Eeeek!
Another bonkers year is, almost,
over. This is our final news
update of 2012.
We are now into our
13th year here at Su Online and
it's been another busy one for Su
and the website. There's never a
dull moment (Su spent a very
successful Summer in Hong Kong
and Singapore among many other
highlights!), and once again we
hope you've enjoyed the last 12
months of Su updates and info.
Su is spending this
Christmas thrilling audiences in Sleeping
Beauty, alongside Colin
Baker, Asa Elliott, Chris Jarvis
and Kate Weston at Bournemouth
Pavilion.
A big
festive thank you to everyone who
has visited us in 2012 - A Very,
Very Merry Christmas to you all
and a Happy and Prosperous New
Year. See you all in 2013!
• Bournemouth
Daily Echo: Panto Season: It's
Right In Front Of You: Sleeping
Beauty – Pavilion Theatre,
Bournemouth: In Sleeping
Beauty at the Pavilion
Theatre, the children will be
delighted to see television star
Chris Jarvis alongside Su
Pollard, Colin Baker and others
dressed in sparkly frocks and
outfits.
• Bucks Free
Press: I won't worry if
you don't send me a card: (Su's
2012 panto co-star Colin Baker's
'Bucks Free Press' Christmas
blog): I suppose five weeks on
the other side of the world
followed by an immediate
immersion into the fantasy world
of Sleeping Beauty with
Su Pollard twice daily, six days
a week, does not leave a lot of
time for a measured and careful
preparation for the Yule
jollifications.
• Su is being thoroughly
wicked, playing Carabosse in Sleeping
Beauty at Bournemouth
Pavilion, right through until the
6th January. The panto and Su
have received great reviews since
opening a fortnight ago. Full
details of showtimes and ticket
booking can be viewed here.
• Don't forget that Su is
also appearing in a second panto
this Christmas. She is playing
The Mirror in Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs at The
Capitol in Horsham. This runs
until the 5th January. View more
info here.
.BBC
Radio 2: The Chris Evans
Breakfast Show: Su & Colin
Tuesday
18th December, 2012
Radio
Su and Colin Baker
popped up briefly on a festive
edition of The Chris Evans
Breakfast Show on 'BBC Radio
2' yesterday morning.
Su Pollard and Colin Baker
from the Sleeping Beauty
pantomime give us a history
lesson.
Su and Colin, in the festive
"On This Day" strand,
appear at approximately 46
minutes into the programme. The
full, three-hour, show is
available at BBC iPlayer until
Christmas Eve morning.
The eighth,
yes eighth!!, review of Sleeping
Beauty at
Bournemouth Pavilion.
The pantos at Bournemouth
Pavilion are always spectacular
and this year’s is no
exception, starring Su Pollard as
a most excellent baddie, Dr Who
and I’m a Celeb star Colin
Baker as the dame and Asa Elliott
from ITV’s Benidorm as the
Prince.
Alongside this stellar cast is
Bournemouth panto regular Chris
Jarvis from CBeebies’ Show
Me Show me, who has again written
and directed the show and stars
as Happy Harry.
Anyone of a delicate
disposition will do well to avoid
the Pavilion Theatre for the next
few weeks as UK Productions
Sleeping Beauty blasts on to the
stage, signalling the start of
the silly season in Bournemouth.
A combination of vastly improved
acoustics in the old auditorium,
volume ramped up to ear splitting
proportions, and several hundred
screaming children whipped up
into a frenzy, makes for a
raucous evening indeed!
Leading the cast, the ebullient
Su Pollard burns up the stage,
revelling in an orgy of
wickedness, as Carabosse, the bad
fairy, pummelling the audience
into submission and working the
children up to fever pitch every
time she appears.
A review of
Su's other panto for 2012, Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs
at The Capitol in Horsham, by the
British Theatre Guide.
To counter the benevolent agent,
a malevolent one comes in the
form of Gillian Wright as the
Wicked Queen Regina. Although her
build-up isn’t strong enough
to elicit boos straight away,
Wright is a delightfully quirky
Queen with shades of Dora Bryan
about her. Her characterisation
brings out a new side to the
devilish despot and, paired with
Su Pollard as the Magic Mirror,
the production ensures it’s
never too scary for younger
members of the audience.
