The stars of Darlington's Christmas panto are promising a magical time for families and plenty of festive fun when Sleeping Beauty comes to the town's theatre this Christmas.
The cast of this year's pantomime gathered together at the Darlington Hippodrome theatre for the first time yesterday (Monday, September 16) as preparations for the beloved annual show start in earnest.
The cast this year is headed by singer, actor and musical theatre star Lee Mead, who plays Prince Lee of Longnewton, and pantomime legend Su Pollard as Carabosse the wicked fairy.
The line-up is completed by Josh Benson as Muiddles and Jamie Jones as Nellie Nightnurse - both appearing in the Darlington panto for the second consecutive year - and Stephanie Costi as Princess Aurora.
Pollard, most famous for playing Peggy Ollerenshaw in the sitcom Hi-de-Hi, is performing in her 49th pantomime. She was inducted into the Pantomime Hall of Fame in 2019 and was honoured with an outstanding achievement award by the UK Pantomime Association last year.
She has had a sneak preview of this year's script, which she says is "fabulous" and is already looking forward to hearing the audience's reaction when she appears on stage.
"I just think it's so lovely when that audience boo and scream and yell out," she said.
"I shout 'I can't hear you' - I like them to scream until they're hoarse."
She said she will keep doing pantomimes for as long as she can, adding: "The lovely thing at the end is when people have said to me 'I did enjoy that show, I brought my children.' You know you've given somebody a magical time."
Mead is a relative newcomer to the pantomime scene, but this is still his 14th time - and the second Sleeping Beauty he's done.
He shot to fame by winning the BBC series 'Any Dream Will Do', taking the role of Joseph in the West End in 2007 and has since had high-profile roles in the theatre and TV shows like Casualty and Holby City.
He said the audience can expect " the odd Joseph gag" and will likely be singing 'Any Dream Will Do'.
He said he loves the audience interaction of pantomime, adding: "I do a lot of theatre, TV and musicals where you're not allowed to break character and you've got to stick to the script, but with panto you can go off book a little bit and break the third wall."
He said: It's a real family medium, very different to doing musicals or a play. You get the three generations - grandchildren, parents and children altogether, which is quite special I think and it's nice to be performing over Christmas as well."
Benson, returning as Muddles, will provide much of the comic relief, adding: "The comedy role in a pantomime is a joy to do, always getting things muddled up - which the kids love."
Sleeping Beauty runs at Darlington Hippodrome from Friday, December 6 to Tuesday, December 31. For tickets visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk or call 01325-405405.
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