Entertainment
Ben Nickless fulfils his childhood dream by performing in panto at Manchester Opera House-Jade Wright-Entertainment – Metro
‘I pinch myself that I get to play at this beautiful venue.’
Ben Nickless as Smee and Jason Manford as Captain Hook (Picture: Phil Tragen)
He wowed this year’s Britain’s Got Talent final with his impressions of Royal Variety Show stars of the past, but it was watching the big pantomimes at Manchester’s Opera House or the Palace Theatre in Rochdale where Ben Nickless really learned his craft.
‘I remember seeing Russ Abbot, Cannon and Ball, Les Dawson and Michael Barrymore between the two theatres, and it was always my dream to be in a pantomime at one of them,’ he recalls.
And it’s a dream that’s come true for the Rochdale comedian and actor who is playing Smee at the Opera House in The Pantomime Adventures Of Peter Pan, alongside Jason Manford, who’s another local lad.
‘I pinch myself that I get to play at this beautiful venue,’ Ben says. ‘I’m a lucky man. Smee is a silly character, pretty much the same part I play every year, but with a different name.
‘This is a slight adaptation of the story of Peter Pan that we all grew up with, but it’s very magical – there’s great music, stunning special effects and hopefully, with Jason Manford and I on stage together, there will be plenty of comedy.’
Possibly too much comedy… ‘We’re both worried about laughing too much on stage, we don’t want to get in any trouble but we definitely plan on making each other laugh,’ Ben admits.
‘Jason is hilarious and probably the funniest person I’ve worked with, so we can’t wait now to get in front of the Manchester audiences.’
The cast of The Pantomime Adventures Of Peter Pan (Picture: Phil Tragen)
Ben has now been in 18 pantos in total. ‘And I’ve loved every single one,’ he says.
‘My first, in Maidstone, was a great one and that’s when I got the bug. I then worked in Shrewsbury with my wife, which was extra special. I did four pantos in Nottingham – the first was Peter Pan alongside David Hasselhoff. We bounced off each other and we are still in touch today, which is a bizarre friendship.
‘My favourite has to be Cinderella at the Opera House, it was such a special show and Buttons is always the best pantomime comic role. I’ve only played that part once and to do it in Manchester was incredible.’
There’s always something extra special about getting to come home for the festive season, Ben says.
‘We only get Christmas Day off – we are doing two shows a day every day,’ he explains. ‘Rochdale is my hometown so that will always be special to me, I still have my mum living there. My brother and his family are in Littleborough, so I love it there and have many happy memories that come flooding back every time I visit.’
Ben Nickless in the final of Britain’s Got Talent (Picture: Dymond/Thames/Shutterstock)
Being back in Manchester is like a walk down memory lane, visiting the theatres where he first saw live performances.
‘It was always the Palace Theatre and the Opera House for my first taste of theatre, watching the pantomimes, and as I got older we’d often come and see the musicals. Fame was the first musical I ever saw, then we saw Starlight Express and Saturday Night Fever and I must’ve seen Blood Brothers at least four times here in Manchester.
‘I’d love to play Mickey, what a role that would be. Then we would go to Blackpool in the summer and see the summer shows, which is why my first love is comedy and variety. Those days were the best. I wish it was still like that today.’
It’s been a big year for Ben, 41, after reaching the final of Britain’s Got Talent back in June, with his rapid-fire impressions. Have things changed, following his TV exposure?
‘I don’t think I would say my life has changed that much to be honest, I’ve been fortunate to be performing now for over 20 years and the work I have done since was all booked in before I went on the show. I get recognised now and again and I’ve had lots of messages and support on social media, which has been really great.’
Ben lives in Devon these days, but keeps a northern tradition alive. ‘Chippy tea every Friday, it’s the law,’ he says. But, outside of Manchester, nobody understands his order.
‘Barmcake,’ he laughs. ‘Nobody understands what it is. I’ve lived in Devon for 12 years and before that I lived in Somerset and in Wales. Everywhere you go in the UK it seems that they have a different name: teacake, bread roll, bap, muffin.
‘Also, I remember when I moved to Devon I took the word “cocker” with me – famous from Coronation Street. The late Bobby Ball used to say it and he was a comedy hero of mine so I probably got it from him. I’m sure I was the only one using it in Devon. They had no idea what I was talking about when I’d ask in a chip shop, “Chip barmcake please cocker.”’
After Peter Pan ends its run, will Ben be making any New Year resolutions?
‘I’m rubbish at all that,’ he says. ‘I always need to lose a few pounds so last year I joined a gym. It had an outdoor pool and you could order food and drink on an app, get ten per cent off and then the staff would bring it out to you. So, I paid loads of money to a gym and ended up putting on weight. I won’t be doing that again.’
The Pantomime Adventures Of Peter Pan is at Opera House, Manchester, until December 31, atgtickets.com
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