Dick Whittington is this year’s family pantomime at the Opera House, Manchester.
Starring as Alice Fitzwarren and her dog will be Britain’s Got Talent winners Ashleigh and Pudsey—who won rave reviews for their panto debut in Woking last year.
Appearing alongside them will be West End and television star Jodie Prenger as Fairy Bowbells, Ben Faulks (aka Mr Bloom from CBeebies) as Dick Whittington, Opera House panto favourite Tam Ryan as Idle Jack, panto dame extraordinaire Eric Potts as Sarah the Cook with Spamalot’s Samuel Holmes taking baddie duties as King Rat.
The run will include the first ‘relaxed performance’ on January 2 aimed at anyone with an autistic spectrum condition, sensory and communication disorders or a learning disability.
There are likely to be some small changes, in terms of lighting and sound cues, but the overall content will not change. There’s also a more relaxed attitude to noise in the auditorium, in order to reduce anxiety.
Bookers will be sent a visual story (detailed information and photos), be invited to attend a familiarisation meeting in the theatre and there will be a designated ‘chill-out’ area for use during the performance.