Scots comedy star Janey Godley will lead the cast of Beauty And The Beast, this year’s spectacular panto at His Majesty’s Theatre.
She will be joined by Laura Main of Call The Midwife fame, CBeebies favourite Danielle Jam, alongside HMT’s much-loved panto dame, Alan McHugh who will again be teamed up with River City star Paul-James Corrigan.
They will take to the HMT stage from Saturday December 4 and His Majesty’s bosses say they are delighted to have a stellar cast working Christmas magic again this year.
Jane Spiers, chief executive of Aberdeen Performing Arts, said: “We couldn’t be happier to announce this wonderful panto cast and can’t wait to see them on the HMT stage this festive season.
“The panto was sorely missed by all of us at Aberdeen Performing Arts last year as well as our wonderful audiences, so it will be extra special to see the theatre filled with the magic of Beauty and the Beast this Christmas.”
Janey Godley will bring sharp wit as Mrs Potty
Comedian, playwright, blogger and author Janey became the topical voice of the pandemic with her voiceovers featuring First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. She will be taking on the role of Mrs Potty in the festive treat, written by Alan McHugh.
Jane said: “With 20 years of award-winning comedy under her belt, Janey is a queen of Scottish comedy. She is sure to bring her trademark sharp wit and cheeky sense of humour to her role as Mrs Potty.”
Aberdeen-born Laura will be returning to the HMT panto as the Fairy Godmother, a role she played in Cinderella in 2019. She made her stage debut at His Majesty’s at the tender age of 11 in The Sound Of Music, before going on to carve a successful stage and TV career, becoming a household name as Shelagh Turner in the popular BBC series Call The Midwife.
Jane said: “Laura made such a fantastic impression on our audiences in 2019 and we are thrilled that she is coming back to charm us all once again in Beauty And The Beast.”
Danielle is also an Aberdeen actor and stage regular, who younger fans will recognise as a regular in CBeebies Molly And Mack.
She has made several Edinburgh Fringe appearances and toured Scotland with the popular series of short works A Play, A Pie And A Pint.
“Danielle is already a firm favourite with kids through her role on CBeebies’ Molly and Mack, and she will bring great energy and some local Doric charm to the show in the role of Belle,” said Jane.
Panto bursting with star quality
Alan will be pulling on the wigs and outrageous costumes again to become Dame Bella Buchan in his 17th pantomime outing for His Majesty’s. He will not only write the script but once again direct the Christmas spectacular.
At his side will be Paul-James (PJ) as Muddles. Best known as Stevie from River City, PJ was warmly welcomed by the HMT audience when he made his Granite City panto debut in Cinderella in 2019.
Jane said: “We know how much our audiences adore Alan and his partnership with PJ is really something special. Their chemistry as a duo and with Laura has been tried and tested – it will be a real treat to bring them back together again this year.
“Add Janey and Danielle to the mix and this year’s panto is bursting with talent and star quality.”
How to get tickets for Beauty And The Beast
Beauty And The Beast, staged by Crossroads Pantomimes, will boast hallmark laugh-out-loud comedy, spectacular special effects, a dizzying array of music and dance and plenty of audience participation.
Jane said: “Panto is such a joyful celebration for all ages and it’s a great feeling to have Alan and the gang back in our beautiful theatre. We really can’t wait for you all to see what we have in store. Expect festive fun and laughter, marvel at magical special effects and make unforgettable memories at HMT this panto season.”
Tickets for Beauty And The Beast, which runs from December 4 to January 2, are already on sale at www.aberdeenperformingarts.com
Laura Main’s Aberdeen
When Laura Main appeared in Cinderella at His Majesty’s in 2019, she took us on a tour of her favourite places in Aberdeen. Have a look at her precious memories of the Granite City.
