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We sat down with drummer extraordinaire, Brad Hart, about Cinderella – The Panto! and chatted out the importance of music in a pantomime, what drew him to this role, and what are the challenges and rewards of live theatre compared to other forms of performing arts.
Lighthouse Festival (LF): How important is music in a production like Cinderella?
Brad Hart (BH): I think there is a correlation between the effect that comedy and music have on an audience. It is an instinctual, reflexive response. Laughter as a reaction is mysterious and beyond our control, as is the emotional reaction to music.
(LF): What are the challenges and rewards of live theatre compared to other forms of performing arts?
(BH): Live theatre is such a joyously collaborative experience during the rehearsal process — there is nothing else quite like it. As far as performances go, you get to create something with the audience that is only ever going to exist in that exact moment and then it is gone. The energy that passes between the audience and performers is beautiful — and reciprocal.
(LF): What drew you to this role in Cinderella and why did you want to be a part of it?
(BH): I always had a deep envy of David Letterman’s drummer, Anton Fig — how he got to sit back and comment on the jokes by adding the odd rimshot to the proceedings! I couldn’t pass up the chance to do that in in the Cinderella Panto!
