Fellow lead actor Cerrie Burnell also loves the pantomime and tells me her five year old daughter has always watches her in panto. Cerrie will be playing the part of ‘Alice Fitzwarren’, Dick Whittington’s love interest. It is a serious part but she described her characters look as “…a nautical Alice in Wonderland” with her red, white and blue country style dress.
Cerries’ love of theatre started when she enrolled at the Unicorn Theatre in London at ten years old and as a child found she was inspired by films such as ‘The Red Shoes’. Having struggled with dyslexia meant she could not read or write until 10 years old and this led to her building up a vivid imagination – and her creative side is still very evident today having just released a book called ‘Snowflakes’, written her own fairy tale show called ‘Winged’ and her own show ‘The Magical Playroom’.
Cerrie is a multi-talented lady but you and your children may know her best as a current CBeebies presenter. She is enjoying the fruits of her labour but has not always had the smoothest of careers with a difficult job straight out of drama school travelling to schools to perform educational theatre and having felt the backlash of opinion centred on her disability when she became a CBeebies presenter.
Born without a right forearm and hand Cerrie has attracted negative comments from a minority of parents watching CBeebies but she has not let this disability hold her back. Cerrie refused to hide
away and hers is a story of positivity and tenacity which has gained her widespread support from the majority of parents.
There is no doubt about the fact that Cerrie’s a role model for children to look up to and her charity work shows her compassionate side. She is an ambassador for the ‘Book Trust’, works with ‘Happy child’ which provides Brazilian children with internships and is a ‘Fellow’ for the Foundling Museum.
Panto reminds Cerrie of why she wanted to be an actor in the first place and she can relate to Dick Whittington’s story line “I love the story – running away to London to make his fortune only to find the
streets are not paved with gold. It’s the story of every actor; but dreams do sometimes come true.
Also having a rat as villain is pretty high up there with all the bad panto villains.” Cherrie says with mischief in her voice
#InMaidstone
Alongside the lead roles there is of course the famous role of Dick Whittington’s cat and in this production the cat is played by a dancer and panto would not be the same without the dame ‘Sarah the Cook’ played by our local well-loved talented actor Jimmy Burton-Iles. The villain of the peace is ‘Queen Rat’ played by Kate Richards who will have us all projecting our best ‘Boo’s’ towards the stage.
Blue Genie Entertainment presents Dick Whittington at the Hazlitt Theatre, Maidstone from 5th December – 6th price tickets at £12. Off peak. Peak time tickets start at £15.50 - £17.00 adult and £62.00 family group ticket.
January Tickets start at £10.95 for school shows - £15.50 adults with family special