After a two-year absence, the panto is coming back to the Community Hall! And it promises to be the best one ever!
It’s 15 years since Jenn Feenan introduced Gabriola to that great British holiday tradition the pantomime with performances at the Community Hall of Cinderella by Ruth Newton. Since then pantos have become the unofficial start of the holiday season here. Cinderella will be back next month, this time written by Robin Bailes (who has become Gabriola’s favourite panto writer), adapted and once again directed by Miranda Holmes.
In 2014 Gabriola Players staged the world premiere of a new script by Bailes – Will Shakespeare the Panto, which proved a huge hit with audiences. Before his writing career took him in a different direction Bailes wrote five pantos and, with Cinderella, we will have staged and Miranda will have directed them all.
According to Miranda: “I have been blessed with an incredibly talented cast and marvellously creative and dedicated crew. A special shout out to our leads, Katie MacLean and Ben Sams, who are making their first theatrical appearances in this show and have turned out to be absolute naturals. They are far from alone in their ‘wow’ factor. John Gooding and Neil Shilladay as the stepsisters keep getting funnier and funnier. Helen Shilladay as the evil stepmother just gets more and more evil. We really were not very far into rehearsals when we realised this was going to be the best panto ever!”
Get your tickets now!
There will be five performances of Cinderella, instead of the usual four: evening shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, December 1 to 3 at 7pm and matinees on Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4 at 2pm. Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for children under 12 and are available online (click here) or at the door. (As seating will be limited, advance purchase is recommended to avoid disappointment.)
Please note: For the safety of all, audience members – including children – will be required to wear masks.