Heidi
Honeycomb is... Back!
'Singing In The Drain', the
episode of Gimme Gimme Gimme
with Su as special guest star is
repeated on GOLD next month. The,
episode, one of the best of the
three series run, originally
aired on BBC1 in December 2001.
Gimme Gimme
Gimme: GOLD: Saturday 12th July:
1.15am
Gimme Gimme Gimme: GOLD: Monday
14th July: 10.15pm Singing in the Drain.
Series 3, Episode 5. Kathy Burke
in the in-your-face comedy with
the hapless flatmates with every
personality flaw going. Linda
finally realises her ambition to
become a model.Starring: Kathy
Burke, James Dreyfus, Brian
Bovell, Beth Goddard, Su Pollard,
and Jonathan Harvey.
.British Comedy
Guide: Cannon and Ball & Su
Pollard Star in Robin Hood Comedy
Play
Sunday
22nd June, 2014
Hi-De-Hi! star Su
Pollard and comedy duo Cannon
& Ball are to star in a new
touring comedy play spoofing the
story of Robin Hood. Ha Ha Hood!
And The Prince of Leaves is
described by producers as 'a
brand new and all-out outrageous
comic romp!'
The show's blurb explains:
"Ten years after a messy
divorce, Robin and Marian are
forced back together to fight the
Sheriff once more. Little John
and Friar Tuck, now considerably
older and rougher around the
edges, join the merry pair to try
and save the citizens of
Nottingham..."
Su Pollard will play Maid Marian,
with producers noting she
"serves up a world-weary
Marian who is definitely more
matron than maid!".
Annie the Musical
has opened in Auckland. Touring
all the way from England this
production boasts big names like
Su Pollard and David McAlister
along with a cast of orphans
sourced right here in New
Zealand.
I got to head along to the media
call, what Megan of Thread has
aptly described as a readers
digest of the show – you get
to hear a bit about the
production, see a few of the
songs, talk to the cast etc.
In two songs I was captured,
there’s something about the
familiar musicals that really
grabs you and this one is no
different. And then there’s
the lights, the music, the sets,
the costume, even the dog! It was
captivating.
.New Zealand
Herald: Spy News: Casa Carter:
Hi-di-HAKA
Sunday
22nd June, 2014
Madcap Su
Pollard - best known as Peggy in
Hi De Hi! - was very keen to
learn the haka while in New
Zealand for her role in the hit
show Annie. League legend Monty
Betham was bringing his family to
opening night last weekend and
arrived early to teach Su - who
plays the gin-soaked Miss
Hannigan - the moves.
... Su's fabulous pins were a
knockout and dishy Mig Ayesa (aka
Rooster) - a finalist in Rock
Star: INXS and star of We Will
Rock You - showed he had plenty
to crow about.
The all new
Ha Ha
Hood! And The Prince Of Leaves website has gone
live today. There's full tour
dates, cast bio pages and more.
Click below to visit. Stay
updated via the production's
social networks too: Twitter | Facebook
.The Star: Su
Pollard and Cannon & Ball
Team Up For Robin Hood Comedy
Farce
Thursday
19th June, 2014
Comedy queen Su
Pollard (Hi-de-Hi!, You Rang,
M’Lord) and comedy duo
Cannon and Ball are teaming up
for an all-out outrageous side
splitting romp.
Ha Ha Hood! And The Prince of
Leaves is the latest
laugh-out-loud production from
the Ha Ha! team who had us
rolling in the aisles with Ha Ha
Holmes!, Ha Ha Hitler! and Ha Ha
Hamlet!.
Created by Ben Langley, who also
takes on the mantle of Robin, Ha
Ha Hood! Prince of Leaves gallops
into action at the Chelmsford
Civic with a 5 night run from 19
– 23 August before taking
off on a 61 date national tour
from 4 September through 17
November.
Maid Marian,
Nottinghamshire’s feistiest
female, who has in the past been
brought to life by the likes of
screen goddesses Audrey Hepburn,
Cate Blanchett and Uma Thurman is
now portrayed by Su Pollard, who
serves up a world-weary Marian
who is definitely more matron
than maid!
Did you pick up a
copy of this month’s edition
of the Ponsonby News? This month,
David Hartnell sat down with our
very own Su Pollard for a quick
one minute glimpse into the
actress’ colourful life.
