Coronation Street's Nigel Pivaro to Star in the Grimsby Auditorium Panto

/ Grimsby Auditorium/

The Grimsby Auditorium are delighted to announce that one of Weatherfield’s most famous bad boys will be appearing at the venue this Christmas in their spectacular family panto Aladdin.

Nigel Pivaro, AKA Terry Duckworth, will be playing the wicked and powerful magician Abanazar in the show which opens on Friday 9 December.

Nigel has appeared in more than 400 episodes of Coronation Street since he first joined the show back in 1983 as the son of the legendary Jack and Vera Duckworth and is one of soapland’s most popular baddies. In fact the character of Terry Duckworth was depicted as the second best TV baddie of all time in the programme The Ones We Love to Hate.

Nigel says “I think the key to any baddie is to have a certain amount of charm. The character of Terry, despite everything, has a lot of charm and I think that it is important than Abanazar has charm as well - after all he has to persuade Aladdin to go in to the magical cave to retrieve the lamp for him. I have also heard that Widow Twankey takes a bit of a ‘shine’ to my character as well.”

“I love panto as I have many fond memories of panto from my childhood and I think the message you take away from the show is that of good triumphing over evil. It is a universal and timeless message and one kids can identify with. I also love the way audiences drive the show  as there are few types of performance which have so much audience participation, and that is something you can feed off and respond to as a performer.”

Nigel trained at the prestigious RADA and has appeared in numerous stage plays including The Tempest, A Taste of Honey, What the Butler Saw, Funny Peculiar, Bouncers and A View From the Bridge and won a Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival with No Further Cause for Concern, and has appeared in over twelve pantomimes.

As well as acting Nigel is also a highly respected journalist with a passion for current and foreign affairs and has reported from the Ukraine, Turkey and Syria.

Steve Boden, Managing Director of Imagine Theatre who produce the pantomime says “we are delighted to have Nigel on board for Aladdin this year. Abanazar is probably the most famous panto baddie and who better to play the role than one of television’s best known baddies.”

 

Justin to make 'magical' appearance in Snow White at Southport Theatre

/ Southport Theatre and Convention Centre/

Mirror Mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all? is going to be an important question at the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre come the festive season and one that will be answered by children’s television favourite Justin Fletcher*. Justin will be making a special appearance via video projection as the Magic Mirror in a spectacular special effect that will delight all the family.

Steve Boden from Imagine Theatre who are once again producing the pantomime in Southport explains at little more about how it works. “Justin appears in our magic mirror sequence via a pre-recorded video projection. It is a fabulous special effect as the mirror dominates the stage and Justin, as always, gives a wonderfully comical performance - I think our Magic Mirror is probably the funniest in pantoland! It is great to watch the interaction between him and the Wicked Queen as he tells her she is no longer the fairest in the land - as needless to say it is not what she wants to hear! Although Justin is not there in person the children still get very excited when the mirror comes to life and they see him for the first time.”

Ian and Matthew return to the Queens Theatre, Barnstaple to play Widow Twankey and Abanazar

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The Queen’s Theatre in Barnstaple are delighted to welcome back Ian Hallard and Matthew Baldwin for their spectacular family pantomime Aladdin which opens on Saturday 10 December.

Ian and Matthew starred as the gruesome twosome, Flatula and Verruca, Cinderella’s ugly sisters in last year’s pantomime and were hugely popular with both critics and audiences. The North Devon Gazette said they “give a blend of villainous slapstick – with just enough menace for young audiences. It’s occasionally – and wonderfully – borderline sinister in the very best traditions of the panto baddies we love to hate.”

This year Ian will be casting off his villainous persona to play pantoland’s most famous laundress, Widow Twankey while Matthew will once again be displaying his sinister side as the devious and power hungry magician Abanazar.

Matthew says “we are delighted to have been asked back to the Queen’s Theatre as we both had a fabulous time here last Christmas and I am really looking forward to being very very wicked again this year.”

Steve Boden, Managing Director of Imagine Theatre who co-produce the show says “We are delighted to have Ian and Matthew back at the Queen’s Theatre as they were excellent as the Ugly Sisters. They work really well together so I am looking forward to seeing a different dynamic between them when they are on opposite sides of good and evil!”

Justin Fletcher to visit Grimsby Auditorium in his theatre show "Justin Live"

/ Grimsby Auditorium/

After 'almost' appearing in the Grimsby Auditorium panto last year, featuring in their pre-recorded magic mirror sequence, Justin Fletcher is returning to the venue - this time in person!

Justin will play two shows over one day at the venue - Sunday 23rd October. It is part of a three date theatre tour he will play during September and October 2016.

Tickets are selling fast. To book tickets click here

Snow White and her Prince are cast for Snow White at the Hexagon, Reading

/ The Hexagon/

The Hexagon are delighted to have a magical cast coming together for this year’s spectacular family pantomime Snow White.

With CBeebies megastar Justin Fletcher and Paul Morse, winner of the UK Panto Fans Award for Best Dame, previously announced, The Hexagon now also have their Snow White and her dashing Prince confirmed.

Karl Loxley, who was a contestant on The Voice in 2015, takes on the role of Prince Michael. Since appearing on The Voice Karl has appeared in the musical Legally Blonde, Snow White at De Montfort Hall Leicester, performed in numerous concerts all over the world and has just released a new album called ‘Everything I Am’.

Appearing alongside Karl will be Sarah Accomando as Snow White. Sarah has appeared in the UK tour of Rock Around the Clock, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as Belle and has appeared in the West End in Christmas in New York.

This will be Karl and Sarah’s second year playing opposite each other in Snow White having both appeared in the panto at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester last year.

Karl says “I am delighted to be appearing in Snow White again this year and very excited to be spending my first festive season at The Hexagon.”

Stephen Boden, Director of Imagine Theatre who produce the panto and also director of the show says “We are delighted to have Sarah and Karl on board to appear at The Hexagon this year as they were hugely popular in Leicester last Christmas. They are both excellent perfomers and work really well together.”

Nathan and Jolyon return to the Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl

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They loved performing at the Grand Pavilion. You loved them! So they're back! Jolyon Dixon and Nathan Guy will return as Dame Trot and Simple Simon for this year's production of Jack and the Beanstalk. 

Wales online said of them last year "As Dame Dorothy Do It, Dixon is a joy, ...the lovable Nathan Guy is outstanding as Willy Do it"

Welcome back Jolyon and Nathan! We can't wait to see what you get up to this year