Panto News: June 2015

Published: 28 June 2015
Reporter: Simon Sladen

Steven Lee Hamilton as the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland at the Customs House, South Shields Credit: Craig Leng Photograph
Charlie Hadwick as the Spirit of the Tyne in Dick Whittington at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle Credit: Qdos Entertainment
Jon Monie, who will appear as Simple Simon in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal, Bath Credit: Freia Turland

With the longest day earlier this month heralding the beginning of British summer time, it seems odd to be thinking of colder days and winter halfway through the year.

However, pantomime is not just for Christmas and this summer Jack and the Beanstalk sets sail aboard the MV Bretagne, Aladdin Rocks! continues to entertain at Butlins, The Pie-Eyed Piper of Hamilton plays lunchtimes at Òran Mór, Glasgow, The Pirates of the Pavilion return with their swashbuckling adventure in Weymouth and Looking for Oz tours Haven Holiday Parks.

Most of these shows are shorter than the usual two and a half hour pantomime at Christmas, but one that resembles its Christmas counterpart more closely is that of Sydney's State Theatre, where Bonnie Lythgoe's Aladdin and his Wondrous Lamp opens on 3 July. Building upon the success of last year's Snow White as well as her pantomime Empire in America, Lythgoe's Aladdin stars retired rugby footballer Beau Ryan as the Genie of the Lamp and panto regular Kev Orkian as Wishee Washee.

In the UK, Christmas is still the biggest of the pantomime seasons and this month Cinderellas up and down the country have had their star casting announced. In Darlington, Coachtrip's Brendan Sheerin and Niki Evans join Asheligh and Pudsey, whilst Maureen Nolan prepares to wave her wand in Rotherham.

In Southsea, Anita Harris and Matt Dallon will take to the stage of the Kings Theatre, whilst Keith Jack and Lynne McGranger visit Newark. John Partridge and Sid Sloane join forces as Charming and Dandini in Northampton, whilst Calum Best headlines the Epstein, Liverpool's production as the Prince along with Beryl Marsden as the Fairy Godmother.

There's not one, but two fairies for Cinderella at the Manchester Opera House. First Family Entertainment have secured Torvill and Dean as the Fairy Godparents. The dancing duo's first pantomime will see them not on ice, but in-line skates as they re-work old routines and invent new ones for the festive season.

In Worthing, it's all change as the town's venues only present one Christmas show this year. The Connaught Theatre, once home to traditional pantomime, gives way to the Pavilion, where Mark Read of boyband A1 fame joins Camilla Dallerup, Matt Evers and Ugly Sisters 'Lav and Lou'.

Change is also afoot at Fairfield Halls, Croydon, where audiences won't see their usual Dame Quinn Patrick. Instead, he'll be appearing as the Nurse in Bournemouth's Snow White for UK Productions, who are launching seasoned pro Nick Wilton as Bath's brand new Dame in Jack and the Beanstalk alongside Nigel Havers, Katy Ashworth and Jon Monie.

There's no change afoot for Thurrock's panto, where Jeff Brazier returns to play Prince, this time in Sleeping Beauty and in Barnstaple Kevin James is back by popular demand to play Buttons in this year's Cinderella.

With Eastbourne premièring Jordan Productions' first ever Peter Pan, its loyal audience will look forward to seeing regular Dame Martyn Knight and funnyman Tucker back at the venue, whilst the Melton Theatre welcomes Louis Emerick's Hook for the first time.

Someone who hasn't been seen on the pantomime stage for some time is panto expert Roy Hudd, who this year will write and star in Dick Whittington for Wilton's Music Hall's inaugral pantomime since its renovations and interestingly its first in history.

New and less familiar titles abound this season, and along with the announcement that regular face Steven Lee Hamilton will be the Customs House, South Shields's Mad Hatter, the Glasgow Pavilion has also revealed that Santa Claus is Coming to Town will star Pavilion favourites Dean Park, Johnny Mac, Nicola Park and Stephen Purdon.

For fellow Glaswegian venue the Tron, it's Sleeping Betty following last year's Miracle on 34 Parnie Street and in Stratford East, London, Robin Hood and his merry men come to town in a production to be directed by the theatre's Artistic Director Kerry Michael.

Someone used to making the journey to London Town to seek fame and fortune is of course Dick Whittington, a title that will undergo a Geordie transformation under the helm of Michael Harrison when the Theatre Royal's production welcomes Charlie Hedwick as the Spirit of the Tyne to help Danny Adam's Dick Whittington as he dreams of becoming Lord Mayor of Newcastle.

Dreaming of becoming London Mayor in the tradition tale will be Paul Danan in the Britannia Theatre, Chatham's production at Dickens' World. Magic Beans Pantomimes' first production at the venue also sees former SClub7 star Tina Barrett as Fairy Bowbells and pantomime legend Derek Griffiths as the evil King Rat.

Equally evil in the Villain stakes is Snow White's Wicked Queen, who in Whitley Bay will be played by Steps' Faye Tozer, whilst adding to the the Strictly star tally, Robin Windsor takes on the role of the Man in the Mirror in Llandudno.

Pantomime casting goes through waves and having seen trends such as Music Hall Stars, Variety Stars, Pop Stars, Australian Soapstars, Reality TV Stars and US Film Stars come and go, is Pantoland now living in the age of the TV Talent Show Stars? Names from Britain's Got Talent, Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing on Ice pepper the posters of many a panto, each show having already embraced audience participation via audience votes each week.

Ten years ago, Andy Abraham shot to fame in 2005's X-Factor and after two seasons with Magic Beans, this year he appears for Enchanted Entertainment in Ipswich's Aladdin alongside Paul Daniels, Debbie McGee and Chris Stanton, whilst in Colchester, Antony Stuart Hicks gives his Widow Twankey at the Mercury.

Last seen summoning boos in Birmingham, Chris Gascoyne leads the cast of Aladdin at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield and is joined by CBeebies' Alex Winters, Hilary O'Neil and regular Dame Damian Williams.

In Clacton, 5ive's Scott Robinson plays the title role for Polka Dot Pantos, whilst fellow band member Ritchie Neville joins Paul Holman Associate's Arena production in Derby. Neville is joined by his partner Natasha Hamilton of Atomic Kitten as the Slave of the Ring, a role Claire Simmo will also take on in Southport.

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