Casting Announcement for Southport Beauty and the Beast

Imagine Theatre along with Southport Theatre, following its takeover by Bliss Hotels, are delighted to announce that panto will be back this year with the magical tale of Beauty and the Beast.

The show will star and also be directed by Sam Kane. Sam, who previously appeared in Brookside and Emmerdale, played Buttons in last year’s highly acclaimed Cinderella. This year he is taking on the role of Eugene in one of the most popular fairy tales of them all. He will be joined by Jason Marc-Williams as Dame and Alistair Barron as comic.

“Beauty and the Beast is a story that has got everything. It's the perfect family show. It's got an ingredient in it that I adore in a pantomime.... heart. The jeopardy of the rose petals falling and having to fall in love before the final petal falls creates a brilliant tension that keeps everyone gripping their seat.  Mix all of that with fabulous comedy, traditional panto routines and great songs and you've got yourself a perfect trip to the theatre at Christmas time.”

Sam adds “The character of Eugene in the panto has a lot of similarities to Gaston in the Disney version. The weird thing is this has ticked a massive box for me. I was actually offered the role of Gaston, in the Disney musical version of Beauty and the Beast at the Dominion Theatre in the West End. I didn't take the role for a host of reasons and I've regretted those decisions ever since. Now 20 years later I'll finally get to play one of the best roles in theatre. I get to be vile and awful and get laughs for it and I can't wait! Southport Theatre is a great place to spend the festive season. The audiences were amazing also the staff and back stage crew at the venue were an absolute delight and I can't remember a single day from last panto season that wasn't a happy one.”

Jason is delighted to be returning to Southport. “I love being in Southport at Christmas and I really enjoyed working with Sam last year so I am excited to be working with him once more, as well teaming up with Alistair again as he is a really close friend and we always have a great time working together.”

Beauty and the Beast runs from Friday 14 - Sunday 30 December 2018.