Accrington: Coronation Street legend starring in panto this Christmas

Vicky Entwistle, who played Janice Battersby in Coronation Street for 14 years, is appearing in Cinderella. 

Vicky, who went to Rhyddings High School, will play Fairy Superior at The Albert Halls in Bolton from December 1 to 31. 

She said: “It’s quite hard work because you’ve got to stay completely focused because the majority of the audience are children, and they get bored easily, and they let you know when they are, so you have got to be on the ball and focused every minute.

“It’s not an easy ride, because sometimes people think that you can get up and do what you like, but that’s not the case.

“It might be a bit of chaos at the beginning, but it’s organised, and the story has to be told.

“You can bring people from different genres of this business, but you’ve all got to have the same focus, that it’s about the story and the characters.

“And that’s what I like, when everybody pulls together from different corners of the industry for a common good.

“And it’s fun because it’s Christmas, and everything’s happy and jolly.”

The cast say that it is also great for adults in the audience too, and there are times when adults love it more than the children.

Getting into the mindset for the show comes natural to them too, because they are all a “bunch of kids”.

Jordan Calloway, who plays Prince Charming, said: “We just get to play so much, and it’s just so much fun.

“During rehearsals we get to try new things and have a laugh, and when we’re on stage it’s panto, so some things do wrong.

“You have to have a focused mindset, but you can allow it to be a bit silly and be a bit cheeky.

“And characters like the ugly sisters can go off on tangents and try and make people on stage laugh.”

Vicky added: “You want them to engage and boo at the baddies, and laugh at Buttons, and be wooed by the prince, and Cinderella.

“And you want them to take in every aspect of it, and that’s why you work hard because you want them to have as much fun as we’re having.

“The best pantos always cater for both, and there’s lots of jokes going on that the kids don’t get.”

To book tickets now by calling the box office on 0343 208 0500 or visit www.quaytickets.com/boltonalberthalls.

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