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PODCAST

Just Imagine

Imagine Theatre

Just Imagine – a podcast series from Imagine Theatre, one of the world’s leading producers of professional pantomime. With over 250 productions to their name, Imagine are true experts in this uniquely British theatrical tradition.Join host Martin Ballard as we go behind the scenes to meet the people who bring the magic to life – discovering their stories, their roles, and answering that all-important question: what do they do for the rest of the year?Along the way, we’ll explore the pantomime genre

arts performing arts

All Episodes

34:34

Episode 101 – Ben Goffe

Just Imagine ·

2025/03/28

In this episode Martin chats to performer Ben Goffe who has recently been nominated as Best Comic in the UK Pantomime Awards for his role as Buttons for Imagine’s production of Cinderella at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon. Ben comes from a theatrical family and learned to dance at his mum’s dance school from the age of 3. During his career Ben has spent two years with the RSC and two seasons with the National Theatre. A talented musician Ben has also appeared in the West End in the smash-hot C...

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44:23

Episode 100 – Celebrating Our 100th Episode With Some...

Just Imagine ·

2025/03/14

We have reached 100 episodes of the Just Imagine podcast, and to celebrate our host Martin Ballard shares snippets from interviews with some panto legends including Morecambe and Wise, Roy Hudd, Danny La Rue, Larry Grayson, Nigel Ellacott, Bob Monkhouse as well as some favourite panto memories from the Imagine team. Don’t miss out on the special celebratory edition!

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33:07

Episode 99 - New premises walkaround

Just Imagine ·

2025/02/28

This week’s podcast takes place in Coventry, taking you on a tour around our brand new premises and HQ. Martin is joined by Sarah and Steve Boden who will be talking about the move and the need for a bigger space to house all of Imagine Theatres sets, costumes, props and office staff. In this episode Martin gets an exclusive look at the new Imagine Theatre HQ, with a guided tour by Sarah and Steve and gets an understanding for the much needed move.

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32:56

Episode 98 - Set Design with Ian Westbrook

Just Imagine ·

2025/02/14

This week’s podcast subject is set design and Martin is joined by award-winning set designer Ian Westbrook. Ian has designed for theatre, television and film since 1985 and despite working on some high-profile productions he retains a deep fondness for panto and has designed a number of sets for Imagine Theatre in recent years. In this episode Martin learns how Ian came to be a set designer, how the design process and technology has changed since Ian first started in his career and the ...

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27:37

Episode 97 - A Focus on Sleeping Beauty

Just Imagine ·

2025/01/31

This week some familiar voices return to the podcast as Robert Marsden and Marie Cowieson join Martin to talk about Sleeping Beauty. Variations of the story have existed for hundreds of years all over the world. Rob and Mairi discuss the different ways in which they and others have approached the pantomime and the way the pantomime is forever evolving in line with the changing attitudes of the audience.

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30:38

Episode 96 - A Look Back at the 2024/25 Panto Season

Just Imagine ·

2025/01/17

This week Martin catches up with Steve and Sarah Boden to talk about how the 2024 season has gone.The 2024/25 panto season saw Imagine create their first ever panto in a big top circus tent, perform two brand new titles in Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Robin Hood and produce the first ever panto in the brand-new Fareham Live alongside continuing to develop their digital sets with the additional of digital versions of Aladdin and Jack and the Beanstalk.They discuss all this, as well as wh...

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30:30

Episode 95 - Glasgow Pavilion's Beauty and the Beastie

Just Imagine ·

2025/01/03

This week Martin catches up with some of the cast of Beauty and the Beastie in Glasgow: Liam Dolan, Valissa Scott and Nikki Auld.The Pavilion panto is a big part of festive tradition for many Glasgwegians as well as the actors themselves – this year is Liam Dolan’s twenty-sixth panto with Nikki just pipping him having done twenty-eight! With the longest run of any of all of the Imagine pantomimes is not surprising to learn the cast are more like family than friends and Martin talks to th...

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31:15

Episode 94 - Jenny Ryan

Just Imagine ·

2024/12/20

This week Martin is joined by The Chase’s Jenny Ryan who is spending the festive season in Crewe as The Enchantress in Beauty and the Beast.Jenny talks to Martin about how she was influenced by theatre from a young age due to her grandparents links with the Octagon in Bolton, how she came to be one of the legendary Chasers and about why panto and live theatre in general is so special to her and the different ways in which a theatre visit for a child can inspire and enrich them.

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28:23

Episode 93 - Goldilocks in a Big Top Circus Tent!

Just Imagine ·

2024/12/06

This year due to the refurbishment of the Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock East Ayrshire Leisure took the decision to do pantomime in a big top circus tent – and what better panto to choose than Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a panto set in a circus!Martin talks to director and dame Andrew Agnew; Goldilocks herself, Ailsa Erskine, who is making her professional panto debut; Gary Morrison who is appearing in his tenth Kilmarnock panto and Craig McDougall who returns as part of the Killie panto te...

