Pantomime Veteran Remarks on Venue’s Renewed Vitality

A veteran pantomime performer, Bob Golding, has returned to the Alban Arena in St Albans, Hertfordshire, a venue where he previously performed for ten years and of which he is a patron. Golding, now residing in Northamptonshire, described his return for Cinderella as being like “sitting in an old comfy chair again.” Expressing his enthusiasm, Golding stated, “I’m over the moon, for loads of different reasons, but mainly because these are my people.” He added, “I feel like I’ve come home.” He also observed that the building now felt like it had “got a new lease of life and a burst of energy” since his last performance there. Golding had planned his tenth year in the St Albans pantomime, but the December 2020 run of Mother Goose was canceled due to the Covid pandemic. Consequently, he relocated to Northamptonshire and, starting in 2021, performed as the dame for three years in Northampton’s Royal and Derngate pantomime. At the time, with a two-year-old daughter, Golding considered working “10 minutes from where he lived” a “no-brainer.” However, with his daughter now older, he has made his return to the Arena. He clarified, “Don’t get me wrong, I loved the three years I’ve been in Northampton, it’s been fantastic and it’s a wonderful theatre but to come back to St Albans really feels like sitting in an old comfy chair again.” This year, Golding reprised his role as comedy legend Eric Morecambe, a character he previously portrayed in the award-winning play Morecambe, for Paul Hendy’s The Last Laugh. This production enjoyed a successful run in Edinburgh and is scheduled for a national tour in 2025. Prior to the tour, he will perform as one of the Ugly Sisters in Cinderella, alongside his close friend Ian Kirkby, a production he described as “the greatest of all the pantomimes.” Reflecting on his return, he commented, “To be here, back in the old building again it’s like nothing’s changed but everything has changed.” He humorously added, “We’ve even got a working sink in the dressing room now.” During his time in Northamptonshire, Golding maintained his role as a patron of the venue, a position he has held since 2018, when he organized its 50th anniversary gala. However, he noted that this role had been “slightly dormant” since the pandemic began. He explained, “I had lots of things planned and it was very exciting but then Covid happened and it kind of put the kibosh on anything that we were going to do to get more attention to the arts locally for the people of St Albans.” Now that he has returned, Golding stated his full intention to “take on my patron duties whatever they may be in the future” and to represent the venue artistically. The Arena has faced challenges in recent years, including the 2020 pandemic and the discovery of asbestos in December 2021, which resulted in the early closure of its pantomime and the postponement of all shows for approximately four months. Discussions have also occurred regarding replacing the venue with a new entertainment space. Despite this, Golding is advocating for the theatre, noting that it is now under new management and “looking great.” He affirmed, “I’m fighting it’s corner.” He added, “There’s been a big shake up and it’s got a very nice, exciting fresh new feel about it, it’s a bit of a renaissance moment.” Golding continued, “It’s had a few licks of paint and it just feels like it’s got a new lease of life and a burst of energy.” He concluded, “This old building, I’ve always said, is probably one of the ugliest buildings in the city but with the biggest heart so it’s nice to see some love going back into it again and hopefully we can continue to bring some more joy to the people of the area.” Golding expressed his desire to return, stating, “I’d love to be here again… so we’ll see what happens next year.”