Six pantomimes to see in Dorset this Christmas

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre

December 5 to January 3

EastEnders pair Gillian Wright and Matt Lapinskas will be playing The Wicked Queen and The Prince respectively, in this year’s Bournemouth panto, while kids’ favourite Milkshake! presenter Olivia Birchenough plays Snow White.

The show also stars Quinn Patrick as pantomime dame, Nursie and Noel Brodie is back by popular demand as Muddles.

Sponsor Hot Rocks Restaurant and Bar is giving vouchers for Kids Eat For £1 when purchasing one adult meal for those buying panto tickets and, for every kids’ meal purchased, that £1 is donated to Julia’s House.

Tickets from BH Live Tickets on 0844 576 3000, bhlivetickets.co.uk or the Bournemouth Pavilion Ticket Office.

Peter Pan, Lighthouse

December 4 to January 3

By Hook or by crook...! Having played DCI Burnside in The Bill for five years, actor Christopher Ellison is used to catching crooks, but he’ll be on the other side of the goodie/baddie divide when he plays Captain Hook in Peter Pan at Lighthouse, Poole’s centre for the arts this Christmas.

The show also features Jamie Quinn as Pan and Lighthouse favourite Neil Smye as Smee. Ally Cox, artistic director of Stagewise School for the Performing Arts, which is based at Lighthouse, will play Mrs Darling, while Tiger-Lily will be played by Poole actress – and Lighthouse stage door supervisor – Lora Townsend who played one of Anne Boleyn’s ladies in waiting in the recent BBC drama Wolf Hall and has also appeared in feature films including Kingsman, Suffragette and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Tickets and information from 0844 406 8666, lighthousepoole.co.uk

Jack and the Beanstalk, Tivoli, Wimborne

December 18 to January 3

The Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne is this year showing the ever-popular Jack and the Beanstalk. The pantomime is staged once again by Ron Martin Management and Born 2 Perform.

Tickets from 01202 885566, tivoliwimborne.co.uk

Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Regent Centre, Christchurch

January 16 to January 23

This New Year, the award-winning Highcliffe Charity Players’ classic family pantomime at the Regent Centre is the traditional favourite Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Performances include three matinees, a mid-morning and a tea-time ‘meet the cast’ show, with ticket profits going to local charities.

As well as the ‘bear’ essentials, the show has a menagerie of animal magic as Goldilocks is the daughter of circus owner and panto dame, Ma Barnaby.

Evil Baron Van Trappem plans to put Barnaby’s Circus out of business by stealing the animals for his zoo, so Goldilocks must save the circus and ensure a happy ending for all.

For the first time in its 45-year history, HCP’s dame is played by a woman – popular comedienne Christine Duell – while 17-year-old Highcliffe schoolgirl Georgia Hilliard is playing Goldilocks.

Tickets are on sale both at the Regent Centre Box Office 01202 499199 and online at regentcentre.co.uk. Further information from highcliffecharityplayers.com

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Weymouth Pavilion

Friday, December 11 to Sunday, January 3

The fun-filled family pantomime at Weymouth Pavilion this year will be Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

This magical adventure will be brought to life from Page to Stage and features a cast of professional pantomime performers.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs comes to the Pavilion courtesy of producers Ron Martin Management and Born2Perform Seasoned professional Lee Redwood returns to the Pavilion once again by popular demand, donning the frocks as the hugely hilarious Nursey following his appearance as Widow Twankey in Aladdin last year.

Lee is joined by Hannah Gover in the lead role of Snow White and the dashing Colin James as Prince Louis.

Gabriella Grace Elliot returns to sprinkle some sparkle on stage as the magical Fairy Stardust, who will do her best to foil the plans of the wicked Queen Grizelda played by Katrina Gibson.

Contact Weymouth Pavilion on 01305 783225 or visit weymouthpavilion.com for tickets.

Christmas Spectacular Regent Centre, Christchurch

Saturday December 19 to Thursday, December 24

Headlining this year’s Christmas Season of shows, films, concerts and event cinema will be the fourth fabulous year of the Regent’s very own Christmas Spectacular.

This year the Glad Rag Production Company will be entertaining everyone, so join fun-loving polar bears Benji and Bruce for another show stopping, all singing and all dancing adventure with Santa, Rudolph and Mrs Claus.

To find out more, call the Regent Box Office on 01202 499199 or visit regentcentre.co.uk