The Pantomime Awards 2024
Panto season may be over for this year (Oh no it isn’t!) but on Tuesday evening in Guilford the Panto spirit was in full swing! A star studded evening full of Dames, Villains and Magical Beings celebrated the absolute best creatives from the world of Pantomime. Hosted by the UK Pantomime Association this event really showed me how important Pantomime is and what a wonderful community it contains!
Our hosts for the evening, Angelica Bell, Ore Oduba and Myra Dubois take to the stage to open the evening. All having performed in Pantomimes at various times in their careers, they are no strangers to the wonder of this classically British art form. Each taking their turns over the evening to present various awards (full list of winners below) with their own hilarious jokes and heartfelt love for the nominees and winners.
We were also treated to some fantastic performances over the evening between the awards, Matthew Siviter gave us a beautiful operatic version of ‘Let It Be’ in a beautiful Dame costume of a flower, complete with oversized Bee! World renowned clown Tweedy thrilled the audience with his hilarious slapstick, stunt filled routine which left the audience gasping and then laughing until our sides were splitting! The children from Stagecoach Sutton closed off the first half of the evening performing 2 songs from their recent production of ‘Shrek The Musical’ and there certainly were some future stars on stage in this performance! Rob Madge rounded out the performances with a wonderful rendition of ‘We Will Be Loved Anyway’ from their show ‘My Son’s A Queer But What Can You Do?’ before they set off on a tour of the UK next month!
Every nominee and winner was incredibly worthy of their place at the ceremony, each being at the top of their game whether it be performing, design, script-writing or many of the other things involved in putting on a show. I was very pleased to see one of the special awards given on the evening for ‘Achievement in Inclusive Practice’ awarded to Macrobert Arts Centre for their production of Aladdin focusing on female empowerment, LGBTQ+ narratives and inclusive casting.
The Pantomime Awards is a fantastic annual event which really brings home the love and joy for Pantomime. A must attend event for any fan of this beloved festive tradition!
Amy McCallum from Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling received the Award for Achievement in Inclusive Practice
Winners List:
Best Set Design: David Shields, Snow White, Grand Theatre Wolverhampton
Best Sisters: Iain Lauchlan & Andy Hockley, Cinderella, Belgrade Theatre Coventry
Best Sound Design: Nigel Bayliss, Sleeping Beauty, Theatre Royal Bath
Best Ensemble: Danielle Cato, Oliver Imeson, Sophie Karaolis, Sarah Jane Lowe, Louis Parkins and Luke Stone, Mother Goose, Cambridge Arts Theatre
Best Lighting Design: Jamie Corbridge, Cinderella, Swansea Grand Theatre
Christopher Biggins Awards for Best Dame: Ben Roddy, Aladdin, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury
Best Contribution to Music: Chris Wong, Aladdin, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury
Best Costume Design: Dawn Allsop, Snow White, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds
Best Villain: Wendi Harriott, Sleeping Beauty, Watersmeet Theatre Rickmansworth
Best Early Career Newcomer: Jewelle Hutchinson, Cinderella Nottingham Playhouse
Best Secondary Lead: Lotti Brogan, Dick Whittington, King’s Lynn Corn Exchange
Carmen Silvera Award for Best Magical Being: Amanda Henderson, Jack and the Beanstalk Rhyl Pavillion
Best Supporting Artist: Ben Tanner, Mother Goose Derby Arena
Best Newcomer to Pantomime: Benjamin Armstrong, Aladdin Lighthouse Theatre, Poole
Best Choreography: Myles Brown, Beauty and the Beast, Assembly Hall Theatre Tunbridge Wells
Best Director: Simon Fielding, Cinderella Towngate Theatre Basildon
Barbara Windsor Award for Best Principal Lead: Alexandra Mardell, Goldilocks and the Three Bears Theatre Royal Plymouth
Best Script: Paul Hendy, Aladdin Marlowe Theatre Canterbury
Best Comic: Matt Slack, Jack and the Beanstalk Birmingham Hippodrome
Achievement in Inclusive Practice: Aladdin Macrobert Arts Centre Stirling
Achievement in Innovation: Cinderella, The Theatre Chipping Norton
Contribution to Pantomime History, Tradition and Heritage: Michael J Batchelor
Best Pantomime (Under 500 Seats) : Aganeza Scrooge, Tron Theatre Glasgow
Best Pantomime (500-900 Seats): Sleeping Beauty, Gordon Craun Theatre Stevenage
Best Pantomime (Over 900 Seats): Jack and the Beanstalk, Birmingham Hippodrome
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