With Panto Season just around the corner it is good to see that so many theatres are putting on Relaxed Performances to make it more inclusive for all. I am compiling a list of Pantos with Relaxed Performances showing for the 2016-2017 Season and will add more that I hear of.

What are Relaxed Performances of a Panto?

Of course all theatres may vary slightly with what they offer but in general a Relaxed Performance is an adaptation of the regular Panto but is more suitable for those with autistic, sensory and communication conditions, learning disorders and anyone who would benefit from a more relaxed environment. Everyone is welcome but the performances are more relaxed – meaning that people will understand if someone needs to clap their hands, make noises or move around the auditorium. Some have fewer seats for sale, providing increased wheelchair capacity and giving audience members more space to make them feel more comfortable.

Lighting effects, noises and elements of surprise are kept to a minimum and with house lights being partially up (also making it safer to move around). Doors may be left open and chill-out areas provided for if the auditorium becomes overwhelming – with beanbags, sensory toys and bubble lights, that can be accessed throughout the show. There is often a chance to become familiar with the theatre and actors before the performance and/or a visual story. Front of House teams are often given specific training if any difficulties arise. Some theatres even have Autism Support Groups on hand to give any advice and information leaflets.

Please contact each theatre to find out exactly what it is they provide before booking. Information is accurate to my understanding at time of publish, gleamed from the individual venues but I take no responsibility for errors and advise checking before placing an order/making plans.

Wednesday 14^th December 2016

Aladdin – 1:30pm
Guildfords Yvonne Arnaud, Milbrook, Guildford, Surrey GU1 3UX

• To find about more about this performance or to book your tickets, please call the Box Office on 01483 440000. All tickets for this performance are £9 which includes the Restoration Levy and Booking Fee. When booking your tickets you can let them know if you would like a familiarisation tour prior to your visit.

Friday 16^th December 2016

Peter Pan – 10:30am
Hawth Theatre, Hawth Ave, Crawley RH10 6YZ

Stars Shaun Williamson, aka Barry from EastEnders, Emma Barton (Honey in Eastenders) alongside Cook and Line, the pirate duo from CBeebies show Swashbuckle.

• For tickets call the box office on 01293 553636.

• Audio Described Performance – Saturday 17 December, 2pm & Wednesday 28 December, 5.30pm
• British Sign Language Interpreted Performance (Signer: Tony Oliver) – Saturday 17 December, 2pm

Sunday 18^th December 2016

Robin Hood The Pantomime – 2pm
Assembly rooms Ludlow, 1 Mill St, Ludlow SY8 1AZ

• The Box Office is open from 10am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday: 01584 878141. £5 child, £8 adult, £22 family. Support companions go free, but still must book in advance. You can also book online, by post or in person.

Monday 19^th December 2016

Snow White and Other Tales from the Brothers Grimm – 12 Noon
Oxford Creation Theatre: North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford OX2 7JN

Cinderella – 12 Noon
Oxford Creation Theatre: The Mill Arts Centre Banbury X16 5QE

• Tickets are now on sale but if you have any questions, please call the Box Office on 01865 766266. For those who would benefit from the adapted performance, a special Relaxed Ticket at £10.

Dick Whittington and His Amazing Cat – 1:30pm
Chequer Mead Theatre, De La Warr Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 3BS

Starring Really Wild Show presenter Howie Watkins, BBC Sussex and Surrey’s Allison Ferns and Brookside actor Allen Mechen.

• For tickets, call the box office on 01342 302000 or go tochequermead.org.uk.

Wednesday 21st December 2016

Snow White- 2pm

Liverpool Empire Theatre, Lime Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 1JE

TV favourite Jorgie Porter* (Hollyoaks, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!) will be making her pantomime debut as she heads up this year’s cast in the title role of Snow White! Jorgie will be joined by Radio City 96.7 Breakfast Show’s Leanne Campbell (a much-loved member of the Empire panto family, now in her fourth year) as the Wicked Queen, and back by popular demand is Liam Mellor as the lovable comic, Muddles

The theatre does not have its own parking facilities but Liverpool boasts many city centre car parks with reasonable rates and many are within 5 minutes’ walk of the theatre. The closest car parks are located at Mount Pleasant, Lord Nelson Street, Queen Square and at St John’s Shopping Centre on Lime Street. St. John’s Car Park offers discounted parking of £2.00 for patrons visiting the Liverpool Empire after 6.00pm and leaving before midnight (car park ticket must be validated in the theatre foyer).

