Berwick Kaler

Berwick Kaler (born 1947) is a British actor most famous for playing the dame in York Theatre Royal's annual pantomime, which he also writes and directs. He has been awarded the freedom of the city.

In 2002, Berwick Kaler received an [http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/presspr/pressreleases/honours02.htm honorary degree] from the University of York.

The 2007-08 pantomime, "Sinbad the Sailor", was his 29th at the Theatre Royal.

Early years and TV work

Having grown up in "the slums of Sunderland", Kaler left school at 15 to seek success on the London stage. He got taken on at Dreamland in Margate to learn his trade. [http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/theatre/features/article26472.ece]

He has had TV roles in such shows as "The New Statesman", "Crocodile Shoes","Auf Wiedersehen, Pet" and "Spender" as well as steady theatre work. However, it is his role in the York pantomime that has won him the most acclaim.

The York Panto

Many pantomimes in recent years have relied heavily on celebrity guest stars (often soap stars or comedians attempting to revive a flagging career) and risque humour. Kaler's pantos reject this ("I want everyone to laugh at the same joke," he says) [http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/theatre/features/article26472.ece] and hark back to a more traditional form of pantomime. Instead of guest stars, a regular cast of actors has been assembled who return (nearly) every year:

*Berwick Kaler has played the dame since 1978 - though he played an Ugly Sister in his first York panto "Cinderella") in 1977 and again in 2006. He also took two years off early on to appear in a West End play.
*Martin Barrass plays the dame's son (since 1985) (apart from 2006 when he played an ugly sister with Kaler)
*David Leonard plays the villain (since 1985; took a year out in the nineties)
*Suzy Cooper plays the Principal Girl, or occasionally the Principal Boy (since 1993, except the 2000-01 and 2007-08 seasons)
*Joanne Heywood (seven pantos between 1985 and 2004) and Juliet Howland (six between 1995 and 2000) have each made multiple appearances as Principal Boy.
*Kaler's own nephew, Vincent Gray, whose throbbing role has increased in size since his first appearance in 2002/03.

*There are normally one or two other characters, plus six chorus members/dancers (three women and three men). Many of the actors filling these roles have also made return appearances. There are also 2 teams of energetic younger chorus members - these teams split the busy performance schedule into 2.

A Postmodern Pantomime?

While in some ways a 'traditional' pantomime, the York production is in some ways very up-to-date, and Kaler has been credited with reviving and reinventing the genre. While nominally based around the established panto stories such as "Cinderella", the plots are often almost non-existent, and Kaler's ad-libbing has been known to hold scenes up for several minutes.

Full use is made of modern technology. There is usually a pre-recorded video sequence that complements the action in some way. In "The Lad Aladdin" (2006) it took the form of a prologue featuring Jimmy Nail as a fortune teller; in "Mother Goose" (2004) there was a high speed chase around York; for "Jack and the Beanstalk" (2003) it employed the use of 3D glasses while in "Dick Whittington" (2001) it was a dream sequence. There is also generally a brief segment featuring UV light and puppets.

Other running themes include:
*A spectacular entrance from the dame in a ridiculous costume.
*Kaler's catchphrases "Me babbies, me bairns!" and "I've been Humiliated!", delivered in his distinctive Mackem accent.
*A slapstick scene between Kaler and Barrass involving a water tank.
*Kaler and Barrass fooling around in a water tank, with gunge, custard pies and buckets of water being thrown about.
*Kaler's wig slipping off to reveal his distinctive bald pate.
*A singalong with Kaler and Barrass and the audience. Letters from the audience are also read out in this segment, and Wagon Wheels and Newcastle Brown Ale are expertly distributed by members of the Chours.

Recent Kaler Pantomimes

External links

* [http://www.thestage.co.uk/panto/reviews/review.php/11028 Review] in "The Stage" of "The Lad Aladdin"
* [http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/theatre/features/article26472.ece 2004 interview] with Kaler in the "Independent".
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2005/12/14/btpanto14.xml&sSheet=/arts/2005/12/14/ixartleft.html 2005 interview] with Kaler in the "Daily Telegraph".
*Berwick Kaler at the Internet Movie Database [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0435693/]
*York Theatre Royal [http://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/index.shtml]