Record Breaking Season for De Montfort Hall

More people than ever have come to see the pantomime in Leicester this year, De Montfort Hall has revealed.

Production photograph: Pamela Raith

The record-breaking attendance has, for the first time, broken through the 30,000 mark.

Since reintroducing pantomime at the Hall in 2013, attendance has been growing year on year, with this year marking a new record, not just for pantomime but for any previous Christmas show at the venue.

Ticket sales for Beauty and the Beast were so strong they had overtaken the previous year’s after just the first week of performances.

A total of 30,278 tickets were sold across the 38-show run, which starred Dick and Dom’s Richard McCourt and X Factor winner Sam Bailey, an increase of 10% on last year’s show.

Special schools performances were sold out in the first week of the run, and the relaxed performance for people with an autistic spectrum condition or communication disorder also proved very popular.

De Montfort Hall general manager, Antony Flint, said: “We are really pleased that so many people have come to watch our pantomime this year. Leicester folk of every generation have really taken it into their hearts and it’s become a real family tradition to come and watch the panto each year.

“We are already planning next season’s show – Peter Pan – and are looking forward to bringing a bit of panto magic back for Christmas 2018.”

Peter Pan is proving a popular choice, with hundreds of tickets already being sold during this year’s run.

Councillor Piara Singh Clair, Deputy City Mayor and Lead on Culture, Leisure and Sport, said: “The pantomime is a great boost for Leicester, attracting thousands of extra people and revenue into the city each day and we are really pleased that so many people have been able to enjoy these shows.”

Full Casting Announced for De Montfort Hall’s pantomime

The De Montfort Hall are delighted to announce their full casting for this year's spectacular family pantomime, Beauty and the Beast.

Sarah Accomando and Karl Loxley will play the title roles of Beauty and the Beast, alongside Daniel Tawse in his first De Montfort Hall pantomime playing the role of villain Eugene.

They are joining the previously announced Richard McCourt from Dick and Dom, X-Factor finalist and Leicester favourite Sam Bailey, Heartbeat’s David Lonsdale and BBC Radio Leicester’s Martin Ballard who will be donning a frock for the seventh time to play Dame Kimmy Shoo!

Sarah Accomando who is playing Beauty is delighted to be returning to a role that has a special place in her heart having played Disney’s Belle for The Walt Disney Company in Tokyo, Japan.

Karl Loxley, former contestant of The Voice, will be largely unrecognisable hidden behind a mask as the Beast. Karl has been busy performing concerts to sell-out crowds across the UK and flying around the world to perform on luxury cruise liners since appearing on the show.

Both Sarah and Karl are making return visits to De Montfort Hall having previously appeared together in the 2015 pantomime, Snow White, playing the title role and the prince.

Sarah said: “I am thrilled to be back at De Montfort Hall this Christmas. I was last here as Snow White a couple of years back and I had such a blast, so I just know this Christmas is going to be a lot of fun. I met so many wonderful people whilst working in Leicester so I just can’t wait to be back.”

Antony Flint, De Montfort Hall general manager, added “Our aim is to build on the success of previous years and believe that this is our strongest cast to date offering something for the whole family. We want to give the Leicester audiences a proper Leicester show with lots of in jokes, local references and talent - I’m sure there will be the odd reference to bogies this year if Richard has anything to do with it!”

Beauty and the Beast runs from Saturday 16 December 2017 until Sunday 7 January 2018.

Star Studded Line Up for De Montfort Hall Panto

After breaking box office records last year, De Montfort Hall today announces their star studded line up for this year’s spectacular family pantomime Beauty and the Beast.

Richard ‘Dick’ McCourt of children’s TV’s Dick and Dom fame will star alongside the star of ITV’s Heartbeat, David Lonsdale and Leicester’s very own singing sensation Sam Bailey; who returns for a second year. Also returning again is everyone’s favourite pantomime dame, Martin Ballard, from BBC Radio Leicester.

Antony Flint, De Montfort Hall General Manager, said “I’m really, really pleased with the line-up, and not just because it provides the celebrity that people always expect from us, but also because it gives us a great platform for all the gags, comedy and mayhem that Leicester has come to expect from the De Montfort Hall Panto”.

Children’s television star Richard McCourt has been part of the BAFTA Award winning duo Dick and Dom for twenty years and has appeared in some of the most popular shows in CBBC history including Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow, The Legend of Dick and Dom and Absolute Genius amongst others.

David Lonsdale is an accomplished singer and theatre actor but is probably best known for his TV work in the role of David Stockwell in the long running TV series Heartbeat and as a teenage Peter Barlow in Coronation Street.

Leicester’s Sam Bailey shot to fame in 2013 when she won X-Factor and proceeded to have a Christmas number one as well as a number one album. Since then Sam has gone from strength to strength, releasing her second album in 2016 as well as touring as Mama Morton in Chicago and this year sees her touring the UK in her Sing My Heart Out tour.

Sam Said “I’m so excited to be back on home turf at De Montfort Hall again this year. I absolutely love Beauty and the Beast too so it’s a double bonus for me.  I had a great time last year and I can’t wait to see everyone again this Christmas.”

No Leicester panto would be complete without BBC Leicester broadcaster Martin Ballard who’s donning the dame’s frock once again, as he returns for his seventh pantomime season at De Montfort Hall.

Steve Boden, managing director of Imagine Theatre who co-produce the pantomime with De Montfort Hall, commented “We are really excited about our Beauty and the Beast cast. We are delighted to welcome Richard and David for their first De Montfort Hall pantomime; and it is great to have both Sam and Martin back again this year as in addition to being outstanding performers they are both very well known and involved in the local community and give the show a real Leicester feel”.

Beauty and the Beast runs from Saturday 16th December 2017 until Sunday 7th January 2018, and with the panto breaking box office records last year we advise people to book as early as possible for this ‘beauty’ of a show.