Pantomime cast announced for Sleeping Beauty, Theatre Royal Bath's festive pantomime for 2023-24

Theatre Royal Bath is delighted to announce EastEnders’ and West End star Neil McDermott will play Prince Vincent in the fabulous family pantomime Sleeping Beauty this Christmas, alongside Bath favourite Jon Monie as Lester the Jester, EastEnders’ Nick Wilton as Dame Nanny Nora, Hollyoaks’ Sarah Jane Buckley as Fairy Snowfall and Maisie Sellwood as Princess Rose.

Staged by UK Productions, the wonderfully traditional show takes to the stage at the Theatre Royal this festive season, from Thursday 7 December 2023 to Sunday 7 January 2024.

Promising a laugh-a-minute extravaganza with a new script by Bath’s all-round pantomime legend Jon Monie, the magical story tells of a beautiful Princess, cursed by an evil spell on her 18^th Birthday party, who can only be awoken by true love’s kiss. As the Good Fairy works with her friends to lift the curse and break the spell, expect plenty of fun in a thrilling quest for a happy ending. This brand-new show full of top musical hits, fantastic costumes, stunning sets and exciting special effects promises to keep panto fans young and old thoroughly entertained.

Martin Dodd, Producer of the pantomime, said: “Our spectacular production of Sleeping Beauty has all the ingredients to be the perfect festive treat for the whole family – a brand-new hilarious script by the fabulous Jon Monie, a Prince full of charm and wit in the form of West End and EastEnders’ star Neil McDermott, Hollyoaks’ and stage favourite Sarah Jane Buckley spreading seasonal magic as Fairy Snowfall, Dame extraordinaire and Bath stalwart Nick Wilton returning to the Theatre Royal, and introducing the wonderful Maisie Sellwood in the title role. With lavish sets and costumes, sensational song and dance numbers, not to mention bucket loads of laughs, fly to pick up your tickets now!”

Star of stage and TV Neil McDermott is set to play Prince Vincent. Best known to television audiences for his roles as Ryan Malloy in BBC’s EastEnders since 2009, and Dr Ralph Ellis in 3 series of The Royal, Neil’s screen credits also include Doctor Who, George Gently, Kiss of Death and Rosemary and Thyme. In the West End he has starred in Pretty Woman, The Wind in the Willows, Glory Ride, The Sound of Music, Shrek The Musical and Follies. His many stage credits also include La Cage Aux Folles at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Henry IV at the Donmar Warehouse. Neil played the title role in the pantomime Aladdin alongside Sir Ian McKellen and Roger Allam at London’s Old Vic Theatre, and starred as Prince Charming in Cinderella at Hull’s New Theatre. He makes a welcome return to Bath after starring as Johnny in Laura Wade’s comedy Home, I’m Darling, which appeared at the Theatre Royal in February as part of a nationwide tour.

Bath pantomime legend Jon Monie – who has also written the script for this year’s show Sleeping Beauty - returns by popular demand to star as Lester the Jester. After marking a record 1,000 Bath pantomime performances in January 2019, Jon continues to delight audiences every time he appears on stage. Now marking his 21^st Christmas show at the Theatre Royal, pantomimes penned by Jon are staged in theatres nationwide by UK Productions. His panto Beauty and the Beast, which played Bath in December 2019, starring Jon in the role of Louis La Plonk, won Best Script at the Great British Pantomime Awards. Actor, television presenter, award-winning writer and comedian, Jon’s television credits include The Nevers for HBO/Sky, Moominvalley for Sky and BBC’s The Outlaws and Showtrial. Also a long-standing member of improvisational comedy group Instant Wit, Jon recently entertained audiences at the Ustinov Studio on their current tour.

Nick Wilton makes a welcome return to the Theatre Royal to play the role of Dame Nanny Nora. A firm favourite with audiences, Nick has played the iconic pantomime role of Dame in theatres across the UK since 2000. He has previously delighted Bath panto goers as Widow Twankey in Aladdin in 2022, Polly La Plonk in Beauty and the Beast in 2019, Nursie in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 2017, Widow Twankey in Aladdin in 2016 and Dame Trott in Jack and the Beanstalk in 2015. On television, Nick has played Market Inspector Mr Lister as a series regular in EastEnders since 2008. His screen credits also include Carrott’s Lib, Heartbeat, Doc Martin, The Bill, Casualty and the children’s show Big Meg, Little Meg.

Sarah Jane Buckley, who will appear as Fairy Snowfall, is best known on television as Kathy Barnes in Channel 4’s long-running drama series Hollyoaks. Her many stage credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat as Narrator, Slice of Saturday Night, Elvis the Musical, Twist and Shout, Dancing in the Street, Popstars The Musical, September in the Rain and many more productions on UK tour. She has also appeared in numerous pantomimes and was one half of the award-winning touring cabaret duo The Polka Dots. Sarah Jane has played Mrs Lyons in Blood Brothers on many occasions on UK tour, including at the Theatre Royal Bath in 2018. She also starred in the lead role of Annie in Calendar Girls: The Musical at the Theatre Royal in 2019 as part of a nationwide tour.

The role of Princess Rose will be played by Maisie Sellwood. Making her Theatre Royal Bath debut, Maisie returns to pantomime after playing Princess at the Blackpool Grand Theatre in Sleeping Beauty last Christmas. Since graduating from the BRIT School and London School of Musical Theatre, Maisie has also performed at Eurovision - Your Decision in Liverpool and completed a cruise of Asia as lead vocalist with MV Piano Land. Alongside the company of professional actors this year’s pantomime will also feature the delightful young dancers from Bath’s Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance; with further casting yet to be announced.

After entertaining Bath’s pantomime audiences for a quarter of a century, Martin Dodd’s UK Productions make a welcome return for the twenty-sixth consecutive year, following last year’s thrilling production of Aladdin and 2021’s Cinderella, which was nominated for Best Panto at the Great British Pantomime Awards.