Su Pollard plays Miss Hannigan in
the production of Annie opening
in Auckland on 13 June. Su first
burst onto our screens in the TV
series ‘Hi-de-Hi’
playing Peggy Ollerenshaw, and
during her illustruous career has
developed some very strong
opinions.
Take a peek at David
Hartnell’s interview below:
DAVID HARTNELL’S ONE
MINUTE INTERVIEW
What was your childhood
like?
Very safe, loving, well-cared
for, fun. We always had holidays
and a car.
They say you should never
work with children and animals,
you’re doing both in the
musical ANNIE, what was it like?
Having ‘Sandy’ is like
keeping a pet dog without having
to look after it. The orphans are
fun to be around because
they’re always excited.
Tell us something very
few people know about you?
I make a fabulous salad dressing.
Su tells Keeping Up
With NZ all about the New
Zealand production of Annie.
.Annie 2014: The
New Zealand Herald Review
Tuesday
17th June, 2014
In an age of
diminished expectations Annie
offers an unabashed celebration
of the irrepressible optimism
that fuels the American Dream.
However unattainable that dream
has become, its guiding
principle, that getting rich is a
good idea, makes perfect sense
when voiced by an 11-year-old
orphan determined to escape from
a life of grinding poverty.
What sets Annie apart is the
songs: A succession of great
jazz-infused tunes carry us
through the contrasting extremes
of Depression-era America - from
the brass-knuckle hustle of NYC
to the cheesy vaudeville of
radio-show jingles and the
intoxicating extravagance of a
billionaire's mansion.
...Enthusiasts of British TV will
have their hands full
trainspotting cast members who
have appeared in various small
screen classics. Hi-de-Hi's Su
Pollard is a brilliant fit for
the brassy broad who runs the
orphanage. Her show-stealing
performance is gutsy,
outrageously theatrical and very
human.
13 year old Zoe
Fifield took over the eyes, ears
and hearts of the Civic’s
audience as she gave her opening
night performance as Annie at the
weekend.
...From the adult cast you just
can’t beat the bad guys.
Orphanage manager and just about
functioning alcoholic Miss
Hannigan, is joyfully played by
Su Pollard. Pollard brings lots
of laughs with her slapdash dance
moves and inappropriate flirting.
Her rendition of ‘little
Girls’ was wonderful, and Hi
Di Hi fans will see she
hasn’t lost any of her
comedic timing.
From the moment the
lights went up on the New York
Municipal Orphanage, flame-haired
Annie had us wrapped around her
little finger.
...Around her gathers a stable of
seasoned performers from the UK.
Su Pollard is a highlight as the
tyrannical, inebriated Miss
Hannigan. She's hilariously
terrifying and her expert comic
timing ensures even the most
familiar fans are kept surprised
and delighted.
As soon as
I heard that Annie was coming to
town I knew I wanted to go! The
question then became, who to take
with me and would it live up to
my childhood expectations?
...Su Pollard as Miss Hannigan
gyrated inappropriately with her
mascara-streaked face and managed
perfectly to have the mysterious
effect of being both off-putting
and endearing.
Wild and wacky
actress is recognised wherever
she goes as Peggy the maid from
Hi-de-Hi
Oh, go on, you know what you
really want to know about the
English comic actress, Su
Pollard, is what she was wearing.
I know I did. My favourite Su
Pollard headline (from the Daily
Mail, of course) is this: Shy and
retiring as ever - Su Pollard
continues to wear wacky outfits
as she approaches 60.
She is now 64 and, on Wednesday,
she was wearing: teeny, tiny,
floaty blue shorts with white
polka dots; a sequinned top;
black patent leather Doc Martens
brogues; "over-the-knee
sparkly socks for
Christmas"; at least 20
bracelets; at least four
necklaces including one which
involved fake pearls the size of
gobstoppers encased in a sort of
ruff made of black mesh - which
gave her the peculiar appearance
of being strangled by a boa
constrictor that had dressed up
for a cocktail party.
As expected
with a big-budget international
production it has all the bells
and whistles - sets dotted with
colourful vintage furniture, the
art well-executed and
fashionably-retro costumes worn
by slick New York City dwellers.
Miss Hannigan, the boozy and evil
orphanage owner, is played
excellently by Su Pollard
(Hi-de-hi) and the crowd laps up
her whisky-swindling performance,
absorbing all her jealous
swagger. Her brother, Rooster,
(MiG Ayesa) is perfectly-cast,
dominating the stage with his
bad-boy presence.
