South Wales families and panto enthusiasts are gearing up for the festive season and proving that Christmas isn’t Christmas without the New Theatre panto, as ticket sales soar for this year’s Aladdin which opens next week. Past New Theatre pantomimes’ have been equally as popular with last year’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs selling faster than any previous panto and Aladdin is proving to be no different.Aladdin will take audiences on a magical journey to the Far East with a glittering cast of stars in this spectacular family pantomime. Coronation Street’s Chris Gascoyne will headline as the evil Abanazar. Joining him is Blue’s Antony Costa as Aladdin. This year, for the first time in Wales, they are joined by a very special cast member – the amazing 3D Genie! Completing the line-up from 13 December 2008 - 24 January 2009 is Cardiff panto regular Andy Jones, Gemma James and the one and only Ceri Dupree. After last year’s record breaking Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, New Theatre staff are geared up for another sensational panto season which promises to be bigger and better than ever. Audiences can expect the usual Christmas pantomime ingredients of comedy, music and dancing, plus exciting new special effects as Aladdin battles the wicked Abanazar in this classic story of good versus evil. To ensure every audience member gets the full 3D Genie effect, pairs of 3D glasses will be handed out at every performance! Chris Gascoyne, who stars as the wicked Abanazer, is most famous for playing Peter Barlow (Ken’s son) in the UK’s no.1 TV show Coronation Street. Having played panto baddies before, he’s guaranteed to get audiences hissing and booing his fiendish attempts to trick Aladdin. Antony Costa shot to fame in 2001 as a member of the multi-million selling boy band Blue, whose hits included All Rise and One Love. Selling millions of records, they played to sell out crowds in huge arenas all over the world. Since leaving Blue Antony has appeared in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here on TV, the touring stage musical Oh! What a Night and the West End production of Blood Brothers. Joining them are Andy Jones (Wishee Washee), a regular at the New Theatre panto, now in his third consecutive year of making audiences laugh at his antics, Gemma James as the beautiful Princess and legendary Cardiff entertainer Ceri Dupree who makes his New Theatre panto debut as Aladdin’s mum, the outrageous Widow Twankey. New Theatre Manager, Susan Lewis, says “Alongside our talented cast of actors, we are delighted to be presenting the amazing 3D Genie to Welsh audiences for the very first time. I know that everyone, young or old, will be blown away by these state-of-the-art special effects.” Aladdin will be at the New Theatre, Cardiff from Saturday 13 December 2008 to Saturday 24 January 2009. Tickets are on sale now. They can be booked via the Box Office on (029) 2087 8889 or online at www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk (online bookings carry a small transaction charge). Aladdin at the New Theatre, Cardiff Saturday 13 December 2008 to Saturday 24 January 2009 New Theatre Box Office (029) 2087 8889 Book online at www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk |
| New Theatre Cardiff web site: www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk |
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Wednesday, December 3, 2008 |
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