Theatre News

Panto: Pamela Anderson, Joan Collins & Savage

| London's West End |

14 June 2010

After making a splash in her pantomime debut last year in Wimbledon, Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson will reprise her role as the Genie of the Lamp in Aladdin for First Family Entertainment, this time at Liverpool Empire.

The production runs from 10 December 2010 to 2 January 2011 and will also star Les Dennis as Wishee Washee. According to the Empire website, Anderson, the pneumatic blonde Hollywood pin-up best remembered as lifeguard CJ Parker from the 1990s American TV series Baywatch, is “the most downloaded and recognisable icon of this millennium”.

Anderson returns the compliment in a statement saying: “I had a fantastic time performing in my very first pantomime last year in Wimbledon and I was thrilled to be invited to play the Genie once again. It will be a chance to have a lot of fun, to see some old friends and to make some new ones. In particular, I am very excited about spending some time in Liverpool – a city I have never visited before.

“I read about it being the European Capital of Culture for 2008 – and I am a Beatles fan of course! But my friends in the UK tell me there is so much more to the city besides and that I am really going to have a great time. I even had a chance to check in with my friend Henry Winkler (Captain Hook last year!) and he had nothing but great things to say about the people and the city. I am very excited – see you soon!”

Amongst the other star names so far announced for the 2010/11 pantomime season are:

Joan Collins, making her pantomime debut, will play Queen Rat in Dick Whittington, running at Birmingham Hippodrome from 18 December to 30 January. The cast also features Nigel Havers, Julian Clary and Keith Harris.

In another Dick Whittington, at Bristol Hippodrome from 22 December to 9 January, Barbara Windsor will make her first panto appearance since 1995, playing Fairy Bowbells in a cast that also includes Andy Ford and Eric Potts.

After his part in Les Miserables’s 25th anniversary celebrations, Gareth Gates will play another prince charming, this time in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (rather than Cinderella) at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, from 10 December to 16 January.

And Paul O’Grady will again bring alter-ego Lily Savage out of retirement for a “final, rare and unique stage appearance” as pantomime dame Widow Twankey in Aladdin at Southampton’s Mayflower from 10 December to 8 January.