It’s showtime and stage is set for plenty of panto

It just wouldn’t be Christmas without the family fun of a trip to the panto and there is a fantastic selection of shows to see all over Courier Country this season – oh, yes, there is!

At Perth Theatre, the fun takes place back on the glorious, restored main stage with Aladdin and Jasmine hoping to foil body-popping, break-dancing baddie Abanazer’s plan to win the panto!

The show is written by Joel Horwood and directed by Lu Kemp and the audience is invited to join in with the fun and help Aladdin, Jasmine and Dame Barrie Hunter in this foot-stamping, toe-tapping, fabulous Perth family panto.

In Dundee, the Gardyne Theatre will get its Christmas celebrations off to a start when it hosts Thomson-leng Musical Society’s production of Cinderella for five nights before presenting a three-week run of the city’s only professional pantomime, Sleeping Beauty. River City favourite Tom Urie (Big Bob) will be joined on stage by two of the cast from top BBC comedy Scot Squad. Long-suffering Officer Karen (Karen Bartke) will be playing wicked queen Maleficent and her on-screen nemesis, Darren Connell, will be playing Maleficent’s halfwit son, Boaby.

This fabulous show also stars seasoned panto performer James Mackenzie from children’s TV show Raven. Boasting amazing sets, this will be the biggest pantomime ever staged in Dundee, bursting with serious celebs, lots of laughs, hopping hits and crazy costumes.

Traditional pantomime is the name of the game at the Whitehall Theatre in Dundee, where Downfield Musical Society brings its festive entertainment expertise to the stage with another production of Aladdin.

The DMS Company is celebrating more than 50 years of presenting Christmas pantos to Dundee audiences and the society always make sure that its productions have just the right mix of slapstick, up-to-the-minute music, corny jokes and audience participation, which draws audience members aged from nine to 90 year after year!

At Dunfermline’s Alhambra Theatre, the cast and crew are proud to report that their pantos consistently rate as some of the top shows around, rivalling the offerings from the big city theatres. This year, Billy Mack will take the lead as Jack when Jack and the Beanstalk is transported to the Wild West and audiences can expect a slick production featuring saloons, horses cactuses and even President Trump in this year’s spectacular show.

Also in Fife, The Byre Theatre in St Andrews will present a production of Beauty and the Beast. This year’s family pantomime features a returning cast including Robert Elkin, Stephanie Mcgregor and, once again – in the role of Bunty Bahookie – St Andrews’ favourite dame, Alan Steele. As with previous years, the professional cast will be supported in fine style by the local youngsters of the Byre Youth Theatre.

The show will be packed with all the ingredients that Byre panto audiences expect from their much-loved local theatre: lots of laughter plus stunning costumes and sets.

Aladdin is certainly a popular choice for Courier Country pantos this year and the eponymous hero will also fly into Kirkcaldy’s Adam Smith Theatre for another collaboration with Imagine Theatre. Many familiar faces will return to the Fife stage, including Gordon Brandie as Wishee Washee and Kim Shepherd taking on the roles of So Shi and Sprit of the Ring. Aladdin will be played by Matthew Tomlinson.

The panto promises an adventure to the mystical Far East with all the traditional panto ingredients.

Angus audiences won’t miss out on the pantomime fun, as the Angusalive production of Beauty and the Beast comes to the Webster Memorial Theatre in Arbroath. The cast will contain some familiar faces, including theatre regular Chris O’mara, who hones his inner fiend and cheeky charm to portray the Prince and Beast, while the role of the Belle of the ball will be played by accomplished singer and dancer Claudia Todd. This is a tale of mystery and unrequited love told with a heady mix of fun, frolics and adventure.