Towngate Theatre Pantomime: Cinderella

Following the 5-star success of last year’s The Panto Adventures of Peter Pan, the Towngate Theatre’s spectacular panto for 2023-24 will the fairytale story of Cinderella! They’ll be sure to sweep you off your feet with magic and have you rolling in the aisles with laughter, with their sparkling fantastical tale for all the family!

The popular Essex theatre is renowned for producing award-winning, critically acclaimed pantomimes, with their talented panto team winning multiple Great British Pantomime Awards over the years and receiving 5-star reviews across the board on previous productions.

Co-Producer and Director, Simon Fielding, said:

“The festive season is nearly upon us, and I am so excited that we will be bringing Cinderella to the Towngate this year. This is my 18th Pantomime at the Towngate and I’m proud to be Cinderella’s Co- Producer and Director; working alongside our dedicated and brilliant panto production team, we promise to bring another non-stop musical extravaganza which the whole family will love!”

Rehearsals are now underway, and it promises to be another award-winning show – with musical numbers more spectacular than ever! Comedy routines even funnier! They’ll be defying gravity and taking the Towngate panto magic far beyond the reach of anywhere they’ve been before!

The Towngate’s legendary supervillain, Sophie Ladds, will be back on stage for her 16th Towngate panto, this year playing the iconic character of the Wicked Stepmother. And the Towngate’s resident dame – the super talented, Ian Hallard – returns for his third year running. He’ll once again be popping on his fabulous frocks and wacky wigs as one of the Ugly Stepsisters.

Joining Sophie and Ian will be Stewart Briggs as Ian’s fellow Ugly Stepsister, Alice Hoult as their fairytale Cinderella, Luke Ward-Wilkinson as cheeky Buttons, Jack Speck as dreamy Prince Charming and Aaron Bladen as mischievous Dandini.

Towngate Theatre Manager, Simon Scott-Pearce said:

“The panto season is always the most magical time of the year for the Towngate team, we can’t wait to
welcome back audiences for their traditional family seasonal treat!

Year-on-year we continue to break all Box Office records, with over 19,000 tickets sold already for Cinderella! If you haven’t booked your tickets to the ball, you need to be quick, so you don’t miss out on what promises to be our most magical and spectacular panto yet!”

Cinderella runs at the Towngate Theatre from Friday 24 November 2023 – Tuesday 2 January 2024. To book tickets, visit www.towngatetheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01268 205 300.

Aston spoke to Alice Hoult who is going to be playing Cinderella in the pantomime.