Panto News: September 2015

Published: 27 September 2015
Reporter: Simon Sladen

The cast of the Octagon Theatre, Yeovil's 'Sleeping Beauty' Credit: Ian Olsson
The cast of the Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock's 'Aladdin' Credit: Imagine Theatre
The cast of Wycombe Swan's 'Peter Pan' Credit: Qdos Pantomimes
The cast of the Maltings, Ely's 'Snow White' Credit: KD Productions
The cast of the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton's 'Peter Pan' Credit: Jonathan Hipkiss
The cast of the Palace Theatre, Newark's 'Cinderella' Credit: Imagine Theatre
The cast of Kings Lynn Corn Exchange's 'Robin Hood' Credit: Jordan Productions
The cast of the Civic Theatre, Darlington's 'Cinderella' Credit: Qdos Pantomimes
The cast of Grimsby Auditorium's 'Snow White' Credit: Imagine Theatre
Anita Dobson as Carabosse in the New Victoria Theatre, Woking's 'Sleeping Beauty' Credit: First Family Entertainment
Katie Price as Carabosse in the New Victoria Theatre, Woking's 'Sleeping Beauty' Credit: First Family Entertainment
The cast of the Victoria Theatre, Halifax's 'Cinderella'
Steve Walls and Faye Tozer in the Playhouse, Whitley Bay's 'Snow White' Credit: Blue Genie Entertainment
The cast of the Lyceum Theatre, Crewe's 'Cinderella' Credit: Qdos Pantomimes
The cast of the Queen's Theatre, Barnstaple's 'Cinderella' Credit: Imagine Theatre
The cast of the Garrick Theatre, Lichfield's 'Jack and the Beanstalk' Credit: Pamela Raith Photography
The cast of Eden Court, Inverness's 'Peter Pan' Credit: Imagine Theatre
Kerry Newell and Justin Fletcher in the Hexagon, Reading's 'Dick Whittington' Credit: Imagine Theatre
Martin Ballard and Jon Clegg in DeMontfort Hall, Leicester's 'Snow White' Credit: Imagine Theatre
The cast of the Spa Centre, Leamington Spa's 'Jack and the Beanstalk' Credit: Imagine Theatre
The cast of the Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock's 'Mother Goose' Credit: Imagine Theatre
The cast of the Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl's 'Beauty and the Beast' Credit: Imagine Theatre
The cast of Southport Theatre and Convention Centre's 'Aladdin' Credit: Imagine Theatre

It's almost unbelievable to think that in just over a month the first Christmas pantomimes of the season will go into rehearsals ready to delight audiences up and down the country with their tales of rags to riches princesses, geese that lay golden eggs and genies who dwell in magic lamps.

As we ebb ever closer to the opening of the season, the last few pieces of the casting jigsaw fall into place and we get an even clearer glimpse of what Panto Season 2015 has in store. In Fleet, George Sampson gets set to soar across the skies on a magic carpet as he takes on the role of Aladdin at the Harlington, a role Liberty X's Michelle Heaton is also set to play for Act One Productions at Harpenden Halls.

In Wrexham, Alex Reid prepares for his panto debut as the Genie of the Lamp at Theatre Stiwt, whilst Clapham's Two Brewers have announced their adult panto of 2015 as Alezzin starring Myra Dubois and Harry Clayton-Wright.

Steven Arnold joins the cast of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at the Cresset Theatre, Peterborough whilst Hackney Empire's Jack and the Beanstalk cast welcomes back Darren Hart and Tony Timberlake for another season of fun in the roles of Clumsy Callum and Nasty Bug.

September has seen many a Villainess announced and, whilst Edwina Currie gets set to give her Wicked Queen in Northwich, Jennifer Ellison returns to the dark side, this time making her way to Norwich in the Theatre Royal's Snow White after spending last year as Carabosse in Blackpool.

In Woking, Sleeping Beauty's Carabosse will be shared by Anita Dobson and Katie Price, heralding Dobson's third Carabosse for First Family Entertainment and Price's second pantomime having previously played Girl Friday at the Worthing Pavilion back in 1997.

This Christmas will mark the third outing for By Jove's Pride and Prejudice: the Panto, this season playing at the Cockpit, London with Cinderella and the Beanstalk returning to Theatre 503 in Clapham for its second festive run.

Other alternative titles to be announced include Òran Mór's Ali Bawbag and the Four Tea Leaves, Hall for Cornwall's Dick Whittington and his Mousehole Cat and Excess All Area's Kitten in Heels.

For those who can't wait until Christmas, Strictly Productions bring Aladdin to the North Pier Theatre, Blackpool during the October half term and have announced that they will tour Alice in Wonderland during Easter 2015. Strictly Productions is the second panto company to announce such a tour after Wicked Productions revealed it will produce Rapunzel Rocks! as its Easter panto after a festive season of Aladdin in Margate and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Harlow.

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