Mountview Graduates Return to Pantoland

Panto season is once again with us (oh no it isn’t, oh yes it is!) and as always Pantomimes and family Christmas shows across the country are packed full of Mountview talent, both onstage and off. Theatre Production Arts graduate Elsbeth Westland is our most festive graduate, working on special effects for a whopping 4 shows this season.

Cinderella seems particularly popular with our alumni this year, with Venue Cymru’s production leading the Mountview charge. Both Chris Bewsher and Carly Burns perform in it. Maya-Nika Bewley and Victoria Sye perform at the Regal Theatre, Tenbury Wells while panto favourite Louie Westwood is at the Civic Theatre, Chelmsford. Recent graduates Chanté Faucher and Chris Vince are at Oldham Coliseum and The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich respectively. Diana Lines will be Assistant Stage Manager at the Alban Arena, whilst Lucy Penrose and Ross MacLeod perform at the Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man and Cork Everyman. Amanda Shodeko and Louise Beresford also perform in Theatre 503’s alternative panto Cinderella and the Beanstalk.

Speaking of beanstalks, Jack and the Beanstalk remains a firm family favourite, with Mountview graduates involved with 7 different shows across the UK. There is good backstage representation, as Ellie Haffenden is the Deputy Stage Manager at Newbury Corn Exchange, Ellen Waghorn Produces at Watford Palace Theatre and Hannah Jeffery is Scenic Artist at Derby Arena. On stage, Amanda Doherty is at The Old Courthouse Theatre, Erin Hair is at Paisley Arts Centre, Lucy Edge is at Bridlington Spa and Adam Shorey is at The White Rock, Hastings.

We have plenty of graduates travelling to Neverland in Peter Pan this season, led by Rebecca Levy and Josh Haberfield who will be going via The Key Theatre, Peterborough. Gareth Davies and Daniel Slade are at the Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple whilst Dora Rubinstein is at The Dukes, Lancaster and Sam Ebenezer is at The Playhouse, Whitley Bay. Providing an alternative to the family friendly fun is Emma Hough, who appears in an adult panto version at The Star, Guildford.

On to Aladdin and Rosanna Harris and Richard Hunt will be taking a magic carpet ride from The Wyvern Theatre. Joining them will be Jocelyn Zackon at the Elgiva Theatre, Jenny Perry at the Palace Theatre Newark, David Perkins at Rhyl Pavilion and Thom Ford at The Octagon Theatre, Yeovil.

In Beauty and the Beast will be Ryan Hall at Loughborough Town Hall and Ceara Bailey at Harrow Arts Centre, whilst Greg Reid is Musical Director at Leeds Carriageworks.

Trying to stay awake will be Laura Butler, Olivia Arnold and Holly Harcourt in Sleeping Beauty at Porthcawl Grand Pavilion, Kings Lynn Corn Exchange and Wolverhampton Grand respectively.

Rounding up the rest of the panto classics are Snow White and Rapunzel. Tomos Wyn and Janine Pardo will be avoiding apples at Wycombe Swan and The Lowther Pavilion and Sunny Yeo will be letting down her hair at Hoxton Hall.

It’s not just pantos that our alumni are involved in this festive season, with a number of Christmas shows taking centre stage. Consuela Rolle and Rory McNerny are in The Wizard of Oz at Storyhouse Chester, Paul Bradshaw and Matt McDonald are in A Christmas Carol at the Lyceum and Kate Cresswell is at the Royal Opera House in their production of Hansel and Gretel. Anna Soden is in Return to Elm House at Battersea Arts Centre, Hannah Baker tours with Robin Hood and Jemma Moore is in Shrek: The Musical’s Christmas season in Leeds. Finally, Mina Dahle appears in The Astonishing Adventures of Pinocchio at the Hertford Theatre, Scott Wallace is in The Grand Old Dame of York at York Theatre Royal, Laura Jeffries and Nicholas Mclean are in The Pied Piper at Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot and Jamie Scott-Smith is in The Wind in the Willows at Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells.

Photo Credit: Cinderella and the Beanstalk at Theatre 503, Claudio Marinaro