STARS of Darlington’s Hippodrome Christmas panto are promising an unforgettable show for all the family when the curtain goes up on Sleeping Beauty this festive season.
Leading the cast of family favourites are singer and musical theatre actor Lee Mead, who stars as Prince Lee, of Longnewton, and showbiz legend Su Pollard as Carabosse, the evil aunt.
Completing the cast is Josh Benson, as Muddles, and panto dame Jamie Jones, as Nellie Nightnurse, with Stephanie Costi, as Princess Aurora.
The cast gathered at the Hippodrome for the first time last week in preparation for the month-long festive run, which opens on Friday, December 6.
Lee Mead shot to fame 17 years ago after winning the BBC Series Any Dream Will Do, to take on the role of Joseph in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s highly acclaimed West End musical.
After 600 performances as Joseph, Lee hung up his technicolour dreamcoat, going on to star in a number of other West End shows.
He has since become a regular on a number of television series as well as touring his own solo concerts. But, he says, there is nothing more rewarding than being part of a panto cast.
He said: “I watched panto as a kid growing up in Southend and when I got a call from Crossroads, who are producing this show, asking me to do panto that was a special moment. I remember the very first panto I saw with my family, it was unforgettable.
“I love doing panto as it’s possibly the only theatre show where you get three generations of a family watching – grandparents, parents and kids.
“For a lot of people, it is the only time in the year they will visit the theatre and it is up to us to make sure it’s a special, unforgettable show for them in the same way I remember the first panto I saw.”
Lee added: “Being the butt of jokes is rather nice and there will be more than a few references to Joseph, and I will probably sing one or two from Any Dream Will Do.”
Starring opposite Lee is Su Pollard who, after 50 years in showbusiness, has performed just about every role on stage and remains best known for her part as Peggy Ollerenshaw in the BAFTA award winning comedy, Hi-de-Hi.
She is relishing the role as the panto “baddy”, Carabosse.
Su said: “The baddie is the best part. It is the most marvellous thing.
“I’d always played the good role, but once I swapped, I’d never go back.
“You can have so much fun with it.
“It is more fun being the baddie and if they are not carrying the kids out crying at the end of it then I have not done my job,” she joked.
“Crying with laughter,” that is.
She added: “I spoke to Biggins – he was here last year. I have probably performed in Darlington about ten times and I always love coming up here. It is so lovely, but I haven’t since they did it [the theatre] up.
“Biggins said I was going to love what they’d done with the theatre, mixing the old with the new and I know already I’m going to feel right at home when I’m on stage.”
Sleeping Beauty will run from Friday, December 6, to Tuesday, December 31.
For details of all performance times and tickets, go to www.darlingtonhippodrome. co.uk.
l We’ll have a preview of this year’s panto at The Witham, Barnard Castle, in next week’s Mercury.