• The
New Zealand Herald:
Theatre Preview: Annie, The
Civic: A UK-NZ production of the
Broadway classic comes to the
Civic this week... Su Pollard,
the much loved star of the TV
comedy Hi-de-hi, says it's her
job to create a
"baddie" the audience
loves to hate. "It's not
difficult at all for me to be
horrid to the girls when I am in
character," she says, but
"I do reassure them later
that it's only acting." - Continue
reading...
• Sunderland Echo:
EastEnders actor Matt Lapinskas
to star in Sunderland Empire
panto: FROM EastEnders to High
Street West – actor Matt
Lapinskas will take centre stage
at this year’s pantomime.
It’s been announced today
that the former EastEnders actor
and Dancing on Ice runner-up will
play the Prince in Snow White at
the Sunderland Empire. He’ll
join Su Pollard, as the Wicked
Queen, and Balamory’s PC
Plum, actor Andrew Agnew, as
Muddles the Jester, in the family
favourite for its three-week run
(Thanks to Mark Whitney) - Continue
reading...
• British Theatre
Guide: Panto News: In
Sunderland, Su Pollard is set to
wear the crown of the Wicked
Queen in the Empire's Snow White
- Continue
reading...
• Express:
Whatever happened to…
Hi-de-Hi!'s Ruth Madoc?
Hi-de-Hi!'s Ruth Madoc on her
life, career and her artistic
family: A namecheck for Su in
this lovely interview with Ruth -
Continue
reading...
• The New Zealand
Herald: Annie comes to
the Civic: Claire McCall talks to
an Auckland teen about her
starring role as orphan Annie - Continue
reading...
• Su on TV:
Little Robots - Continues to air
daily on CBeebies at 8.25am.
.Annie 2014: Last
Few Days In Wellington
Friday
6th June, 2014
Leaping
Lizards! Annie the Musical must
close at the St James Theatre in
Wellington on June 8 (Thanks
to Lunchbox Productions for the
photo)
.Annie 2014: The
New Zealand Herald Review
Sunday
1st June, 2014
A great article at The New
Zealand Herald, which includes a
collection of rave review
comments from various
publications:
Everyone’s favourite little
red-headed orphan has arrived in
New Zealand. The acclaimed UK
production of Annie – one of
the best-loved musicals of all
time - has opened at the St James
Theatre to rave reviews.
"What a show - slick,
boisterous, classy, with
excellent performances from the
whole cast! I thought I was
"on Broadway"."
Radio New Zealand National
"I thought the show was
gloriously good fun. Thoroughly
entertaining for young and old!
And gosh doesn't Sue have fab
pins? Impressive stuff!" The
Hits
"Fabulous family
entertainment and a terrific
showcase of the next generation
of kiwi talent." fairfax
media
"What an amazing production
– the set, the singing, the
lighting, the stars (Su Pollard
shines), Annie and our great kiwi
orphan kids, and of course the
mesmerising performance of Sandie
the dog – WOW."
NewstalkZB
"A full-on production with
scenery, costumes and effects
that one doesn't expect to see in
a touring show" Dominion
Post
"The set, costumes, singing,
dancing and acting were
fantastic! What an amazing
cast!" Radio LIve
"I was blown away. The
talent was outstanding and the
costumes were amazing. There was
a level of professionalism that
younger members of the cast
brought to the stage. Amelia
Walshe was an excellent Annie,
playing her part with
confidence." Wainuiomata
News
"It is a performance that
oozes enjoyment, fun and general
positivity. This is a cast who
clearly love the heck outta their
work. It's the best method of
escapism since the invention of
magazines and island holidays. I
feel ten years old again and
possess the same amount of
optimism." Theatreview
.Annie 2014: The
Positively Wellington Venues
Review
Sunday
1st June, 2014
The sun has come out
not tomorrow but today (24 May)
as the West End production of
Annie opens in Wellington. It is
a brilliant show with a brilliant
new approach to the timeless
musical.
The fantastic Su Pollard (Miss
Hannigan) would make everyone
laugh by just simply walking onto
the stage! Along with David
McAlister (Mr Warbucks), Sue
Hodge (Mrs Greer), Fraser Hines
(Roosevelt), MiG Ayesa (Rooster)
and John D Collins (Drake) the
cast is amazing - so much talent!
The dance ensembles really add a
lot of depth to the show and
choreography is well polished.
The local kids who play the
orphans are professional and have
worked so hard.