0844 871 7677 (Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge)

Wednesday 28th December 2016

Sleeping Beauty –  17:00

Sunderland Empire. High Street West, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR1 3EX

Vicky Entwistle (Coronation Street, Les Misérables, The Vagina Monologues) is set to reveal a wicked side when she takes on the evil role of Carabosse, alongside actress and ‘Steps’ star Faye Tozer, who is set to sparkle as the Good Fairy and children’s TV favourite Andrew Agnew (CBeebies, Balamory), who returns to Sunderland following his triumphant panto performance in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 2014, in the role of Silly Billy and also as director of this year’s pantomime!

Joining them is Amy-Leigh Hickman as Princess Briar Rose, who is best known for playing Carmen in the popular CBBC series Tracy Beaker, plus spin off series The Dumping Ground and more recently as Linzi Bragg in Eastenders. The line-up is completed by special guest star and legend of radio, screen and stage, Bobby Crush (Opportunity Knocks, Benidorm, The Rocky Horror Show, Chicago) as Nurse Kelly.

• Access Bookings: 0844 871 7677 (Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge) Mon-Sat, 9am-10pm. Sun 10am-8pm

Thursday 29th December 2016

Cinderella – 13:30

Bristol Hippodrome Theatre, St Augustine’s Parade, Bristol, BS1 4UZ

Torvill & Dean take to the stage as the Fairy Godparents. The classic rags to riches tale Cinderella will be transformed into a breath-taking family extravaganza with glittering sets, gorgeous costumes, big song and dance numbers, real Shetland ponies and jaw-dropping skating sequences.

• If you require information about parking for patrons with a disability please call 0117 3023222 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm) or email trishhodson@theambassadors.com
• Access Bookings: 0117 3023222

Friday 30th December 2016

Aladdin – 13:00

Opera House Manchester, 3 Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3HP

Loose Women  and Benidorm favourite, and star of the all-new Are You Being Served?, Sherrie Hewson, will be appearing as The Genie of the Ring, opposite one of Manchester’s best-loved actors, John Thomson (Cold Feet) as the evil Abanazar. Pop sensation Ben Adams (A1) will tread the boards as the title role, Aladdin, and to complete the line-up, writer, director and one of the best dames in the business, Eric Potts will star as Widow Twankey!

• Review of normal performance – Adventures in Home School
• BSL: Thursday 15 December 7:00pm & Friday 16 December 7:00pm

• Access Bookings: 0844 871 7677 (Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge). Call the access team on 0161 245 6605

Tuesday 3^rd January 2017 

Robin Hood – 13:30

Mayflower Southhampton, Empire Lane, Southhampton, SO15 1AP  

A sensational cast led by soap royalty Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace in the South Coast’s biggest family pantomime! Relaxed Performance supported by Blaze Construction Ltd. Contains strobe lighting.

£9 Box Office 02380 711811

Review of a normal performance at Are we Nearly there Yet?

Dick Whittington 13:00

Creative Learning. Milton Keynes Theatre, Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes, MK9 3NZ

• Captioned performance 5th January 2017 7pm
• BSL Performance 12th January 2017 7pm

Wednesday 4th January 2017

Robin Hood & The Babes in the Wood – 2pm
The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 5NX

See Review of the Press Performance

£13.50 Box Office: 01684 295074

Thursday 5^th January 2017

Jack and the Beanstalk – 1.30pm and 7.15pm
Theatre Royal Nottingham, Theatre Square, Nottingham NG1 5ND

This year’s GIANT family-friendly panto adventure stars the legendary comedy-duo The Chuckle Brothers as Paul and Barry Trot, Benidorm’s Tony Maudsley as Dame Trot, and The X Factor finalist Chico as Jack, the hero of our tale. This unmissable production carries the Theatre Royal pantomime hallmark of outstanding entertainment for all ages and features laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning costumes and scenery, and amazing special effects as the audience and cast enter the Giant’s castle in spectacular 3D!

Access Performances

• Sign Language Interpreted15/12/2016 1:30 pm
• Audio Described17/12/2016 2:30 pm
• Sign Language Interpreted18/12/2016 1:30 pm
• Captioned07/01/2017 2:30 pm
• Audio Described08/01/2017 1:30 pm
• Sign Language Interpreted13/01/2017 7:15 pm
• Call Caroline Pope on 0115 989 5627 for further details and to book. £2 for online bookings or £3 for phone & counter sales applies per transaction.

