Oh yes it is!
Play the music, light the lights. It’s not Christmas without a pantomime, writes DAISY FOX
PREPARE to be whisked off to lands full of magic and wonder... Panto season is just around the corner and there is a stellar cast of characters waiting in the wings to delight all ages.
Cheer for the handsome prince, feel romantic with the beautiful princess, laugh with the dame and boo the wicked queen.
Here are just some of panto’s best-loved tales and a few of the places you can catch them…
SNOW WHITE
NATURAL beauty Snow White comes a cropper when she falls foul of the Wicked Queen’s poison apples. Luckily she has seven short friends and a handsome prince to help her out.
Playing the Wicked Queen at Manchester Opera House this year (December 6-29, atgtickets.com/venues/ opera-house-manchester/) is Strictly favourite Craig
Revel Horwood, while Bird of a Feather Lesley Joseph casts her wicked spells at the Birmingham Hippodrome (December 21 – February 2, birminghamhippodrome.com).
CINDERELLA
POOR Cinders cooks and cleans all day for her wicked stepmother and sisters. Dressed in rags, how will she ever make an impression on the handsome prince at the royal ball? Cue the Fairy Godmother (played by Gok Wan at The New Theatre, Cardiff, December 7 – January 12, newtheatrecardiff. co.uk and Scarlett Moffatt at The Sunderland Empire, December 13 – January 5, atgtickets.com/shows/ cinderella/sunderland-empire) and her magic wand.
DICK WHITTINGTON
ACCOMPANIED by his trusty cat, Dick Whittington heads for London to see if the streets really are paved with gold.
Seeking out his fortune as Dick at the Bristol Hippodrome is comedian and EastEnders star Shane Ritchie (December 7 – January 5, atgtickets. com/venues/bristol-hippodrome).
ALADDIN
WHEN streetwise urchin Aladdin meets beautiful princess Jasmine, he needs some magic to help him sweep her off her feet.
One rub of a dusty old lamp and the adventure begins…
Stepping into the shoes of Aladdin’s friendly neighbourhood laundry lady Widow Twankey at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking (December 6 – January 5, atgtickets. com/shows/aladdin/new-victoriatheatre/) is comedy great Bobby Davro while the genie is played by Strictly star Brendan Cole.
SLEEPING BEAUTY
WHEN a wicked fairy is shunned from your christening, it can only spell trouble. Pricking her finger on a spinning wheel, the beautiful princess is doomed to sleep for 100 years.
Can the handsome prince break the spell and save her from her slumber? Loose Women panellist and soapland favourite Sherrie Hewson stars at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, North Wales (December 7 – 29, venuecymru.co. uk/sleepingbeauty-0).