home turf, I visited the
in May with his one-man (or woman)
Palladium not once, but twice
show, Liza in Typsy. I saw Ashley do
this month. Firstly, for the gala
Liza a few years ago in the West End
performance of Queen by Candlelight
and he was fabulous, so a whole
starring West End favourite Lucie
evening of it will be a surefire winner.
Jones. Not only was Daniel Wood
and Simon Gordon’s production a
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@thomasmagill1
