I’m a pantomime comic, director and writer and my relationship with the Swansea Grant Theatre started when I was invited by Qdos Entertainment to play Buttons in their production of ‘Cinderella’ which was the 100th pantomime at the theatre.
I live in Redcar near Middlesbrough and at the time I didn’t drive and anytime I had to go to Swansea it was a twelve-hour train ride, even when coming down just for the press launch or the photoshoot. But, when I came to Swansea for the rehearsals and to start the show you just could tell that everyone at the Grand loved the pantomime. The pantomime was, and still is, a big part of theatres in the UK and especially the Swansea Grand Theatre.
I remember all the backstage pranks that we used to play on each other. Once a colleague from the cast completely and utterly newspapered my dressing room and I used to retaliate by writing on the dressing room mirrors ‘I love Cardiff’. It just shows the camaraderie backstage between everyone.
Also, while I was doing the pantomime, it was the first time my girlfriend, who is now my wife, saw me do anything professionally because I only just met her two months before I ended up going to Swansea for rehearsals. I actually bought the engagement ring while I was there, so the Grand is a place where a lot of things came together and has a great emotional connection to me. Swansea and the Grand is a home-from-home for me.
The Grand has a lot of heart which allows people in Swansea to escape and enjoy the night whether it’s music that brings back memories, whether it’s a play that brings back feelings and emotions or whether it’s a pantomime that brings happiness and laughter which is what your heart does, so the Grand really is the heart of Swansea.
