First Family to Qdos to Crossroads

Renowned for its glittering array of star name headliners in spectacular, innovative productions, Qdos Entertainment had already had an impressively succesful line-up for 2016/17 but things were about to hot up as a new wind was blowing in panto land. Their 2016/17 season included Paul O'Grady, Brian Conley, David Hasselhoff, Marti Pellow, Duncan James, Julian Clary, Amanda Holden, John Barrowman, Craig Revel Horwood, Shane Richie, Gok Wan, Lesley Joseph, Lisa Riley, Linda Robson, Pauline Quirke, Steve McFadden, Nigel Havers, The Chuckle Brothers, Simon Webbe, Joe Pasquale, Lee Mead, Jodie Prenger, Joe McElderry, Jaymi Hensley, Jessie Wallace and Gareth Gates. 2016 also saw Qdos Entertainment bring the tradition of pantomime back to the London Palladium in a spectacular production of the Fairy Godmother of all pantomimes, Cinderella, the first to play the venue in almost 30 years.

Qdos released audience figures that saw the company welcome over 1.6 million theatregoers to the 2016/17 pantomime season, a new attendance record for company its 35th year of producing pantomime.

As the 2016/17 season came to an end rumours started to trickle through the internet that First Family Entertainment pantomimes was no more, a week or so after the initial rumours started to spread the news would be confirmed that ATG had indeed dissolved their own pantomime division. It was hard to imagine that pantomime giant Qdos Entertainment could get any bigger and more successful than they already were, they already dominated the panto world but the departure of First Family Entertainment would lead to Qdos having an even bigger hold on the industry.

After twelve successful years, Kevin Wood, Chief Executive of First Family Entertainment, stepped down from his position to enable him to return to independent producing. At the same time it was announced that Associate Producers Laura Taylor and George Wood would also be leaving their roles. The ATG group quickly announced a brand new partnership with Qdos Entertainment but this would not be the first time that the two companies had collaborated, prior to the forming of First Family Entertainment in 2005 ATG had regularly partnered with Qdos. When Clear Channel Entertainment and the Ambassador Theatre Group first joined forces to launch First Family Entertainment some industry publications thought it would be a big blow to Qdos and that this new company would take the crown as the industry leaders, fast forward 12 years and Qdos is still standing tall, crown intact.

Quickly following the announcement of Qdos taking over the former First Family venues concern was raised from dwarf actors who feared this move would hinder them in finding work over the pantomime season. FFE had regularly cast dwarf actors in their pantomimes whilst Qdos had opted to use children in the roles instead as they were cheaper to employ. It was estimated that dwarf actors were paid around £1200 per week compared with other performers who received between £450-£750 per week. Qdos were quick to point out at the time that they did not have a ‘corporate view’ on the casting of any parts in their productions and that each production is considered individually as part of the creative process. Dwarf actors had started hitting out at Qdos during the previous year with one actor dubbing Qdos ‘The Enemy’ because they were putting dwarfs out of work. Panto is not exempt from the anger of the dwarfs and in 2012 they were also out in force when movie producers Universal cast fully sized actors in the movie Snow White and the Huntsman.

For the 2016/17 season Qdos produced 26 pantomimes which rose to 35 productions for the following year's season having taken on the ATG venues. Qdos also took this opportunity to give their pantomimes a fresh new look and in late January 2017 they unveiled all new logos for all of their pantomime productions, the previous designs had been in place for the five years prior to the change. We had most certainly entered a new and exciting period of pantomime as the 2017/18 season approached.

Let's take a moment to look back at First Family Entertainment...

Who were the FFE team?

KEVIN WOOD

Chief Executive

LAURA TAYLOR

Associate Producer / Head of Marketing

GEORGE WOOD

Associate Producer

BEN ARKELL

Production Manager

EMMA WAUGH

Head of Wardrobe

KIRSTY BLADES

Deputy Head of Wardrobe

TARA CAWS

Office Manager

JAMIE TAYLOR

Production Coordinator

LAURA BELL

Marketing Manager

ELIZABETH STURT

Office and Production Assistant

Their panto logos.....

With the Qdos 2017/18 season fully announced possibly the most notable shift from the days of First Family Entertainment was the disappearance of the US star turn, one of the signature features of FFE pantomimes. Performers had included Henry Winkler, Verne Troyer, Steve Guttenberg, as well as Mickey Rooney, Priscilla Presley and Pamela Anderson.

“There was never a conscious decision not to hire American movie stars to feature in our pantomimes,” Qdos managing director Michael Harrison said. “I think FFE had to book that calibre of star simply because Qdos had booked so many of the popular British stars.”

He continued “We were all past the stage of hiring an Australian soap-star or a Gladiator and it seemed like a natural progression for FFE.”

The panto impresario would not rule out Qdos bringing in US performers but adds: “When it comes to star casting, we have found that the most successful pantomimes we produce – with the longest runs and most performances – don’t rely on celebrity.”

2021 would bring another major change to the face of pantomime in the UK and after a turbulent 18 months for theatre caused by Covid-19 and the implementation of social distancing QDOS Pantomimes ceased to exist almost overnight. Without any warning it was announced on Tuesday 25th May 2021 that as of 1pm that day Qdos Pantomimes would be taken over by Crossroads Pantomimes, a part of the Crossroads Live Group and they wasted no time in a complete update to all social media and websites to introduce the new logo for the company that would lead the way for panto from that point.

The announcement on the day was....Today Crossroads Live announces the acquisition of Qdos Pantomimes, the leading producer of pantomime across the UK. The transaction represents a further expansion of Crossroads Live, following their acquisitions of London based David Ian Productions in 2019 and leading Australian producer, The Gordon Frost Organisation in 2020. The new company, Crossroads Pantomimes, will be led by Crossroads Theatrical Group Chairman, David Ian and former Qdos Pantomimes Managing Director Michael Harrison as Chief Executive. The acquisition will see Qdos founder and Chairman Nick Thomas MBE stepping down from the pantomime business. Since 1982, the company has produced over 750 pantomimes. A focus on regional theatres has made the Qdos pantomime season the lynchpin of the theatrical year for dozens of major UK theatres. In 2016, Thomas and Harrison returned pantomime to its West End home the London Palladium after a 30-year absence, with a new production of Cinderella. At the London Palladium, 2017 saw the first ever Olivier Award given to a pantomime for Dick Whittington. Michael Harrison as Chief Executive, whilst steering the new company strategically and artistically, will continue to produce independently under his own brand Michael Harrison Entertainment. David Ian said:

“I am absolutely thrilled to be working again with Michael. Crossroads Pantomimes is a natural development of our long-time producing relationship and the passion we both share for creating world class entertainment. We look forward to creating something very special for the UK Theatre industry whilst staying true to the great tradition of British pantomime.”

Michael Harrison said: “The creation of Crossroads Pantomimes marks an exciting next step in the evolution of pantomime, joining our unique experience as leading pantomime producers with the skill, resource and investment of Crossroads Live. Our operation will remain firmly rooted in the UK and will build on the long tradition of pantomime, but continue to push the genre

forward, as we’ve done over the past two decades.” Nick Thomas said: “After our 39 th pantomime season in 2019/20, Sandra and I decided it was time to find a new owner for Qdos Pantomimes. After discussions with Crossroads Live, we are delighted

that David and Michael will be taking the business forward. Our Qdos Entertainment Group will be embarking on new adventures, and we will spend our first ‘non-pantomime’ Christmas somewhere in the sunshine!”