Notching up 40 years in panto

Jan 11 2008 By Diane Parkes

COMEDY duo The Grumbleweeds' appearance in Aladdin brings them back to the city where they first trod the boards in panto - nearly 40 years on.

Playing the Chinese Policemen whose attempts to catch John Barrowman's Aladdin always end in disaster at Birmingham Hippodrome this month, their madcap antics have children, and adults, screaming with laughter.

And bearing in mind they have done panto nearly every year of their performing lives, it is hard to believe this is their first Christmas and New Year at the Hippodrome.

But not their first in the city. "Birmingham is very special to us because it is where we did our first panto," says Robin Colvill. "It was at the Alexandra Theatre with Jimmy Tarbuck in Jack and the Beanstalk. I remember the giant broke his foot on about the second night."

And their love of panto has been there ever since. Formed in 1962 in Leeds, Robin and partner Graham Walker launched the Grumbleweeds on an unsuspecting public in the popular talent show Opportunity Knocks. In the more than 40 years following they have taken their act around the world.

"We don't need to rehearse it as we bring our act into the pantomime," says Robin. "Wait until you see the bit where I rollerskate across the stage naked. So many people have said it is the funniest thing they have ever seen."

Panto has become a Christmas tradition for the duo although last year they decided to try something different.

"We were actually on a cruise ship round the Caribbean," says Graham. "It was bizarre. There we were celebrating Christmas and it was about 110ºF! They still had Father Christmas though, he came down the funnel."

But this year they were keen to come back to pantoland.

"Panto is unique," adds Robin. "There really is nothing like it, making all those people laugh. And it is something that we do well."