Record Breaking Success

Celebration for the Palace Theatre

The Palace Theatre Newark is celebrating an amazing start to 2018 as the end of the run of Beauty and the Beast brings the news that the pantomime has been the theatre’s most successful to date. Over 17,600 people watched the show during its run, beating the current record held by Cinderella in 2015. 

Business Manager for Heritage, Culture and Visitors, Carys Coulton-Jones, said “we are absolutely thrilled with the response to Beauty and the Beast. Sales have been tracking strongly throughout 2017 so we were quietly confident as Christmas approached, but to start the new year with the news that more people have seen our pantomime than ever before is fantastic for the whole team here.”

She continued, “there has been such a terrific atmosphere at the theatre across the pantomime period with many people talking about this having been our best panto ever. The whole company and all the theatre staff have worked incredibly hard and it was great to be able to share the news with them about ticket sales ahead of the last few performances.”

Beauty and the Beast starred Jonathan Wrather (best known for playing Pierce Harris in Emmerdale) as baddie Eugene, and also saw the welcome return of Tim Freeman as Dame Dorothy Do-It after his much-loved appearance in Jack and the Beanstalk in 2016. They were joined by Ryan Willis as Willy Do-It, Isabella Rubin as Beauty, Jamie Sheerman as Pimple, Adam Pettit as the Beast, David Gilbrook as Beauty’s Father, Anna Mitcham as the Enchantress and Perri-Kae Burton and Kris Wright as ensemble. 

The Palace’s 2018 pantomime is Aladdin, which will run from 7^th – 31^st December. Tickets are already on sale for 2018's panto Aladdin, with sales already looking strong. No casting has yet been announced.