From the heat of the
Australian jungle to the chill of
the south coast. That’s the
journey former Dr Who Colin Baker
has made in the past few weeks.
From risking losing
his appetite in the
‘I’m a Celebrity ...
Get Me Out of Here’
bushtucker trials, Baker is now
playing a major role as Nanny
Nelly in Sleeping Beauty at the
Pavilion in Bournemouth. Every
panto needs a dame, and Baker
pulls off his cross-dressing
superbly with a great array of
facial expressions.
Su Pollard – to those of us
who grew up in the 1980s, forever
associated with large glasses and
legendary performances in sitcom
Hi Di Hi – is a scream as
the wicked fairy.
Magic,
Mayhem &
Marvellous…It’s
Sleeping Beauty At The Pavilion
Theatre Bournemouth
Full house for the opening night
of Sleeping Beauty at the
stunning Pavilion Theatre in
Bournemouth this year!
With mums and dads, boys and
girls……it is the
seaside town’s showstopping
pantomime packed with celebs,
fancy costumes and a wonderfully
witty script!
It was great to see Hi-de-Hi star
Su Pollard who played the evil
character Carabosse with power
and passion. Asa Elliott from TV
series, Benidorm, performed as
the Prince, certainly charming
with a regal flare.
Sleeping Beauty gets
little peace in this year's
Pavilion Panto, with
gags-a-plenty, big names and and
even a touch of Gangnam Style!
Directed by and starring CBeebies
star and Bournemouth resident
Chris Jarvis as Happy Harry, the
show opens with a bang and has
the audience either in stitches,
or singing and dancing along for
its entirety.
Playing the villain brilliantly
again this year is former
Hi-de-Hi chalet maid and now
cougar-esque Bad Fairy, Su
Pollard.
Welcome to the weird
and wonderful world of Panto
where anything is possible.
With CBeebies favourite Chris
Jarvis both directing and playing
the show’s fall-guy Happy
Harry; Asa Elliott, the singing
hunk from ITV’s Benidorm, as
the Prince and the inimitable Su
Pollard, still memorable from
Hi-De-Hi, as the evil fairy
Carabosse, there were countless
telly references. Somehow the
traditional Sleeping Beauty story
was woven into a patchwork of
slapstick fun and jokes that took
in everything from local topics
to a brief but inevitable
Gangnam-style routine.
Sleeping Beauty is
another spectacular panto
directed by Chris Jarvis. Playing
to a full house with lots of
children eager to boo and hiss,
not a moment went by without
something exciting happening.
Energy machine Jarvis (Happy
Harry) got the audience going
with 'Happy Feet.' There were
sweets flying, screams of
“sausages” egged on by
Michael Chance (King Littledown)
and a large water pistol aimed at
the kids, to their utter delight.
Asa Elliott (Prince) and Kate
Weston (Fairy Sparkle) sang
beautifully and Su Pollard
(Carabosse) wouldn't be Su
Pollard if she wasn't loud, and
she didn't disappoint. One of my
favourite scenes was when the
toys came to life including mice,
teddy bears and drummer boys. It
was wonderful.
A so-so
review for Sleeping
Beauty, but
positive for Su, from The Stage.
Su Pollard has to be one of the
loudest, meanest bad fairies on
the panto stage.
She’s been honing her
child-hating skills touring as
Miss Hannigan in Annie and the
young audience at an early
matinee in Bournemouth lapped up
the abuse she hurled from the
stage, screeching their
disapproval in response.
Ms Pollard is dressed in deepest
pink with plenty of sparkly bits
- indeed, much of the production
seems to be pink and sparkly and
generally gorgeous to look at in
terms of set and costume.
The Bristol
Hippodrome Facebook took a trip
down panto memory lane in early
December, looking back at Su
starring as Dick Whittington
at their theatre in the final
year of the 80s!
Happy 3rd of December! lets
take a trip down memory lane back
to 1989 when we had Dick
Whittington with Su Pollard and
Derek Griffiths. Bring back any
memories? — with Su Pollard.
