Meet the stars of The Kings Theatre's Pompey Panto Cinderella - Michelle Antrobus and Grant Urquhart

We had How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria? for The Sound of Music and Any Dream Will Do for Joseph and The Amazing Tehcnicolor Dreamcoat, and others to find a Nancy in Oliver Twist and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.

Among them was Grease is The Word in 2007 which aimed to find a Danny and a Sandy for a new production. Young Gosport actress Michelle Antrobus made it to the final but was pipped at the post.

However, it proved to be a springboard for the performer to numerous lead roles in the West End and in high-profile touring and international productions such as Chicago, West Side Story and Jesus Christ Superstar.

And so, no one was more surprised than Michelle to find herself throwing her hat in the ring for the titular lead in this year’s Pompey Panto at The Kings Theatre – Cinderella.

The venue was holding an open casting call in its Search For Cinders and Michelle decided to go for it after being shown an advert for the hunt. She followed through the audition process and emerged as the winner.

Recalling the start of her whirlwind career Michelle says: ‘I went to drama school in London on a scholarship, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and did a degree there for three years. From there I went straight into the Grease competition, and then that was kind of my life. There was actually a bit of a crossover between finishing my third year and starting the show. I did my last show at Mountview, the next day I moved into the Grease house, and then it was just manic. Then I landed Chicago in the West End and have just carried on like that. Sometimes you're in work, sometimes you're not, and I find my way when I'm not. I've got a great work ethic, so I just do what I can find, but I have had a really good career.’

Captain America

A highlight on the CV was playing a USO dancer in the Marvel blockbuster Captain America: The First Avenger. ‘I was one of the dancers – there's only about eight of us, but they do kind of make it look like there's a lot more. It was days of getting up at 4am, being picked up by a car, getting there, makeup, everything's done for you, and being shipped from one bit to another. Just standing on set, watching how the director worked – I was in my element. I'd love to do film and TV, so that for me was just learning.

‘I'm a huge Disney fan too, so I was like, I'm working for Disney! Okay, it wasn't a "Disney Disney" movie, but I've worked for Disney!’ she laughs.

As is often the way though for any jobbing performer, Michelle found herself gainfully employed in related areas in her downtime. She has her own online health and wellness business, and has also taught at In Time Dance in Park Gate and gave private classes for youngsters. ‘It was all about singing and dancing and confidence-building – I really found that was a niche for me. I really enjoyed empowering these kids and watching them go from having zero confidence, and then a few weeks later they'll walk into the room, and it's: “Wow, look at you go!” It was so good to do that.

‘I was teaching this little boy called William – the family were so lovely, they even came to watch me in Chicago in 2018. The dad's a chiropractor, so I would see him for that every now and then, but then he texted me a picture of the casting, completely out of the blue, and nothing else.

The Search For Cinders

‘I asked what this was for, and he said: “You should go for it, I think you'd be an amazing Cinderella”. I was thinking, open call? I've got an agent, I don't go to open calls any more! But I'm a very humble person, I don't get above my station, ever, and I know my roots. I was thinking, wouldn't that be lovely? The Kings Theatre, the first stage I ever performed on when I was five years old! I've got a history with this place. I kept thinking, this might be good.’

There was some snobbery about an established performer going to an open casting, but fortunately for all concerned, Michelle, who now lives in Whiteley, overcame that.

‘Someone said to me: “Are you going to go to an open call?” And I was like: “Why not? Why not go to an open call – who cares?” So I sent my stuff in and got called to an audition.’

It was only after she got the part that Michelle got round to letting her agent know she’d even gone for it.

‘I rang her and said: “You're going to be getting a phone call from these guys because I've got this part...” And she said: “You know what, Michelle, good for you!”’

With her first appearance on The Kings stage aged just five in a show called The War Years, Michelle feels like she’s come full circle. ‘Even doing the process reminded me where I came from. The industry's upside down right now, it's so hard out there. I'm getting in the door for auditions but not landing anything. For me to get this was the icing on the cake. It's close to home, it's here, it's Cinderella – it's a dream role. I never thought I'd be playing Cinderella. I thought that time had passed. I feel really lucky to be here.’

She joined a cast packed with Pompey Panto regulars, including Jack Edwards as the crazy and unpredictable Fairy Godmother, born-to-be-bad Julia Worsley and Harry Howle as the Wicked Step Sisters, and Peter McCrohon as the Fairy King. Another familiar face is Ben Ofoedu, who was last here in 2019’s panto Aladdin as The Genie, and returns as Dandini.

First Dates star joins the cast

The last person to join the cast was Channel 4’s First Dates star Grant Urquhart as the dashing Prince. The handsome Yorkshireman was drafted in to replace former Pompey panto regular Sean Smith who left the cast to pursue other projects.

‘The call came massively out of the blue,’ says Grant, ‘but as soon as I heard it was down south, I was like, yes, get me in!

‘I was literally mid-way through writing my CV. I've just come back from Bali and then I got a call from my agent saying there's a place in a panto doing Prince Charming down in Portsmouth. Yeah, sweet – sign me up.’

For several years now Grant has been a waiter on First Dates the reality TV show which sends couples on blind dates in a restaurant. Grant is part of the team led by maître d Fred Sirieix, shepherding the couples through their meals.

He recalls getting the gig: ‘One of the girls I was at drama school with, her sister was a producer on a show, and said they're looking for someone who's a proper waiter, would you fancy it?

‘I'd been in hospitality that long… I mean, no actor’s just an actor are they? Everyone's got another job, right? I went in, had a little trial run and they loved it so they said come on in!’

While not an acting job as such, is it a bit more like improv, having to think – literally – on your feet?

‘Yeah, pretty much!’ he laughs. ‘I've been in it for six years now, overall I think I've done two series of (spin-offs) Hotel, two of Teens and then around eight of the main show as well.’

With filming taking up to 15 hours a day, the restaurant ‘staff’ like to try and predict which couples will get on and who will crash and burn.

‘We see them walk in from the start of the day and we always have a little chat as soon as they come in, then it's like, right, put your bets on whether they're going to get on. Ninety-nine per cent of the time we're wrong! It just shows you can't guess. The casting team are really good on it.’

Grant does also have several more traditional acting credits under his belt, but he’s looking forward to playing the leading man.

‘It's a dream come true. Having watched panto as a kid, then having gone through drama school, it's nice to be the lead for once. The last show I did was actually another panto – it was Beauty and The Beast at The Cresset in Peterborough, but before that I'd taken a bit of a hiatus. I did Just So in Cirencester – that was a nice actor/muso show – I was playing a leopard in that!

‘Before that I was workshopping a show where I a dame-type character, and then I was Silly Billy Buttons last year, so it's nice to finally be a prince!’

Cinderella at The Kings Theatre, Southsea runs from Friday, December 2, to Saturday, December 31. Go to kingsportsmouth.co.uk.