Thursday 5th January 2017

Jack and the Beanstalk – 10am
The Everyman Theatre, Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ

• There will be an audio described performance and touch tour for the performance on Wednesday 4th January @ 2.00pm and a sign language interpreted performance on Saturday 7th January @ 2pm
• For the Relaxed Performance: 01242 695574

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – 19:00

New Victoria Theatre. The Ambassadors, Peacocks Centre. Woking, Surrey, GU21 6GQ

The job of head dwarf Prof is a tall order but nothing that TV and film star Warwick Davis can’t measure up to. Known to millions from his roles in Star Wars, the Harry Potter series and Willow, as well as TV comedy series Life’s Too Short and Idiot Abroad 3, he will ensure that the pantomime won’t be short of laughs this Christmas.  Joining him is comedy favourite Andy Ford as the Henchman.

• Access Bookings: 0844 871 7677 Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge.

Sleeping Beauty – 13:30

Richmond Theatre, The Green, Richmond. Surrey, TW9 1QJ

Maureen Lipman makes a welcome return to Richmond’s spectacular Panto as the Wicked Fairy. With a catalogue of acting credits for television, stage and film, Maureen is well-known for her roles in films Educating Rita and the award-winning The Pianist. Joining her after two highly successful pantomimes at Richmond will be none other than CBeebies favourite Chris Jarvis in the role of Chester the Jester, returning for a third year in a row, due to overwhelming popular demand.

• Access Bookings: 0844 871 7677 Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge.

Friday 6th January 2017

Cinderella – 11:00

King’s Theatre Glasgow, 297 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4JN

Returning for the second year running as one half of them awfy Ugly Sisters is Gregor Fisher (Rab C Nesbitt, Naked Video). Gregor’s old chum Tony Roper (Rab C Nesbitt, The Steamie) is back in his squad as a fellow ugly alongside King’s panto favourite Des Clarke (Capital FM) as Buttons. River City’s Gary Lamont stars as Dandini with Elaine MacKenzie Ellis (Rab C Nesbitt, Me Too) as the Fairy Godmother also taking to the ballroom floor. Completing the cast is our Prince Josh Tevendale (Avenue Q) and of course, Cinderella herself, Gillian Ford. It’s gonnae have to be some size of pumpkin carriage for this lot!

• Glasgow City Council operates a supervised 24hr, pay-on-foot (credit cards accepted) multi-storey car park behind the theatre in Elmbank Crescent with access via Elmbank St. Parking after 6pm costs £2.50 and this charge entitles you to park until 8am the following day. This car park has spaces reserved for people with disabilities.
• Access Bookings: 0844 871 7677 Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge.

Wednesday 11th January 2017

DIck Whittington 11:00

New Wimbledon Theatre, The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1QG

The Home of London Pantomime is thrilled to announce the strictly sensational Arlene Phillips CBE will make her pantomime debut in this year’s Dick Whittington alongside the return of the side-splittingly hilarious Tim Vine and the best dame in the business, Matthew Kelly.

• Access Bookings: 0844 871 7677 Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge.

Friday 13 January 2017

Aladdin 1pm
Nottingham Playhouse, Wellington Circus, Nottingham NG1 5AF

• Box Office on 0115 941 9419 for more details on Relaxed Performances. We are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding familiarisation visits, wheelchair access and disabled parking, all you need to do is email access@nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk.

Thursday 26^th January 2017

Dick Whittington – 12 Noon
Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst Street, Southside Birmingham, B5 4TB

JOHN BARROWMAN, STEVE MCFADDEN, THE KRANKIESand MATT SLACK

• Captioned: Sunday 8^th January 2017 1pm and Wednesday 11^th January 7:15pm
• Signed: Sunday 15^th January 2017 1pm & 5:15pm
• Audio Described: Wednesday 18^th January 2017 2pm & Saturday 21^st January 2017 2:30pm.

No Under 3s

• For further information, please contact Liz Leck, Creative Learning Manager, on 0121 689 3064 or lizleck@birminghamhippodrome.com. Please note, this contact is for information only. Bookings MUST be made through the Ticket Sales number on 0844 338 5000 (Call cost 4.5p per min plus access charge).

I was also told of the following:

1. Oldham – Coliseum – Sleeping Beauty
   • Audio Described: Tuesday 13 December, 7.30pm
   • BSL: Thursday 15 December, 7.30pm
2. Bolton – Octagon Theatre – Cinderella
   • Audio Described: Friday 2 December 7:00pm
   • BSL: Friday 9 December 7:00pm
   • Captioned: Friday 16 December 7:00pm
3. Manchester – The Lowry – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
   • BSL: Thursday 15 December, 7.30pm.
   •  Audio Description: Sunday 18 December, 2pm. Free Touch Tour 12.30pm.
   •  Relaxed: Thursday 22 December, 2pm – please book in person or over the phone on 0843 208 6010.
   •  Captioned: Tuesday 10 January, 7.30pm

If you know of any other Relaxed Performance Pantos then please contact me on pinkoddballs@hotmail.co.uk and I can add them in.