Big Issue Pam

ARTS When The Big Issue In The North encounters the Australian comic actor Caroline Reid, she’s in the middle of washing her delicates. Flying high “I’ve just crushed a Daz tablet all over the floor so it looks like I’ve been hoovering up cocaine,” she Gary Ryan gets buckled up and ensures laughs. “But unfortunately doll, those ALSO SHOWING hedonistic days are long gone.” his tray table is upright when speaking to These days, the lady is not for gurning. However, the same cannot comic air hostess Pam Ann be said for her flight attendant alter ego. Inspired by a drunken spoonerism at a fancy-dress party mirthfully. “There are drag queens face of London Heathrow Sky Team’s in the 1990s, Pam Ann regales her who do a Beyoncé and mime over Terminal 4. “passengers” – the audience – with the audio from my DVDs. It’s hilarious. “Nobody ever gets offended,” she tales of drink, drugs and promiscuity They’ve embraced the character. notes. “Although I heard a rumour (she puts the “easy” in “EasyJet”), Whereas I’ve turned up to play a gig that Emirates were p*ssed off that I bitches about other airlines and turns in Dubai in front of a load of straight call them ‘service over safety’. They her coke-filled nose up at those not rugby players dressed in an air ply you with champagne and behave seated in first class. hostess uniform and they’ve assumed like ‘Get the plane off the ground – it Her trolly-dolly parody has proved I’m there to strip.” doesn’t matter if the wing is about globally popular. She supported her Considering the insults lavished on to fall off.’ I’m hoping to end up with hero Cher on her 2004 farewell tour, them, cabin crews and airlines have a cease and desist order. Better still, Madonna is a fan, she was once hired unexpectedly emerged as some of a fatwa.” by Elton John to crew the flight to his Pam Ann’s biggest fans. Despite her A decade that has witnessed SOUL SISTER partner David Furnish’s 40th birthday calling British Airways staff “horsey”, airport expansion, the revived fear of 25 Feb-2 March, Lyceum, Sheffield celebrations in Venice and yesterday the company nonetheless signed terrorism and, in particular, budget she returned from playing a gay Reid up (in the guise of her grumpy flights have all proved invaluable As much a gig as a piece of theatre, cruise in the Caribbean. BA character Mona) to front a viral fodder for Reid – whose attire harks Soul Sister is inspired by the music “Those gigs can be tough,” she ad campaign and she is also the back to the days when flying was and lives of Ike and Tina Turner. says. “Because it’s not a crowd paying associated with exotic luxury. The West End cast, fronted by the to watch just you – those people are “I usually have a go at Ryanair, volcanic voice of Emi Wokoma ready to complain. ‘I didn’t like that,’ but for this tour I’m embracing them. (Turner), perform their slick they’ll say. Or ‘I asked for a cabin I want them to buy an Airbus choreography to hits such as What’s with a sea view – and all I can see is 8380 and offer low-cost flights Love Got To Do With It, Proud the car park!’ to Sydney. Of course, they’ll Mary, Private Dancer, River Deep “But I’ve been asked back for charge £5,000 per bag.” Mountain High and Simply The Best. 10 years now so I must be doing Currently, Reid is in something right. Look, if I put on the process of penning a a Chanel shoe, f*ck the show. It screenplay for a Pam Ann doesn’t really matter, does it? The movie. “I can’t say anything gays are only looking to see if or else David Walliams and there’s a designer label and if I’ve Matt Lucas will steal my ideas lost weight. again like they did with their last “So I’ve flown over to production [2010 airport sketch start the UK tour in show Come Fly With Me].” Southend-on-Sea, Before then, patrons in the north which I suppose is can catch her the British at a layover at Caribbean.” Manchester’s With Opera House. a camp, “I always vicious tongue think that invites Manchester comparisons is like San THREE BIRDS to fellow Francisco,” 27 Feb-3 March, The Royal Antipodean she beams. Exchange, Manchester Dame Edna “And when Everage and I was there, I In South East London three siblings a routine played for two Tiana, Tionne and Tanika are incubated in and a half hours. home alone but doing their best the clubs of They couldn’t get to keep the household running East London, it’s me off the stage. while disguising it from the outside perhaps easy to see It became like a world. This darkly comic drama why gay men have hijack situation.” about childhood, family and fantasy taken Pam Ann under won the 2011 Bruntwood Prize their wing. Pam Ann Around The for Playwriting. This is its world “Well, people think World 2013 Tour, Opera House, premiere. I’m a man,” she admits Manchester, 1-2 March 25 FEB - 3 MAR 2013 · THE BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH 29 BITN 967_29 (Arts).indd 29 22/02/2013 10:54.

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