.Dorset
Newsroom: Cold Weather & Warm
Atmosphere at Christmas Festival
Wednesday
12th December, 2012
Press
Clips
The cold winter
weather did not stop thousands of
people coming along to enjoy
Christchurch Christmas Festival
and the switch-on of the
Christmas lights.
Crowds were in the High Street to
watch Lucy Horobin and Warren
Hayden from Heart FM who were on
the balcony of the Mayor’s
Parlour. They introduced Su
Pollard, Chris Jarvis and Asa
Elliott from the Sleeping Beauty
pantomime who led an impromptu
singalong while waiting for
Father Christmas to arrive. When
he did he was led by six of his
reindeer and joined by his elves.
Father Christmas then went up
onto the balcony for the lights
switch-on with the Mayor of
Christchurch, Cllr Peter Hall.
Following that, children were
able to go down to the Priory
church to give their Christmas
wish letters to Father Christmas
and talk to him and his elves.
They were also able to see his
reindeer up close and pet them.
Gimme
Gimme Gimme: GOLD: Friday 21st
December: 11.40pm
Gimme Gimme Gimme: GOLD: Saturday
22nd December: 1.45am
Singing in the Drain. Series 3,
episode 5. Kathy Burke in the
in-your-face comedy with the
hapless flatmates with every
personality flaw going. Linda
finally realises her ambition to
become a model. Starring: Kathy
Burke, James Dreyfus, Brian
Bovell, Beth Goddard, Su Pollard
and Jonathan Harvey. Also airing
on Gold +1
Benidorm: ITV1: Friday
4th January: 9.00pm
Christmas Special Festive episode
from Boxing Day 2010. There may
be plenty of sun, sangria and
Santa, but for Madge it does not
look like being a happy Christmas
as the Garveys come to stay. With
Mel stuck in Marrakech, she has
to organise the Benidorm Palace's
seasonal spectacular - and the
show's female star has gone
missing. Donald and Jacqueline
check in at the Solana with some
intriguing friends, and it
appears Noreen's male travel
companion is more than he
appears. Su Pollard, Louie Spence
and Brian Murphy guest star, with
Sheila Reid, Siobhan Finneran,
Tim Healy, Steve Pemberton,
Janine Duvitski and Elsie Kelly.
Su's panto for 2012,
and her first since 2009, Sleeping
Beauty opens at Bournemouth
Pavilion this afternoon. The
first of 49 performances takes
place today at 2.30pm, with
another at 7pm.
Su is a true panto stalwart and
has appeared and starred in
dozens of productions since the
mid-70's in theatres and venues
all across the UK and Ireland.
These include Goldilocks,
Babes In The Woods, Pinocchio,
Jack And The Beanstalk, Mother
Goose, Aladdin, Dick Whittington
and Snow White & The Seven
Dwarfs.
Su has entertained panto fans of
all ages at the Bournemouth
Pavilion, Richmond Theatre,
Surrey, Her Majesty's Theatre,
Aberdeen, North Wales Theatre
Llandudno, Mayflower Southampton,
Theatre Royal, Plymouth, Pavilion
Theatre Rhyl and The Grand
Theatre, Swansea to name but a
few.
Su's panto co-stars over the
years have included Matthew
Kelly, Bernard Cribbins, Bernie
Winters, Robyn Askwith, Gordon
Honeycombe, Ray Meagher, Michael
Elphick, Don Maclean, Peter
Blake, Paul Danan, Louise
English, Shaun Curry and Chris
Jarvis.
Sleeping Beauty at
Bournemouth Pavilion runs until
Sunday 6th January. Full details,
including show times and ticket
booking info is available by
clicking below.
.Christchurch
Christmas Lights Switch-On Video
Friday
7th December, 2012
Panto
A great
video of Su and the Sleeping
Beauty gang lighting up
Christchurch last weekend.
.Daily
Echo: Santa Makes Special
Appearance at Christmas Festival
in Christchurch
Wednesday
5th December, 2012
Press
Clips
Crowds lined the
streets in Christchurch on
Saturday to catch a glimpse of
Father Christmas and his trusty
reindeer.
The town’s annual Christmas
Festival took place throughout
the day along the High Street and
throughout the town centre with
musical performances, festive
stalls and lashings of mulled
wine to warm people up.
