Expect something unique as Diversity leap onto the Mayflower Theatre stage for their second pantomime in Southampton.
Returning to the same audience for a second time is no mean feat, but Diversity frontman Ashley Banjo is confident he can bring something fresh to the stage.
Ashley and fellow Diversity members will be joined by stand-up comedian Kev Orkian for this year’s pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a roaring success last year, so can that be topped?
“This time we are going to get together with Kev and the other acts to mould the show together and I am really looking forward to that”, Ashley said.
He added: “Returning to Southampton is a real, real treat for us.
“We normally perform in a different place every year, and although we have returned to a few places before, we normally do it with a break.
“Coming back to such a large and iconic venue and this audience means we are really excited to get stuck in creatively and set our own bar.
“It is a really fun challenge to come back and see what else we can create.”
Last year’s show was full of moments that reminded the audience why Diversity won Britain’s Got Talent in 2009.
READ MORE: New casting revealed for Mayflower's pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk
Ashley told how he incorporates dance into a performance like a pantomime.
He said: “We start with the script and get our heads around it and the story.
“Once we know what the story is, we add everything on top.
“If we have to dance to fill a moment, the moment is not right. We love to create a great panto, and dance as well.
“We never expected to do this, none of this was on our radar back then, including all the things we have done in our 15 years.
“But we are still here and still doing it, which I did not expect. We still have seven of the boys of the original 11.
“Today is the start point for us and we will get the script in a couple of weeks and it will start to ramp up in October.
“A Diversity panto is always unique, but this one will be really unique, funny, and really special.
“It will be a spectacle.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel