Panto fever in New Brighton

The Floral Pavilion welcomes pantomime Aladdin to the stage during a week of celebration in December.

After last year’s production of Cinderella, brought to the New Brighton-based theatre by UK Productions, the venue promises a show with lavish scenery, spectacular dance routines and guarantees laughs for all the family.

The role of Aladdin is being played by Kelsey-Beth Crossley (Emmerdale), while Andrew Agnew (P.C. Plum in Cbeebies Bafta award winning Balamory) is playing Wishee Washee.

The magical Slave of the Ring will be played by Nickelodeon’s Helena Dowling, who has just finished touring as a dancer and singer for the Pet Shop Boys who were supporting Take That on their Progress 2011 tour. The evil Abanazar is being portrayed by veteran actor Dean Sullivan (Brookside, Talking Heads, Brick Up – the Wirral Strikes Back), who has been passing on his knowledge of the arts in recent months at Riverside College, Cheshire, alongside his work on stage and screen.

The pantomime Dame will be played by Anthony Williams, who has worked as associate director to Michael Bogdanov lately and been responsible for the choreography at Wales Theatre Company and Aberystwyth Arts Centre. For those not familiar, Williams is returning to the Floral Pavilion having directed last year’s panto production Cinderella.

There will be plenty of celebration in New Brighton during the week leading up to the first pantomime performance as three days prior marks the official launch of the new eight-screen The Light Cinema.

New Brighton’s coastal resort has undergone a transformation with the cinema built as part of the second phase of Neptune Development’s Marine Point scheme. The refurbishment of the 800-seat Floral Pavilion and Conference Centre in 2008 was part of the first phase of development in the area.

Film fans will be enjoying the resort’s latest facility from 2 December when it opens, but the cinema is holding an event to help raise funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, with tickets, priced £28 each, selling fast.

On Wednesday 7 December, The Light Cinema, operated by Cinema Next group, will welcome 500 guests to the northern premiere of New Year’s Eve, starring Halle Berry and Jon Bon Jovi.

A substantial part of the proceeds is going to the RNLI. For more information, or to book tickets to the preview, please contact Artemis Media Profile on 0151 666 5777 or visit https://sales.webticketmanager.com/rnli

The Floral Pavilion said it expects tickets for Aladdin to sell out and is encouraging people to book before the opening performance on Saturday 10 December. Prices range from £11 to £16.50 (with special offers for families and groups) and can be ordered by calling 0151 666 0000 or online at the Floral Pavilion website here