Belfast’s Grand Opera House has announced the cast and creative team for its high-flying 2024 pantomime, The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan.
Guaranteed to be a Christmas treat for all ages, Northern Ireland’s biggest pantomime has already sold a record number of 50,000 tickets.
Audiences can expect a swashbuckling trip to Neverland like never before with this year’s production spectacularly brought to life from page to stage by a talented cast and creative team.
The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan features the traditional Grand Opera House pantomime hallmark of thrilling song-and-dance, beautiful costumes, dazzling staging and effects and barrel-loads of laughter.
Belfast’s much-loved pantomime dame, May McFettridge stars as Mrs Smee and celebrates her record-breaking 34th Grand Opera House panto season this year.
Joining May on stage are Belfast panto favourites Paddy Jenkins, part of the Oscar-winning cast of An Irish Goodbye, as Starkey, comedian Adam C Booth, as Smee, Jolene O’Hara, who returns to the Grand Opera House pantomime after a stand-out performance as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as Captain Hook, and Aisling Sharkey, who also delighted in the title role of Snow White in last year’s panto, as Wendy. They will be joined by Belfast’s Jordan Walker as Peter Pan and Georgia Brierley-Smith as Tink.
“Generations of families have made Northern Ireland’s biggest Christmas show at the Grand Opera House their go-to-pantomime and festive tradition. With an unrivalled cast and award-winning creative team at the helm each year, the Grand Opera House always delivers a magical pantomime adventure like no other. This year will be no different with heart-stopping acrobatic tricks, captivating displays of aerial combat and astounding special effects.”, commented Ian Wilson, Chief Executive of the Grand Opera House.
“The Theatre’s iconic stage will be magically transformed into Neverland for our most breath-taking, thrilling seasonal spectacular yet. With over 75,000 people expected to see this year’s show, and with tickets selling fast, be part of the panto magic and hook your tickets to the very best festive treat at the Grand Opera House.”
From the talented team that created the Theatre’s recent productions of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears, this year’s pantomime is staged by Olivier award-winning producer Michael Harrison on behalf of Crossroads Pantomimes, the biggest pantomime producer in the world. As well as producing the world-famous London Palladium pantomimes, Michael’s production of Hello Dolly! is currently taking the West End by storm, and his recent touring productions of The Wizard of Oz, and The Drifters Girl, have enjoyed sell-out runs at the Grand Opera House.
Michael Harrison said: “I’m delighted to announce such a talented cast for our Grand Opera House pantomime, once again led by the comedy talent of May McFettridge. Our Belfast production brings together the very best of pantomime – matching the brilliant cast with a hilarious new script which sees Peter Pan return to Neverland for a brand-new adventure in the company of his great friends Wendy and Tink, outwitting their old adversary, Captain Hook.”
The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan is directed and choreographed by Jonny Bowles, lighting design is by Graham McLusky, and Philip Shute returns as the show’s musical director.
Northern Ireland’s biggest pantomime will once again be sponsored by Dale Farm, who are delighted to help share the joy of pantomime for another year.
The show runs at the Grand Opera House from Saturday 30 November 2024 to Sunday 12 January 2025.
For more information or to book your tickets, visit goh.co.uk.
