The Stage

Stead leaves as Qdos contract not renewed

Published Tuesday 1 June 2004 at 13:15 by Jeremy Austin

Leading pantomime producer Barrie Stead is facing his first Christmas without a show for 40 years after being told that his three-year rolling contract with Qdos has not been renewed.

Stead was appointed pantomime consultant at the world’s leading panto producer in May last year, weeks after resigning from Jim Davidson’s rival Midas Media organisation. At the time, he was given the task of expanding Qdos’ portfolio. Now he says he will, for the time being, concentrate on running the Futurist Theatre and cinema in Scarborough.

He said: “The last thing I want to do now is to do nothing. I love the business. I have had a very good 12 months with Qdos and prior to that, of course, we were building up quite a successful panto division with Jim Davidson. Before that I was doing panto and summer season with Paul Gregg and Barry Clayman - I have always been in the top division.”

As well as forging a successful career in pantomime producing, Stead has worked outside the field, undertaking feasibility studies on theatres in Brighton, Wimbledon and Ipswich and producing shows in the West End. He has also run venues and dealt with local authorities. Since word spread of his departure from Qdos he has already had a number of offers of work.

While he has stressed that there is no ill-feeling between him and Qdos, he added that he will miss not working on a pantomime this year.

“It is the first Christmas for forty years that I will have it at home. I am disappointed not to be doing pantos. I want to be doing them. I have seen them through the casting stage and I am disappointed I won’t be putting them on a stage,” he said.

Stead’s departure from Qdos coincides with the news that his former colleague Jim Davidson has decided to “take a year out of pantomime” and has pulled out of Qdos’ production of Aladdin at Cliffs Pavilion in Southend. He will be replaced by Russ Abbot in Peter Pan. The show runs from December 11 to January 9.

Qdos managing director Nick Thomas said: “We have had a very enjoyable time working with Barrie on the integration of several pantomimes formerly produced by Midas Media. That process has now been achieved and we wish Barrie well in all his activities outside of pantoland.”

He added: “We are delighted that Russ Abbot will head the cast of Peter Pan in the role of Captain Hook. Russ is one of the top family attractions in pantomime and he comes to us from starring in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium.”