Oyez! Lowther panto on course to set a new attendance record

Lowther Pavilion's pantomime this year is on course to be the most successful single production ever at the Lytham theatre.
Lytham St Annes town crier Colin Ballard meets members of the Lowther Pavilion cast at rehearsalLytham St Annes town crier Colin Ballard meets members of the Lowther Pavilion cast at rehearsal
Lytham St Annes town crier Colin Ballard meets members of the Lowther Pavilion cast at rehearsal

Jack and the Beanstalk opens for school parties next Wednesday, with the first public performance the following Saturday – and producers and Lowther officials are hopeful that ticket sales could well better the record 8,600 who last year watched Cinderella – a figure which was 30 per cent up on the attendance for the previous year’s Aladdin.

As with the last two years, the Lowther panto is again being staged by Lincoln-based panto specialists Polka Dot Pantomimes and producer Darren Maddison said: “It would be fantastic if we could better audience figures with Jack and the Beanstalk and there is still time to do it,

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“A production like this involves the whole community and what better way to support the local community than watching a pantomime?

“This will be the biggest-ever panto staged at Lowther Pavilion, with spectacular scenery, dazzling costumes and amazing special effects and also features talented youngsters from Lytham St Annes and further afield who all auditioned to be a part of the professional production.”

The panto’s 26-show run up to December 30 will include two relaxed performances – with sound and light levels reduced to allow for certain sensitivities – on Tuesday, December 20 at 10am and Wednesday, December 28 at 5.30pm and two signed performances for deaf people on December 19 at 10am and Friday, December 23 at 5.30pm.

The run opens to a full house of schoolchildren from Lancaster at 10am on Wednesday - and signalling the opening, at that show as well that the first public staging the following Saturday at 2pm, will be Lytham St Annes town crier Colin Ballard, who said: “I love panto and it is an honour to be asked to cry a few suitable words before the opening performances.”

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Lowther trustee Clive Greaney said: “The panto has also enabled us to make long-lasting relationships with schools, not only when they come to enjoy the show, but also prior to the show.

“We have had design-a-dress competition, design the front cover of a brochure competition and this year we have had a grow a beanstalk competition, all of which are great ways for young people to get involved with theatre.”