A free exhibition celebrating 120 years of panto history at Wolverhampton Grand has opened at the town’s Light House Media Centre.
The 2016 panto is Aladdin and the exhibition has a display of Aladdin costumes. There are programmes from previous productions and walls of information dedicated to memorable moments and performers.
The first panto at the Grand was Sinbad the Sailor which started on Christmas Eve 1894—two weeks after the theatre opened. Since then the theatre has hosted a wealth of names including John Inman, Linda Lusardi, the Grumbleweeds, the Krankies, Su Pollard, Frank Bruno, Christopher Biggins, Julian Clary and the Chuckle Brothers—not forgetting real lions in a production of Robinson Crusoe.
Head of creative learning and education Claudia Gilmour said, “the exhibition is a wonderful showcase of one of our magical flying carpets, created with designs by local people of all ages and abilities. It provides an opportunity for local people and audiences to experience a different perspective of the historical magic of pantomime.”
The exhibition runs until Sunday 22 January although the Light House Media Centre will be closed between 24 December and 1 January.
Meanwhile, the Grand has announced that Jack and the Beanstalk will be its next panto. It will run from Saturday 9 December until Sunday 14 January 2018.