By Roz Laws
A1 and Redditch panto star Mark Read wrote his latest solo single, Stop the Show, as a metaphor for life in a pandemic. “No matter what’s going on in life, you can’t stop the show,” he insists.
Covid certainly tried its best to stop the boy band, who shot to fame in the 1990s. A1’s first UK headline tour for two decades as a reunited quartet was twice postponed due to lockdown. But now they’re back to perform live next year on The A Game tour at venues including Birmingham Town Hall, a B:Music venue, in September 2022.
Recently Mark popped in to test the hall’s ‘amazing’ acoustics as he’s just down the road in Redditch, playing the title role in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Palace Theatre.
Speaking of Redditch, he said: “It’s fantastic being at the Palace Theatre in Redditch.
“It’s a lovely theatre; a really nice, traditional theatre.
“The cast of Jack and the Beanstalk are absolutely wonderful and we’re having a brilliant time.
“We’ve had nice, sell-out shows nearly every night and the audiences have been magnificent.
“One of my favourite places is a lovely coffee shop called Aroma on the street where the Palace Theatre is.
“The owner is a very lovely man – very accommodating and kind to us all.
“One of the first times we went in there, Jay Rawlings from Britain’s Got Talent who plays my brother in the panto (he’s also a Guinness World Record holding juggler!) actually juggled some coffee cups in there!
“In fact, it’s become a bit of a thing- everywhere we go in Redditch, he ends up juggling something.
“But since the first time when Jay juggled the coffee cups, we’ve been going back to Aroma ever since and the owner has been really lovely. I’d recommend it!”
The panto is directed by Peter Dayson and Mark said the emphasis was very much on having fun.
“I’ve been working with PHA Associates, who are the company behind this panto, for about six years now,” he said.
“I always love coming back to work with them, but this really has been a fun one for me this year, playing Jack.
“I have lots to do- climbing up and down the beanstalk, trying not to fall off it and taking on the giant- which is very funny, and a little bit scary!
“The show really has got something for everyone of all ages.
“We’ve got current songs and pop songs like Blinding Lights by The Weekend.
“I’m also doing a couple of A1 classics like Take On Me and I do my own song Stop the Show. It’s very nice having a song that I’ve written in the panto, and it comes at a really great moment in the show.”
Joining Mark in the cast is Andrea Valls who is from Waffle the Wonder Dog – and she brings a dog onto stage – not a real dog, just a toy dog.
“The kids all sing along with the Waffle the Wonder Dog theme tune, which is good fun. It’s a great family panto,” said Mark.
Jack and the Beanstalk is at the Palace Theatre, Redditch until January 2. For tickets visit: https://www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk/
A1 play Birmingham Town Hall on September 19 2022. For tickets go to bmusic.co.uk.
