Being the villain in pantomime is not only one of my favourite acting jobs but also one of the most vocally demanding.
Playing the Baddie
Over the years I have performed as Abanazar, Fleshcreep, The Sheriff of Nottingham, Bella (ugly sister) and Candy Cane Cackles, to name but a few. All of them big, bold and very bad.
Performing in a panto as the baddie – everything is amplified, the make-up, the expressions, the gestures and most importantly the voice. A simple “yes!” or “what?” can be elongated, extending the vowels and playing with the intonation, taking inspiration from Brian Blessed. Or the overly dramatic phrases such as “Then at last I will be the most powerful being in the universe!” Where I channel The Master (Antony Ainley) from Doctor Who in the 1980’s.
And of course there’s the baddie laugh “Mwwwaaahaha!”, which for me is a standard every time I enter or exit the stage.
Pantomime is all about entertaining and making people laugh, and you do this by playing and having fun on stage!
