Freedom Leisure, one of the leading not for profit leisure and cultural trusts in the UK, is delighted to announce that the fervour around panto season is well and truly hitting new heights.
The leisure and cultural trust is better known for operating over 100 leisure centres across England and Wales on behalf of their local authority partners. However, the trust also operates some major entertainment venues too, notably two venues that have wowed local audiences with two traditional but very different pantomimes this season.
The Gatehouse Theatre in Stafford and Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex, both managed by Freedom Leisure on behalf of Stafford Borough Council and Guildford Borough Council respectively, have for many years put on spectacular pantos for the local community and they are both firmly established in the family social event calendar for the festive season.
This year’s Stafford Gatehouse pantomime is set to break a new attendance record for the venue with audiences flocking to see JACK AND THE BEANSTALK.
Starring CBBC legend Mark Rhodes, The Sooty Show’s Wink Taylor, Theo the Mouse and Wendy and award-winning dame David Phipps-Davis, the traditional family panto has been attracting rave reviews from audiences and critics alike.
Industry bible ‘The Stage’ gave the show a glowing write-up, hailing it as ‘a top class production’, while BBC Radio Stoke’s Breakfast Show presenter Lee Blakeman described it as ‘absolutely fantastic, great fun all round’.
So far, more than 17,000 people have seen the show, with staff at the venue hoping to hit a record 20,000 in total.
Meanwhile, Guildford Spectrum has provided a total of just over 11,000 people with a spectacular adaptation of ALADDIN at its traditional pantomime on ice, oh yes it has!
The show has a cast of more than 170 skaters; all of whom attend Spectrum’s Ice Skating School at the Guildford based leisure complex which boasts the biggest skate school in the country. Staged over 3 days, audiences packed the ice arena with nearly 2,000 people attending each matinee and evening performance.
The ice show is the brainchild of Ruth Woodstock, Spectrum’s Ice Skating School Coordinator and is choreographed by Ruth and lead skating coach Melissa Galvin-Tyers.
This year’s show also received acclaim from members of the audience that said about the show; “It was absolutely amazing! Aladdin, Jasmine and the rest of the crew were incredible,” and; “The whole cast performed amazingly it was a great show our little ones were over the moon.”
We pride ourselves on being one of the UK’s leading not for profit leisure and cultural trusts. This type of events is important for the wellbeing of the local community by providing such joy and entertainment. I am immensely proud of my colleagues who work tirelessly on these special events, some of whom are volunteers, giving up their spare time to ensure the show goes on.
Ivan Horsfall Turner
Freedom Leisure’s mission is to improve lives through leisure & culture and judging by the feedback and comments they have received from the critics and audiences alike for these two very different but amazing shows, they are achieving that mission.