The evening performance on Tuesday 8th January will mark local comedian Jon Monie’s 1000th performance in a Bath pantomime, when he takes to the stage as Smee in Peter Pan.
Photo courtesy of Freia Turland
This is Jon’s 17th pantomime season in Bath, his 13th consecutive year, and he has become a much-loved personality, known for his quick wit and hilarious expressions.
For many local families, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without watching a pantomime starring Jon Monie.
It all began in Cinderella in the 1996/97 season, when Jon played Dandini alongside Patsy Palmer, Derek Nimmo and Postman Pat, and he has appeared at the Theatre Royal Bath in nearly every pantomime since, building a 12-year working relationship with the late, great, “doyen of Dames”, Chris Harris.
Recent roles include Wishee Washee in Aladdin, Buttons in Cinderella, Simple Simon in Jack and the Beanstalk, Silly Billy in Sleeping Beauty, Idle Jack in Dick Whittington and Muddles in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Jon also contributes to all UK Productions pantomime scripts and this year was commissioned to write a brand new version of Beauty and the Beast which had its premiere at the Blackpool Grand Theatre and which will be the pantomime at the Theatre Royal next Christmas (2019/20). Tickets will go on sale in February.
As well as being a familiar face on ITV West for more than a decade, Jon has also worked extensively in television, including live light-entertainment for the BBC, quiz shows for Endemol, pseudo-sports programmes for Sky One, consumer and current affairs, religion, politics, lifestyle and education.
As a result of his many varied projects, Jon has had to grapple with a multitude of activities during his career-to-date; from jungle warfare training in the rainforests of Belize and hunting UFO’s in the Arizona desert to broadcasting live from the barricades of Les Misérables in the West End.
He has interviewed celebrities ranging from Shirley McClaine to Miss Piggy, Gene Wilder to the Spice Girls and Dame Edna Everage to Lord Richard Attenborough.
Jon originally trained in Drama and Theatre Arts at Goldsmiths’ College, University of London. With sketch-comedy partner Graham Avent, as Avent & Monie, he won ITV’s This Morning Young Comedy Writer and Performer Award and BBC’s Funny in 15 Seconds competition.
In 2013, their show Back for Good played to sell-out houses at the Ustinov Studio, and they were proud hosts of Great Britain’s Special Olympics summer games opening ceremony in Royal Victoria Park in front of an audience of 8,000.
In 2014 they made their Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut with their new show Back to Front.
Jon leads workshops in improvisation for both enthusiastic adults and drama students, and regularly performs with Instant Wit – the South West’s premier comedy improvisation company.
