A 'Beauty' of a Pantomime Cast for the Spa Centre

The Royal Spa Centre are delighted to announce that they are fully cast for this year’s production of Sleeping Beauty.

Joining Spa Centre favourites JP McCue and Sean Dodds are Sally Peerless as the good fairy Gabriella, Denise Pitter as the wicked fairy Carabosse, Chloe Fay as Princess Rosa, Glyn Dilley as the King, James Leeman as Prince Victor and Teddy Moynihan as Carabosse’s side kick, Fran.

Sally Peerless is currently appearing in the UK tour of Sister Act the Musical, having spent much of the last few years in Saturday Night Fever both in the UK and Germany.

Denise also has a strong musical theatre background having appeared in Guys and Dolls in the West End alongside Patrick Swayze as well as the UK tours of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story and Dancing in the Streets amongst many others.

James has appeared in a number of pantomimes for producer’s Imagine Theatre and is delighted to be spending his first festive season in Leamington. “People I know who have previously having worked at the Spa Centre speak very highly of the team on the panto so that's also quite exciting. Leamington Spa is a beautiful place so I'm looking forward to spending my Christmas there.” 

James has played the Prince in Snow White for the last two years in both Grimsby and Southport and says “I've had great fun playing the Prince in Snow White so I'm excited to spend this season saving another ‘sleeping Princess’ but this time it being Sleeping Beauty.”

The title role of the ‘sleeping beauty’, Princess Rosa, is being played by Chloe Fay in her third professional pantomime. “When I was younger I was in the Junior Ensemble for four pantomimes and I still love appearing in them now. My favourite thing about it is that every performance is different. Nothing is taken too seriously and the audience participation being different every time makes it really fun!”

“I am looking forward to playing a princess as it is every girl’s dream to be a princess and getting to wear such beautiful gowns every day, and always having perfect and pristine hair... Oh and obviously being able to sing all the time without anyone looking at you in a weird way!”

Glyn Dilley is a hugely experienced performer and has appeared in 22 pantomimes clocking up an impressive 1400 performances since making his professional panto debut in The Palace Theatre in Morecambe, his home town. His performances this year have a very royal feel to them - as well as playing the King in Sleeping Beauty he is touring the UK as King Arthur for Story Pocket Theatre.

“I love panto as it gives so much pleasure to so many people every year. It is also great fun to do. One of my favourite panto memories is being on stage at the Liverpool Empire when a small child told the Queen to go away using a very rude word! It brought the house down and everything to a standstill!”

Teddy Moynihan was part of the RSC’s Shakespeare Live performance to mark 400 years since the Bard’s death when he performed as Chino / Ensemble in the West Side Story routine. He has also played Dandini in Cinderella and is looking forward to getting in touch with his dark side this season.

“I think it will be great fun to play a baddie and I look forward to seeing how loud we can get the kids booing!”

Janice Dunn who has directed the pantomime for the last few years says “I am delighted to have such a fabulous cast. Directing at the Spa Centre is always great fun and I promise we are going to put on another spectacular show this year.”

Sleeping Beauty opens on Saturday 2 December 2017. The show runs until Sunday 31 December 2017 and for more information or to book tickets please call 01926 334 418 or visit www.royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk

JP and Sean Back for the Spa Centre Panto

It may only be March but plans for the Royal Spa Centre’s spectacular family pantomime Sleeping Beauty are already underway and they are delighted to announce the return of panto favourites J P McCue and Sean Dodds.

The duo have become part and parcel of the Leamington panto over the last few years and this will be JP’s sixth year at the Spa Centre.

“I LOVE working at The Spa Centre as it has such a family feel to it, from the technical team to front of house and box office staff and the cast old and new, it's such a welcoming place to call home for the festive season.  Leamington itself is so beautiful with all the decorations, Christmas markets and shopping! PLUS it has the fanciest Wagamamas I've ever eaten in!”

I really enjoy playing Dame because of all the naughtiness I can get up to in the show. I love all the stories we get to tell in panto but I also adore the madness and the laughs we throw in too. Even the ones none of us see coming!”

JP spends much of the year abroad but Christmas just would not be the same without a return to the UK for panto: “When I am over here I miss the sun of course, as even though I'm Scottish I'm not great with the cold, and I miss my wonderful partner and my beautiful dog Apple, but they'll be over to see the panto, and I hope all of our brilliant audience members will be in again this year! You won't want to miss it!” 

 For Sean, who will be spending his fourth year at the Spa Centre, he feels Leamington is a home away from home.  “The thing I love about the Spa Centre is that it's more than just a theatre… it's a cafe, a cinema and for me, a Christmas home! I also love the atmosphere in Leamington at Christmas time - the lights make everywhere so magical! When you're walking around the town it's a great feeling and it really gets you in the Christmas spirit!”  

 Before panto season arrives Sean will have a busy year doing some filming as well as running his own company specialising in children’s magic and entertainment.

 Steve Boden, Managing Director of Imagine Theatre who are consultants to Warwick District Council on the pantomime, says “we are delighted to have both JP and Sean back for another season. They are both brilliant performers and the audiences absolutely adore them – you never know what is going to happen when those two are together on stage but you can be sure it will be great fun!”

Don't miss out on the hilarious antics of this expert slapstick duo when Sleeping Beauty opens on Saturday 2 December 2017.