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panto
Panto began for
Kev in 1992 at the Grand Pavilion Theatre in
Porthcawl.
Kev had his own
show at The Pavilion for two successive Summer
Seasons when Ogwr Borough Council announced that
they were to produce their own in-house Panto
and Entertainments Director Roger Pryce asked
Kev if he would play Wishee Washee.
‘Roger is one of
those key persons who have influenced my life
and career, another is Norman Robbins who wrote
and directed the Panto.’
In fact Kev was to
spend four Panto seasons at Porthcawl all of
which were directed by Norman Robbins who went
on to write the book ‘Slapsticks and Sausages –
The Evolution of British Pantomime’
Norman very kindly
wrote of Kev in the book, ‘Kevin Johns was
the roundest person I ever came across. Like a
giant Beach ball he would bounce onto stage and
within seconds his exuberant personality had the
audience eating out of his hand. I worked with
him several times and have never seen him less
than devastating – a cross between Harry Secombe
and Lou Costello.’
That first Panto
for was a four year apprenticeship under
Norman’s guidance.
The following year
Kev played Buttons to the Cinderella of lovely
Brookside star Paula Francis and in 1994 Kev
topped the Pavilion Panto Bill as Simple Simon
in Jack and The Beanstalk.
Kev’s fourth and
final Panto at Porthcawl was perhaps one of his
happiest as he starred alongside Sophie Lawrence
and On the Buses legend Steven Lewis, with Kev
playing the Good Robber in Babes in the Wood.
It was Panto
Season 1996/97 that gave Kev his Panto debut at
The Swansea Grand Theatre in the Nick
Thomas/John Conway production of Robin Hood with
Little and Large and dear
Ruth Madoc.
The following
years saw Kev at The Princess Royal Theatre in
Port Talbot playing Simple Simon in Dick
Whittington and Muddles in Snow White.
The new Millennium
took Kev back to the Grand Theatre as the
Emperor of China in Aladdin with Tim Vincent,
Andrew , Vikki Michelle, Barry Howard, Ria
Jones and The Simmons Brothers.
The following year
Dame Kev was born as he played Nursey in Snow
White alongside good friend Mike Doyle, a
pairing that has met with the approval of Panto
audiences.
In 2002 Mike and
Kev were back together as Comic Pirates Smee and
Starkey in the Qdos production of Peter Pan.
The following year
Kev was back in a ‘frock’ as Gerti Gemmel Queen
of the Circus alongside Lisa Riley, Danny Adams
and Clive in Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Then Kev got to
Glam it up a little as the chance came to play
one of the ‘Uglies’ in Cinderella. Kev relished
the chance to get some boos with Sister Quintin
Young.
Kev and Quintin
instantly hit it off on and off Stage and became
great pals!
Dame Trot was
Kev’s next challenge in Jack and the Beanstalk
at the Grand as he and Mike Doyle again
demonstrated the remarkable understand they have
together on Stage.
This was Kev’s
first chance to work with brilliant director
Michael Vivian who Kev describes as another of
‘those key persons who have influenced my life
and career’.
Last year Kev had
to endure months of shouts of ‘Hello Nurse
Rhondda’ at the football, in Tesco and at home
as once again under the direction of Michael
Vivian he played Dame in Snow White with the
lovely Gillian Taylforth as the Wicked Queen.
-----------------------
Kev will return to the Grand Theatre for the
Panto season this year and is delighted to
playing the 'mother of all Panto Dames',
Widow Twanky in the Qdos production of
Aladdin.
This year Kev will be joined by Mark Little
- Jo Mangle from Neighbours and Mike Doyle.
Kev says. 'I'm so looking forward as Aladdin
is one of my favourite Pantos and was the
subject of my first ever Panto appearence
when I played Wishee Washee in Porthcawl 14
years ago.
I'm especially pleased to be working with a
great cast including Mark Little and my dear
friend Mike Doyle as we have a special
relationship on and off stage!
Aladdin opens at the Grand Theatre Swansea
on December 14th and runs until January 14th
2007.
panto posters The ones I can find!
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