Scott Robinson’s only an hour into rehearsals for his first pantomime when I call. He thought it’d be a bit like the first day at school. He was wrong.
“I was driving up from home thinking this is like the first day of school or the first day at a new job; you know, that fear of the unknown. I’m assuming it’ll be a pretty relaxed day; I’ll get in, they’ll give me a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich but it wasn’t like that. I got in, took me coat off and they were like ‘right act one’.
“I was like ‘oh, okay’. It’s full on. I don’t think I’m in the director’s good books as yet... I’m kind of glad I’m doing the interviews at the moment to be honest,” he laughs.
The Basildon-born singer, best known for being a member of 5ive, is playing Aladdin in Polka Dot Pantomimes show of the same name at Clacton’s Princes Theatre from December 12-January 3. He has his lines down. At least his take on them.
“The first thing I said to the director was ‘as long as I say my line do I have to say it exactly as you wrote it’. He looked at me and went ‘no Scott, just say it how you want, it’s fine. I was so glad he said that, I’ve learned the lines in Scott style to make it easy for myself because I’m dyslexic.
“I can’t read and write all that well, on the other hand I’m quite good at remembering stuff. I’ve got a bit of a photographic memory so I look at a line and it kind of sticks. It’s the same with a song so actually for me it’s a bit easy.”
The costume, however, is taking a bit of getting used to.
“I was walking round Colchester Zoo the other day, which was eventful, in the rain and my costume is short,” laughs Robinson, who wowed Ipswich’s Chantry Park last year with the rest of 5ive. “It’s pretty cold... It is what it is. I’m embracing it, I’m enjoying it. I think it’s going to be a really good show and think the kids are going to love it.”
Does that include his four children?
“My twin girls are nearly two now (and) I’ve got two boys (aged) 14 and nine so dinner time in my house is like a horror movie. It really is, spaghetti everywhere, unbelievable. The nine-year-old and certainly the twins will really enjoy it. Although the twins will probably be climbing on stage wondering why daddy’s not paying them enough attention so that could be a bit awkward.
“I’m not so sure about the 14-year-old. I think he’s going to laugh at me and chuck things on stage. He’ll be like ‘do I have to come. When I come to a 5ive gig I’m quite proud but c’mon; can’t I stay at home and play the Playstation’?”
Robinson jokes he’s playing Aladdin like himself, only on a good day.
“I’m playing him like me but happier. If I walk in every day in 5ive mode, trying to be really cool and moody then it’s not going to work. I’ve got to walk in everyday a little bit more Christopher Biggins,” he laughs.
“He’s a little bit more enthusiastic, my voice is a bit deep so I’ve gone up a couple of octaves so he’s a little bit Frank Spencer I suppose.”
While it’s Robinson’s first pantomime, he’s no stranger to acting. When he was younger he had spots on TV shows like The Bill and Casualty. He was also in a production of Peter Pan when he was about 16 with Ron Moody; then there was a two-run with David Essex in Boogie Nights 2.
“I literally just met everyone this morning. Everyone seems fine and I think we’re going to have a good time. If I get a couple of my lines wrong I can look at the audience and go ‘yeah I shouldn’t have said that, that’s meant to be in act three, I’m going to do that again’ and I think the kids love it. The innuendoes in the show carry you through and it’s just (going to be) a good laugh.”
Any 5ive songs found their way into the show?
“Two of them yes,” teases Robinson. “But I’m not going to tell you which ones it’ll ruin the panto.”
With rehearsals beckoning, there’s just the last obligatory Aladdin question to ask. If he could have three wishes...
“That’s a serious question, I don’t know. The first thing I would wish for is the unselfish world peace, stop all the fighting, all the wars; that would be nice. Then it would just be happiness and security. That’s it. Nothing rash, not a new car or a new house just to be content with life.”
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