Birmingham Panto Launch!

Monday 16th September 2019

Today saw the Qdos “Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs” Pantomime launch at the Hippodrome Birmingham.

This is the London Palladium production with all the fabulous scenery, costumes and effects, and a stellar cast assembled for the run. It opens Saturday 21st December and runs through to Sunday 2nd February, two shows a day.

Producer and Director Michael Harrison together with Fiona Shaw, CEO and Artistic Director of the Hippodrome launched the panto today with an invited audience of Group Bookers and Friends of The Hippodrome attending events.Adrian LeSurf, Head of Marketing for Qdos was on hand to oversee the launch.

Meet The Cast!

Lesley Joseph returns to the Hippodrome to star as The Wicked Queen.

Lesley Joseph enthroned at the Hippodrome.

Here’s an interview with Lesley from the launch:

Lesley first did Pantomime at The “Hippo” in 1991. This year she has been working non stop since finishing the run of “Young Frankenstein” in The West End, “Cinderella” at Bromley, and going straight into the tour of Calendar Girls, and overlapping into the tour of “Annie”. She will be enthroned at The Hippodrome for the six week season!

Matt Slack is a Hippodrome favourite. This will be his seventh consecutive Pantomime here in Birmingham. It was great to see Matt in the Summer when The Hippodrome Celebrated 125 years, and we enjoyed a full evening’s entertainment (and a great meal on stage) hosted by Matt. It has been seven years since Matt did his first appearance in “Snow White ” here at The Hippodrome- he is now a Hippo Regular!

Matt Slack giving the Kiss Of Life a few centuries too late!

Here’s the launch interview with Matt on Celebrity Radio:

Playing the part of “The Spirit of the Mirror” is X Factor Winner Joe McElderry. Joe has spent most of this year starring in “Club Tropicana” the Musical playing Garry the Club Rep. It began touring in January in Bromley, and finished in Cardiff at the end of August. Joe is currently on his concert tour until rehearsals begin.

Joe McElderry – Spirit of The Magic Mirror

Here’s Joe’s interview on Panto Launch Day:

The Title role is played by Coronation Street’s Faye Brookes. Faye is known for her role as Kate Connor in Coronation Street. She has toured with “Legally Blonde” The Musical as well as “Grease” and “Shrek”. Here’s Faye’s interview on the day:

Faye Brookes- hopefuly not hungry right now!

The Queen Of The Black Country- self styled “Lazy Cow” Doreen Tipton is demoted to Lady In Waiting to the Wicked Queen this year at the Hippodrome. Youtube sensation Doreen leaves her daughters Trojan, Tangerine and Trollop behind in Wolverhampton tp join this year’s cast of “Snow White.

 

Doreen Tipton- Midlands Icon!

Returning to the Birmingham Hippodrome for the fourth time as Dame is Andrew Ryan.

Andrew Ryan plays Nanny Annie Asprin!

Andrew was here previously in “Dick Whittington” with John Barrowman and The Krankies, and before that in “Aladdin” with Marti Pellow and Julian Clary. Andrew appeared at the Hippodrome in “Robinson Crusoe” in 2012 with Brian Conley and Lesley Joseph. This is Andrew’s fifth Panto appearing with Lesley- Last year he Directed Lesley in “Cinderella” at Bromley.This is his Third panto with Matt Slack!

Here’s Andrew’s interview on Celebrity Radio along with Jac Yarrow in the studio.

Jac Yarrow arrived for today’s launch direct from winning the Joe Allen Best West End Debut Award for his role as Joseph in “Joseph and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat” at The London Palladium. Producer Michael Harrison selected Jac to play Joseph while he was still at Arts Educational School. He finished the run of Joseph (for THIS year!)at the Palladium just in time to graduate from Arts Ed.

Jac Yarrow fresh from winning the Joe Allen Best West End Debut award for “Joseph”

Michael Harrison hosted the cast interviews in the Patrick Centre at the Hippodrome in front of an invited audience, with a lively Q&A session. Photocalls, press interviews and media moments organised by Adrian LeSurf, followed by an autograph signing and selfie session- A great day out at the Hippodrome!

Joining the cast for the Pantomime season this year will be Flawless from Britain’s Got Talent, and of course, no Snow White Panto could be complete without the Seven Dwarfs and a full ensemble of singer/dancers to complete this epic production!