When the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre’s pantomime Beauty and the Beast opens tomorrow (8th December), ventriloquist and comedian Max Fulham and his puppet Gordon the Monkey will be in the cast, with Max playing Phillipe Fillop, until the show ends 7th January. Max will be working alongside Duncan James (as Danton), Jennie Dale (as Cupid), Damian Williams (as Madame Bellie Fillop), Bessy Ewa (as Belle) and Aidan Banyard (as Beast) for the run at the Lyceum Theatre, and having pantomime experience previously, Max won Best Speciality Act at The Great British Pantomime Awards in 2020. A few years ago, Max performed at Leeds City Varieties, and he has showcased his Is It Just Me? and Puppets in Progress shows, and on screen, he has filmed Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable, Crackerjack! and Game of Talents. We chatted to Max about playing Phillipe Fillop in Beauty and the Beast, performing at the Lyceum Theatre and his shows Is It Just Me? and Puppets in Progress.
From tomorrow – 8th December, you will be playing Phillipe Fillop in Lyceum Theatre’s pantomime of Beauty and the Beast, what can audiences expect from your portrayal of the character?
You can expect lots of laughs and silliness as well as a talking monkey! Phillipe Fillop is the comic role in this pantomime, a role which I really enjoy as I get to make friends with the audience and have lots of fun with them throughout the show. I also think it’s great that I can bring my ventriloquism to the show with my character Gordon the Monkey, this adds another element to my character.
How is it rehearsing for pantomimes and reading the scripts for the first time?
The day the script arrives is always an exciting one, getting to see what I’ll be getting up to that Christmas. The scripts often make me laugh out loud as I’m reading them for the first time and I got some strange looks this year as I got a first look at the script whilst on a train! I also find myself thinking “How am I going to learn all this?!” as when you are first reading the script, it is difficult to imagine that in a matter of weeks you will actually be doing what you are reading!
The pantomime rehearsal process is very intense as the show comes together a lot quicker than people might expect. The rehearsal process is always full of laughter too as we practice the comedy routines and find bits of business that work.
What are you looking forward to most for opening in Sheffield and working with the rest of the cast?
I’m really looking forward to performing in Sheffield, which is a new city for me, and the Lyceum is a beautiful theatre so it is going to be a real treat to perform in there.
For most of the year, I tour my own shows and gig around the world as a solo act meaning that pantomime at Christmas is my main chance in a year to work with a cast so getting to perform with the rest of the company means a huge amount to me. The cast for the Lyceum pantomime this year are really quite something and it feels very cool to be working with such a talented bunch of performers. I am delighted to get to work with Jennie Dale again this year, who I did pantomime with last year in Canterbury and am lucky enough to call a good friend. It is, of course, great to be working with a friend again but I am also always in awe of Jennie’s phenomenal skill and talent, it’s amazing to get to share the stage with her. Also this year, I get the joy of working with Sheffield’s legendary dame Damian Williams, who I have known for a few years but this will be the first time we get to work together. Saying Damian is funny is an understatement, I ached within minutes of starting the first day of rehearsals due to laughter.
What is it like interacting with a pantomime audience and seeing families getting involved?
Pantomime audiences are some of my favourites! Getting people of all ages in the theatre laughing and enjoying the show together is quite magical. I have heard fantastic things about Sheffield audiences!
Is there anything you enjoy most about performing in pantomimes?
I couldn’t possibly choose one singular element of pantomime as my favourite but here are a few things I love:
- Slosh: the messy scene in a pantomime. I love getting to perform ridiculous slapstick comedy, slipping, sliding and falling! Slapstick is such a traditional form of comedy and so getting the chance to do something like a slosh scene and bring it to a modern audience is a treat.
- Musical numbers: I love being involved in some of the amazing songs in the show, especially when I manage to get the moves right!
- The Christmas cheer: pantomime audiences are so full of energy and every show feels different!
Why would you recommend booking tickets to see Beauty and the Beast at the Lyceum Theatre this Christmas?
At the time of writing this, we are a few days into rehearsals and the cast are staggeringly good. Dancers nailing the fantastic choreography with ease and incredible vocals taking the roof off (all whilst I’m stood there with a monkey on my arm). Also, the show is hilarious, Paul Hendy writes such funny scripts and I am still finding scenes funny even though we’ve rehearsed them many times. We are just about to go into technical rehearsals at this stage and so we are all very excited to see the stunning set too. Also, a talking monkey, how many reasons do you need?! Get your tickets!
How did you feel being awarded Best Speciality Act at The Great British Pantomime Awards in 2020?
This was a lovely award to receive especially at such a young age. To get recognition for what essentially started out as me talking to my hand in front of my bedroom mirror was very special!
How is it doing performances with Gordon the Monkey and how do you prepare for live shows?
Gordon and I have been working together for many years now and so we are very used to working together. It is great working with such a good friend and we know each other so well that we often finish each other’s sentences and we never talk over each other!
To prepare for shows, I do a physical warmup, a vocal warmup, some gentle yoga, revise the script, eat a pre-show orange, check all my props, practise my cartwheels and drink a glass of water. Gordon just sits in a suitcase until I get him.
Can you tell us about some of the shows you’ve performed recently, which have included Is It Just Me? and Puppets in Progress?
These two shows were solo shows of mine combining stand-up comedy and ventriloquism. Is It Just Me? features various characters including my grandad and even a talking bin.
Puppets in Progress was my show at Bedford Fringe 2023 in which I tried out some new material. I am still working on some of the ideas that emerged from that show which will hopefully develop into new routines for 2024!
How was it filming for Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable, Crackerjack! and Game of Talents?
These shows were three very different but equally wonderful experiences working on TV. For Unforgivable, I did one series as a runner before puppeteering a character for the following series. Working with Mel Giedroyc was incredible, she is so good at what she does and I had great fun playing opposite her with the character I puppeteered. Crackerjack! and Game of Talents were both shows I performed on as myself with some of my comedy and ventriloquism routines. It felt very significant to be part of the revival of such an iconic show as Crackerjack!, and Game of Talents was a taste of what it is like to be on Saturday night primetime TV!
Do you have any favourite highlights of your career so far?
Performing at Leeds City Varieties a few years ago was very special as I was following in the footsteps of my comedy and variety heroes. It is such an iconic and historic venue.
I have also loved the TV work I have done. The first time I had a video do very well on TikTok was probably also a notable moment, I couldn’t believe that many people had seen one of my silly videos.
How did you get into ventriloquism and comedy and were both something you always wanted to do?
I have always loved making people laugh and then, when I was about nine years old, my parents bought me a puppet for Christmas, and that was me hooked! I spent time practicing in front of my bedroom mirror and then entered the school talent show. I had no idea it would or even could become my full-time job.
How do you like to spend your time away from your career?
I’m not always that good at spending time away from my career, that doesn’t mean I’m talking to myself all the time but more that it can be tricky to switch off comedy brain which is always looking for connections and ideas. I love going to the theatre when I can though and catching up with friends who I don’t get to see when I’m travelling all over the place for gigs.
What are you hoping 2024 brings for you and do you have any projects coming up that you can tell us about?
I hope that in 2024 I find some more storage space for puppets! I’m also working on lots of new content so keep your eyes peeled on my Instagram and TikTok!
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Categories: Comedy, home, Industry Experts, Interview, Pantomimes