A third of the tickets for the 2018 to 2019 South Shields Customs House panto, Beauty and the Beast, had been sold by the beginning of April. The title was announced in October last year, little more than a month before The Lambton Worm opened, and in the six months since then over 11,000 seats have been booked.
Ray Spencer, Executive Director of the Customs House, co-writer with Graham Thompson and director of the show, again plays Dame Bella.
(Bella, please remember that. Not Belle. That would be silly, even for a panto.)
He will again be joined by David John Hopper as his hapless (or should that be useless?) son Arbuthnot.
The show ponders such deep questions as, “why was the Prince of Peterlee turned into the Beast of Cooksonville by the beautiful enchantress?” and “how did Arbuthnot end up as a bidet?”
Set and costumes will, for the tenth year, be designed and made by Fox and Shriek. Paul Shriek is in the running for Best Costume Design in The Great British Pantomime Awards 2018, which take place on Sunday 15 April.
“We’re thrilled,” said Ray Spencer, “that so many people enjoyed their last trip to Cooksonville in 2017 so much that they have already booked to return.
“Several performances have already sold out, including our Christmas Eve shows, and seats are filling up fast for Christmas week, so get your tickets quick—before the last petal falls!”
Beauty and the Beast runs from Tuesday 27 November, 2018 until Saturday 5 January 2019. Tickets are on sale now, priced from £9.99, with prices frozen until 31 July.