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British Pantomime 101 Part 2: ‘The Frog Princess

Panto twist on amphib-
ious love story

Clive Ramroop, Contributor

M“< Balser is the director
and co-writer of The Frog
Princess, an original pantomime
production from the Fraser
Valley Gilbert & Sullivan Society
(FVGSS). He is also the vice
president of the society. The
Other Press recently caught up
with Balser during a rehearsal to
discuss the production.

Without giving any spoilers,
what can viewers expect to see
in The Frog Princess?

You can see a strong female
princess; the victim of a curse,
but somebody who knows her
own mind. You get to see a
villainess and her son who are
probably one of my favourite
parts of the show, because
they’re funny and clever; their
timing is excellent. You're also
going to see some great music.

You'll get the modern references,

and the stock characters that a
panto always has, like the Dame
and the Principal Boy (the girl
dressed as a boy). And of course,
the love story that’s always in
there. Probably one of the most
endearing things about this
panto is the children’s chorus.
This year, there are only six in
the frog chorus, but they are
adorable and really talented.

What prompted the idea of
having the princess being the
frog instead of the expected
prince?

We wanted to do something
a little different. We [with co-
writers Cathy Wilmot and
Norma Rushton] hadn’t even
chosen a fairy tale; we were
talking about writing a panto.
Norma and I had written one in
"96-97: The Princess and the Pea.
We thought it was fun; “Let’s
do it again!” We wanted a fairy
tale that was fairly recognizable,
something that people would
see as a children’s story. But we
didn’t want to do Cinderella or
Snow White or the usual things.
We were looking through the
Grimm Brothers fairy tales and
found this Russian tale about
The Frog Princess. The actual
Russian tale is different from
the script we wrote... but we
wanted to make it something
more manageable and
recognizable that we could put
on stage. That’s why it was the
princess; that’s what it is in the
Russian story.

Would you give some
background on your interest in
the performing arts?

I've been interested in the
performing arts since I was
11. My first play was in my
Grade 6 class when IJ adapted a
MAD Magazine movie parody
for me and my friends to
perform for our class. I went to
Dalhousie University and took
a theatre degree there... | was a
professional actor for 10 years
on the East Coast... and did
children’s theatre and dinner
theatre; all the stuff you have to
do to be a performer and pay
the rent, especially on the East

Coast, but anywhere in Canada.
I became a teacher, because

it’s very similar to children’s
theatre, except the audience
doesn’t change. I found the
FVGSS in ‘95, and I’ve been
coming back doing the pantos
ever since.

For the FVGSS pantos, you’ve
been a director, writer, and
performer, while also taking
on set design and lighting. Is
there a single aspect of live
theatre that you enjoy more
than others?

All those things are
interesting. They allow me to be
creative and come up with ideas
that work on stage. But the most
important thing is the audience
reaction, the interaction with
the audience. When I direct, I
like to make sure it’s something
that the audience can follow
that will capture them. I often
say that a play—any play, but
pantos particularly—is a roller
coaster ride that has to have
an “up” and a “down,” where
things go slow, but things go
fast. It’s getting that rhythm
that’s playing with the audience
as a director; just like being
the Dame, doing improv and
playing with reactions from the
audience is as a performer. It all
links together.

The Frog Princess will be
playing from November 27 to
December 8 at the Surrey Arts
Centre. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m.
Wednesdays through Saturdays,
plus 2:30 p.m. weekend
matinees. For ticket info, contact
the Surrey Arts Centre theatre
box office at 604-501-5566.

Tune in next week for Part 3
of British Pantomime 101!

The Freg Princess

es an ee by
a . Mike Balser, Norma Rushton
r and Cathy Wilmot

   
   

Director Mike Balser = Music Director Timothy Tucker = Choreographer Carol Seitz

November 27 to December 8, 2013
Wednesdays to Saturdays 7:30pm;
es Saturdays and Sundays 2:30pm
| __—_—_ Adults $26; Children//Students/Seniors $20“ $20 off when you buy 5 or more tickets”
e —_ Surrey Arts Centre Theatre 604-501-5566

 

Photo courtesy of Fraser Valley Gilbert & Sullivan Society

 

Netflix Pix

Choices from Nettlix
to combat boredom

Shea O'Grady, Contributor

QO0OO0O

House of Cards, US, 2013

fous of Cards is by far one

of the best shows I have
ever seen. The Netflix original
series created by Beau Willimon
is based off a BBC miniseries of
the same title, but the Netflix
adaptation far surpasses the
original.

If you’re like me and
were skeptical of the quality
of content made especially
for Netflix, you need not be.
This show is brilliantly shot,
scripted, and cast. It stars Kevin
Spacey exactly how you would
want to see him: playing Frank
Underwood, an extremely
skilled, cold-blooded, and
slightly sociopathic political
manipulator.

After being passed over for

a promotion by a new president,

Underwood, in his position

as House Majority Whip,
works to undermine the whole
administration. As a result,

the show unfolds in a brilliant,
gripping, cynical, and honest

masterpiece with Spacey leading
the charge every step of the way.

The first season was
absolutely riveting. I literally
could not stop watching it,
which is possibly the only
downside to the Netflix model.
Even if you’re not somebody
who typically finds politics
interesting, if you like drama,
this is your show.

It is obvious that this show
is anew heavyweight, and it’s
worth watching even if you
have to sign up for Netflix to get
it. The second season is due out
in early 2014.

 

Still of Kevin Spacey in House of Cards | Photo courtesy of Melinda Sue Gordon

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