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Dick Whittington

Starring: Ray Meagher (Home and Away), Steve Royle (BBC Radio Lancashire), Andrew Newton-Lee (Hollyoaks), Michelle Hughes (Nickelodeon and girl band Girlthing), Janine Jones (Radio Wave), Mark Two and Charles Burden

Showing Friday 08 December to Saturday 06 January 2007
Transport | Access

Performance Times: Various performance times available

Running Time: 140 minutes

call our box office on 01253 290190

Group bookings call 01253 743232

This Christmas join us at The Grand Theatre when we present the feel-good pantomime DICK WHITTINGTON starring Ray Meagher, Steve Royle, Andrew Newton-Lee, Michelle Hughes, Janine Jones, Mark Two and Charles Burden.

The pantomime runs from Friday 8th December 2006 to Saturday 6th January 2007 and is brought to you by Martin Dodd and Peter Frosdick for UK Productions, the company who have presented some of the most critically acclaimed touring musicals in recent years, such as Anything Goes, Carousel, 42nd Street, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Jekyll & Hyde , Beauty and the Beast and who have also produced pantomimes at The Grand Theatre for the past eight years.

Thanks to sponsorship from The Gazette, this year’s traditional pantomime will be full of music and dance, fun and laughter with fabulous costumes and lavish sets – suitable for all the family this Christmas!

DICK WHITTINGTON will star Ray Meagher as King Rat. Ray is best known as Alf Stewart from Home and Away; he also starred in the cult smash hit television series Prisoner Cell Block H. Lancashire’s favourite family entertainer and BBC Radio Lancashire presenter Steve Royle co-star of this summer’s Variety at Night, returns for his fourth panto in a row, as Idle Jack. Andrew Newton-Lee from Hollyoaks will play the title role of Dick Whittington and the gorgeous Michelle Hughes from Nickelodeon and girl band Girl Thing makes her third panto appearance at the Grand, as Alice Fitzwarren. Making her panto debut is Janine Jones from Blackpool’s very own radio station Radio Wave 96.5FM as Fairy Bow Bells. The line-up is completed with Mark Two making his Grand Theatre debut as the Ship’s Captain and Charles Burden one of the country’s most versatile performers with over 25 years of pantomime dame under his belt as Sarah the Cook.

This modern day pantomimme retold by UK Productions is sure to be a sell-out. BOOK BEST AVAILABLE SEATS NOW!


REHEARSALS BEGIN AT THE GRAND THEATRE FOR DICK WHITTINGTON
Click here to see the pictures

THE GAZETTE DICK WHITTINGTON REVIEW

"Perhaps taking the cue from the Grand being the National Theatre of Variety there is far more emphasis on making this a musical-style production for all the family...

"As ever Steve Royle is a scene stealer – an instant winner with the younger audience, he's also clever enough to keep the adults in his grasp. Another Grand panto regular Michelle Hughes comes into her own this year – making Alice Fitzwarren a convincing character, tackling her song solos commandingly. Home and Away's Ray Meagher clearly revels in his villainous role as King Rat – delivering his rhyming couplets as if he's auditioning for The Tempest and Andrew Newton-Lee, probably the tallest Dick Whittington in the land, is a likeable enough hero. 

"Another scene stealer is Adam Gaskin – although we never actually see him. His Tommy the Cat wins the youngsters with his martial arts, athletics and emphatic meowing. There's colour from the seven ensemble dancers, a decent ultraviolet interlude from Les Puppetiques En Noir and cute interludes by youngsters from the Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre. It's fun, it will get faster and it's fine for all the family. It runs until January 6."

Robin Duke, The Gazette

Visit The Gazette's Online Dick Whittington Picture Gallery


THE CITIZEN DICK WHITTINGTON REVIEW

“It was a night of fun and frolics at the Blackpool Grand with the opening of the Christmas pantomime Dick Whittington. The show was packed with jokes, music and dancing and laughter rang out as the talented cast performed hilarious slapstick.

“Home and Away star Ray Meaghers' King Rat was suitably villainous, and was greeted with hisses, boos and screams every time he took to the stage. The children and especially the adults revelled in comic Steve Royle's Idle Jack, as he juggled, fell over, told jokes... and got into many a sticky situation with flour and pies.

“Andrew Newton-Lee from Hollyoaks, sang his heart out as the young adventurous Dick trailing the streets of London with his trusty sidekick Tommy the Cat in his bid for fortune and fame.
“…it was a great show that had children and parents rolling about their seats with laughter.”

Nazia Parveen, The Citizen

"Welcome to Dick Whittington. There are very few places, except the theatre, where rules are broken, the world is turned upside down and everyone gets a good laugh. We've become a pressurised society heavily burdened with ideologies and bureaucracy. Our lives seem now to be so heavy and weighted. When do we get to loosen up? In Blackpool of course, best of all at the Grand Theatre, and foremost during the pantomime! For a couple of hours, we can all become children again. Book today, have fun, and a merry Christmas and a safe New Year to all theatre patrons."

PAUL ILES, Manager, Grand Theatre

PERFORMANCE TIMES / PRICE BANDS

Presented By: Peter Frosdick And Martin Dodd For UK Productions Limited

Booking information

Tickets: £10.50 to £16.50
* Preview Performance: Friday 8 December at 2pm: Adults and Children £8.50, Friends of the Grand £5 all seats

Children: Band B performance as concession price; Band C performances £8.50 all seats
(F) Family ticket £49 for four (min one Adult)

GROUPS
Groups 20+ Band B performances: £12; Band C performances: £10
Groups 50+ Band B performances: £11; Band C Performances: £9
Groups 150+ Band B performances: £10; Band C performances: £8

BOX OFFICE
Open 10am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and from 12noon on performance Sundays. All major credit and debit cards are accepted over the telephone and in person. When booking by credit card, a booking fee of £1.50 per transaction is applicable. Debit cards attract no booking fee.

POSTAL ADDRESS
Grand Theatre, 33 Church Street, Blackpool, FY1 1HT. Cheques should be made payable to Blackpool Grand Theatre and remember to add 60p to your total, if you would like your tickets posted back to you.

CONCESSIONS
Concessions, where offered, apply to: Senior Citizens, Registered Disabled, Under 18s, Full-time students, Registered Unemployed, Equity, BECTU and MU members. Please note you may be asked for relevant identification when requesting concessions. Only one concession per ticket is allowed and may not be used in conjunction with
any other offers. Concessions and offers are subject to availability and allocated at the discretion of the Box Office.

PARKING
Parking at the Grand couldn’t be easier… or cheaper! Directly opposite the theatre’s entrance is the secure West Street Car Park where parking is available at a discounted rate. Book your parking ticket when you book your show tickets from the Box Office and you can have parking from 5.30pm until 11.30pm for only £2.50! Parking is also free at this car park on Thursday evenings. We are obliged to Blackpool Council for providing this parking facility.

For tickets call our Box Office on 01253 290190

Group Booking: 01253 743232

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