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30:21

Episode 92 - Andy Hockley

Just Imagine ·

2024/11/22

Andy Hockley is a hugely experienced theatre and TV actor, despite having originally trained in theatre design. He has appeared in 18 pantomimes at The Belgrade since 1989 in a variety of roles including both dame and baddie and this year he is playing King Rat in Dick Whittington.As well as pantomime Andy has appeared in some of the UK’s most popular musicals and is possibly the longest serving Wizard in Wicked in the West End having been in over 1,000 performances. He also appeared in The P...

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29:20

Episode 91 - Choreography in Pantomime

Just Imagine ·

2024/11/08

This week Martin is joined by two choreographers, Mitchell Harper and Claire Darcy.Mitch has a wide range of choreography experience from opera and musicals to pantomime. Claire has been appearing in the Inverness panto since she was a child and has appeared in over 1,000 performances at Eden Court - going on from being a member of the Junior Ensemble to a professional performer and now also their choreographer.In this episode Mitch and Claire discuss the processes and methods involved i...

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32:53

Episode 90 - Pantomime Ticket Pricing

Just Imagine ·

2024/10/25

Have you ever wondered why ticket prices cost what they do?In this episode Martin delves into the complex world of theatre finance with Sarah Boden to discuss this very question.Sarah talks Martin through the various different aspects that influence the cost of a ticket – from size of venue to the type of casting and all the extras that people may have never considered such as VAT, royalty fees, levies, transport and more!

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41:24

Episode 89 - Relaxed and Accessible Pantomime...

Just Imagine ·

2024/10/11

This week’s podcast was recorded at the North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford at the UK Pantomime Association panel event on Relaxed and Accessible Performances.The panellists were Jess Thom, Annie Bannister, Chris Jarvis and Dr Chris Abbott all of whom also took the time to speak to Martin directly on the subject of making performances as inclusive as possible.People from theatres across the UK attended the event to hear more about the variety of needs that audience members might have and how to ...

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34:23

Episode 88 - David Lloyd-Jones

Just Imagine ·

2024/09/27

This week Martin is talking to David Lloyd-Jones. From early memories of Punch and Judy in Llandudno and his first panto experience at Swansea Grand aged 9, David has gone on to have a varied career in the theatre industry, including being a current trustee of the UK Pantomime Association.As a young performer he was predominantly a vocalist but he decided early on in he had an interest in teaching which he tied in with his theatrical training and he was also the first in Wales to undertake an...

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27:13

Episode 87 - Behind the Scenes at a Photoshoot

Just Imagine ·

2024/09/13

Martin joined the team at a photoshoot and caught up with some of the Imagine team and casts from a number of different pantos.Jack Malin who is part of the team running the Theatre Café in London and is also playing Prince in Swindon’s Cinderella this year in one of the people chatting to Martin as well Maisie Scarlett who will be playing Cinderella alongside him.Martin also talks to panto dame Steve Elias who has had a strong career in musical theatre and has also gone on to teach at many o...

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30:21

Episode 86 - Production Management and Technical Theatre

Just Imagine ·

2024/08/30

Andy Nurse has spent many years working as a production manager for Imagine Theatre and also specialises in many of the technical aspects of live performance.From an early love of playing musical instruments Andy changed course to work behind the scenes in the industry and has worked in many different areas.He discusses his career with Martin and offers advice on how to get into the industry and gain the necessary knowledge for a successful career as well as going into detail about the ...

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29:06

Episode 85 - Nathan Guy

Just Imagine ·

2024/08/16

From playing a mosquito aged 3 in Alice Through the Looking Glass to the present day Nathan has always loved performing.Coming from a strong theatre family Nathan was actually in a panto in the Junior Ensemble before he had even been in the audience to watch one and his love of the genre has been with him ever since. He has spent many years as a comic with Imagine Theatre in Porthcawl and Rotherham and this year will be playing Will Scarlett in Robin Hood.Not only has Nathan worked extensivel...

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26:19

Episode 84 - A Focus on Mother Goose

Just Imagine ·

2024/08/02

Simon Sladen and Steve Boden join Martin to talk about the history of Mother Goose. Although it is not that frequently performed these days it historically enjoyed great success with Dan Leno and Joseph Grimaldi both appearing in early versions of the show and more recently we have seen Ian McKellen playing the role to great success.They discuss the themes of the show and how many of them have relevance today and how the panto has influenced other productions as well as how its popularity dif...

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26:45

Remembering Paul Burnett

Just Imagine ·

2024/07/19

Musical Director Paul Burnett’s daughter Caroline joins Martin this week to talk about her father’s career and life growing up with theatrical parents.Paul was a prolific musical director in the 1950s to the 1980s in the true heart of variety. He conducted multiple royal variety performances, was the MD of choice for people like Morcambe and Wise and many many others. He was also musically involved in countless pantomimes across the UK and spent many years working for Bernard Delfont.

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27:52

Episode 82 – Pantomime Music with Miles Russell

Just Imagine ·

2024/07/05

Have you ever wanted to know more about the music in the pantomime? This week Martin is joined by Miles Russell who has spent a number of panto seasons as an MD and Arranger with Imagine Theatre.From starting out age seven learning to play the trumpet Miles is now a multi-instrumentalist. He has worked as an actor-musician, Musical Director and Arranger amongst other roles.He talks to Martin about how panto differs from other productions, how the songs are selected, how the music is created –...

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122 results

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