Panto favourites Su Pollard,
Chris Jarvis and Asa Elliot from
television show Benidorm, who
will all be appearing in Sleeping
Beauty at Bournemouth’s
Pavilion theatre this Christmas,
also made a special appearance to
help switch on the town’s
festive lights.
Su told The Daily Echo: “I
really enjoy doing this. You get
to meet lots of really nice
people and it makes a nice change
from learning lines. Things like
this are brilliant fun – you
get the Christmas feeling
already. It’s a great
community event.”
Gooooood morning!
How was your weekend? I spent
Saturday & Sunday getting
festive! On Saturday evening I
made my way to Christchurch where
I hosted the light switch on
alongside the lovely Warren
Hayden, Father Christmas, the
Mayor, & the stars of
Bournemouths pantomime!
The legendary Su Pollard stars in
Sleeping Beauty this year,
alongside Chris Jarvis & Asa
Elliot. I was actually super
excited at the prospect of
meeting actual real life Penny
Crayon!! She was brilliant, like
a mad Aunt!
It’s
Christmastime in Benidorm as the
Garvey family return to visit
their uniquely foul-tempered
elderly relative Madge who’s
struggling to locate her
nightclub’s guest act Su
Pollard.
Geordie actor Tim Healey is
excellent in his supporting role
as transvestite handyman
Les/Leslie, and it’s got
brilliant cameos from Cilla
Black, Su Pollard, and Roy Wood
as well as an incredibly
disappointing one from Louie
Spence.
Best Moment:
Madge’s argument with Su
Pollard and its aftermath.
Sunday
2nd December, 2012 •
Thanks to Mark Whitney
Photographs
A great
photo of Chris Jarvis, Su and Asa
Elliott just before they went to
switch on the Christmas lights in
Bournemouth. Please click below
to view a larger version.
.Christchurch
People: Christchurch Christmas
Festival & Lights Switch-on
Saturday
1st December, 2012
Press
Clips
On Saturday 1st
December 2012, a full day of
entertainment throughout
Christchurch town centre. Late
night shopping. A Christmas
Market of over 50 stalls in the
High Street selling gifts, hot
food and drinks, and of course
mulled wine.
Around the town you will find
entertainment from local artists
including: Delta Rhythm, Just
Sax, State of Undress, Craig
Wilson, Toby, Switch and the
Highcliffe Charity Players. In
Saxon Square there are even more
performances from Christchurch
Music Centre, Ash & Jenny,
Swing Unlimited Big Band, Jabez
Smith, Lester Allen, and
Playground Graffiti.
At 4pm Santa and his reindeer
will arrive at Peeks Partystore
and will travel down the
Highstreet ready for the big
Christmas Light switch on at
4.30pm with guest stars Su
Pollard, Chris Jarvis and Asa
Elliot.
• Doctor Who
News: "All Together
Now ...": Where would the
United Kingdom be without the
traditional Christmas pantomime,
and this year is no exception
with a variety of Doctor Who
names back on the stage to
entertain during the festive
season. A great plug for Su and
Colin's panto
• This is
Dorset: It's Panto Time!:
It's in front of you!The
pantomime season, that is. The
professional theatres and arts
centres around the country are
putting the final touches to the
colourful, funny, spectacular and
noisy shows that are as much a
British staple as fish and chips
and roast beef and Yorkshire.
Bournemouth's Pavilion pantomime
this year is Sleeping Beauty,
with Su Pollard, Colin Baker and
Chris Jarvis, and on from next
Saturday 8th December to 6th
January.
• Information-Britain: A West Country
Christmas – Dorset in
December: Adults may want to stay
by the fire, kids appreciate the
chance to get out to a panto to
scream: “He’s behind
you”, and “Oh yes it
is.” And so do most parents
in truth. Bournemouth has
Sleeping Beauty (with panto
legends Su Pollard and Colin
Baker in the cast).
.Su
Online News Archive:
August/September 2012
Saturday
1st December, 2012
Site
News
Su news for
August and September 2012 has now
been archived. Visit our News
Archive here.
Eeeek!
Another bonkers year is, almost,
over. This is our final news
update of 2012. 
• 