Berwick Kaler still to announce title of next year's Theatre Royal pantomime (From York Press)

Berwick Kaler still to announce title of next year's Theatre Royal pantomime

10:39am Friday 4th February 2011 in Theatre

CONTRARY to convention, grand-dame Berwick Kaler, did not announce the title for the next York Theatre Royal pantomime on the closing night of Jack And The Beanstalk last Saturday.

Maybe he is being cautious after the sudden change of show last year, when he had pronounced he was to write a new panto version of Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe, whose opening scene would be set in York. Instead, he ended up sprinkling the magic beans once more, writing a Beanstalk script for the fifth time, making it the most performed panto of his 32-year reign.

Keen to explain the change on the eve of tickets going on sale last March, Berwick said: “At the time of the announcement, York was in the middle of one of its snowiest winters and thoughts of sunnier climes and sandy beaches were at the forefront of my mind.

“So, naturally, Robinson Crusoe was very appealing but I failed to think through the practical issues – for example, the budget would not stretch to me taking a research trip to a desert island. Suddenly, Crusoe wasn’t so appealing.

“That said, on the final night of Humpty Dumpty I was taking antibiotics, which at my age can cause severe memory loss and I forgot the plan had changed.”

He couldn’t resist firing off an aside at the panto change in his Beanstalk badinage, but will Robinson Crusoe take to the sea next winter? Wait and see.

“We don’t know what the show will be yet as Berwick can’t make up his mind,” says Rebecca Storey, the Theatre Royal’s press and media manager.

“He has asked us to give him a week to think things over. I’m sure you can understand after last year that we don’t want to rush into an announcement.”