This year has seen Katie Pritchard win numerous awards for comedy, with one of the shows Hysterical Histories still to play a couple of dates, including at Hull Comedy Festival. As an actress, Katie has appeared in the West End and has written and starred in Home Schooled, and as a guitarist/vocalist, is a member of ’50s and ’60s Rock ‘n’ Roll band The Daisy Chains. Katie will be playing the role of the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella starting 29th November and running until 5th January in the 2019 pantomime at Worthing Pavilion Theatre. Recently answering our questions, Katie tells us about her podcasts, being part of The Daisy Chains and her upcoming role as the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella.

As a comedian, will you be bringing comedy to your role as the Fairy Godmother?

I hope so. I’ve heard from the writers that there’s going to be comedy, so I’m very excited to see what bits they’ve written in for me. I love rehearsal processes, so hopefully we’ll get to work out some extra bits. I’ve heard we’ve got some stunts as well which if I’m involved, are going to be a calamity! They’ll be dubbed as comedy, I’m sure!

Will this be your first time performing at the Pavilion Theatre, and what are you looking forward to for starting your role?

I’ve performed in this theatre before, but it was ages ago. I was in Dreamboats and Petticoats which came here on tour. I remember I loved the theatre loads, so I’m really excited to be back with a role that I’ve never played before – the Fairy Godmother. I’m excited to be working on a big panto in such a big theatre because often I’m working in slightly smaller theatres, so it’s going to be really nice to do.

What would you say is the best thing about appearing in a pantomime?

The best thing has to be the crowds, especially when they’re really getting into it and getting involved because it’s like no other style of theatre. Last year I played Tinkerbell, and when I had a little death scene (don’t worry – I survived!), the audience were really on my side. I’m really looking forward to seeing what the Worthing crowds are going to bring.

How different are rehearsals for pantomimes to other shows you do?

I guess with panto, everyone is bringing a different skill set to the show, so a lot of the rehearsals you’ll be blocking it like you do for any other show, but then you’re able to bring your own flavour and ideas to it as well. Sometimes, in other shows, doing that is not necessary, and I think in pantomime, you’ve got to mess around to know where all the jokes lie.

What do you think audiences will enjoy about this show?

The costumes look great, it’s going to be beautiful, the cast are amazing, and from what I’ve heard from bits of the script, it’s going to be really fun and funny.

Do you remember your first pantomime experience?

My first panto experience was when I was a kid. A lot of my family do amateur dramatics and we used to go, and I remember I was pulled up on stage and given sweets. I was hooked from then on and was saying I wanted to do it!

Can you tell us about your podcasts and mini-series Home Schooled?

I’ve got two podcasts that I’ve recorded. The first one is a one-person sketch show, I’m playing all the characters, which is arguably a big undertaking to take on for the first podcast, but lesson learned! The second one is called The Farce and the Spurious, and I’d have guests on to help me out, we’d be chatting away and then there were loads of sketches intertwined, so that was absolute carnage, very silly and just a real joy to record. All the people who did it came away having laughed for the whole recording session, so that was fun!

Home Schooled is a mini mockumentary that got long-listed for a competition. It’s about a kid who gets kicked out of school, she’s quite obnoxious, and she ends up being home-schooled. It’s a documentary following this family trying to adjust to home-schooling, and having an obnoxious kid who they love so much and don’t see the faults. Obviously, I was playing the obnoxious kid, and it was very fun to create. I hope that I can make the rest of the series at some point, but we’ll see… watch this space!

You are a guitarist and vocalist in The Daisy Chains, what is this like?

It’s so awesome. We’re a ’50s and ’60s Rock ‘n’ Roll band, and we all dress up vintage in our 50s clothes, hair and makeup. We do a lot of vintage festivals, weddings and parties, and it’s so lovely, especially when we’re doing Golden Wedding Anniversaries and people remember the songs from when they were younger. It’s so fun. It’s basically me and all my friends in a band doing what we love and dressed nicely, what’s not to love!

CINDERELLA starts 29th November and runs until 5th January at Worthing Pavilion Theatre.

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https://www.katiepritchard.co.uk