Page 4 - Town & Around - January 2026

4 Town & Around January 2026 Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
It's the season for panto-h yes it is!!!

Dani Crawshaw

his is the last dress rehearsal before the numbers - dancing along with Rollason Stage
excitement begins, and as cast School.
Tmembers do vocal warm ups, I get to Sam adds, “That first show, that first run
chat to Sam Littlewood, who plays Aladdin. down to the front and you go hi everyone, and
“It brings out that excitement, that build up
to Christmas, that magic - even for the grown everyone screams it back to you, and you hear
everyone chuckling to the all the bits and
ups it brings it back a little bit - I think that’s pieces you’ve been working so hard on - it
the great thing about panto there’s something really does make every little bit of it worth it.
for everyone. “We’re the best panto in the entire UK at
“This show is probably the biggest we’ve
had - it’s the most technical, we’ve got so the minute - in the world - I’m not biased,” he
laughs, “But it is such a great show this year,
many surprises, it’s going to be such a great and honestly it is the best job in the world.”
show for everyone.” Lewis Southall, who's the Emperor
The lights go down, the music begins and
soon this year’s dame makes her entrance, (Princess Jasmine’s father), sums it all up
better than me - “Panto is Christmas, it is
“Cooee, it’s me…Widow Twankey, Christmas in a nutshell.”
hellloooooo!” And we're off. And of course there's plenty of shouting 'it's Aladdin at The Princess Theatre in
Josh Rettie, who played the Prince last year, behind you!' I even manage to catch a bag of
says, “Being a dame, any dame, you can kind sweets. Hunstanton runs until the 4th of January.
All images Ian Burt.
of just have fun with it all, you can play Those surprises? Given it's Aladdin, there
around, mess around and just make sure are some flying carpets involved, but I won't
everyone’s having a good time really.” ruin all the tricks.
And I do, for just over 2 hours I'm happily The Princess Theatre says it's the only one
entertained. with a rig that can perform some of the stunts
The antagonist, Jafarazad (Jess Broadbent), though - just to wet your appetite.
gets us booing and hissing, Princess Jasmine For what my opinion's worth - I'd say the
(Freya Barton) has us singing along to a few cast is ready for a live audience!