The streets to Aberdeen Arts Centre will be paved with gold this festive season, as the iconic Aberdeen arts venue brings classic pantomime Dick Whittington to the North-east of Scotland.
The family favourite panto will run at the city centre theatre from November 30 to December 24, and will see the return of fan-favourite cast members, including ‘the Doric dame’ – Philip Napier – as Dame Sally Fitzmackie.
Tickets are available starting at just £16 from www.aberdeenartscentre.com/panto.
Amy Liptrott, director of Aberdeen Arts Centre, said: “We are delighted to bring a distinctly Doric version of Dick Whittington to Aberdeen this year in conjunction with our friends at TaleGate Theatre Productions.
“With the Tall Ships arriving in 2025, it felt only right that we embarked on a swashbuckling pantomime adventure to celebrate Aberdeen’s maritime legacy and get ready for the year of nautical fun ahead.
“Audiences can expect colourful costumes, fantastic songs, hilarious slapstick, audience participation and lots of local humour – perfect for getting into the festive spirit!”
The pantomime follows the heroic Dick Whittington and his feline friend as they taken on Queen Rat, who has taken over Aberdeen. Their journey will take them across the seven seas on a magical adventure that will enchant the young and young-at-heart.
TaleGate Theatre Productions is producing the Arts Centre pantomime for the fifth year, and welcomes a largely local professional cast – with five out of six of the principal actors hailing from the north east.
Alongside dame Philip Napier – who began his career in Aberdeen Arts Centre – the cast also includes Xander Gordon as Dick Whittington, Megan Wright as Queen Rat, Caitlyn Louise Boyd as Tommy the Cat, and Hannah Buyers making her panto debut as Alice Fitzmackie.
Rounding out the cast as Fairy Mither Kirk is Sarah Ord, who previously received a bursary from Aberdeen Arts Centre’s Artist Development Programme to develop May Fly, May Not, a new piece of theatre for young people and their families.
Local dance school Danz Creations will also provide a touch of showbiz glamour to the production.
TaleGate Theatre Productions’ artistic director, James Worthington, added: “We are thrilled to be back at Aberdeen Arts Centre, sharing the panto tradition with an audience that makes each and every show unforgettable. Our talented cast and crew have worked hard to make this year’s show something special, and we can’t wait to start welcoming audience on November 30.”
The first pantomime production of Dick Whittington was staged in 1814 in London, and starred celebrated clown Joseph Grimaldi in the role of the dame. Following Dick’s journey from rags to riches, the classic tale has been brought up-to-date for Aberdeen audiences – with more than a few nods to local news and personalities sprinkled throughout.
Aberdeen Arts Centre is an independent arts venue and registered charity in the heart of Aberdeen. For over 60 years, it has played a crucial role in the north east’s vibrant arts scene through its programme of performances, Creative Learning Programme for children and adults, and an Artist Development Programme to support local professional creatives.
The venue encompasses a 350-seater auditorium; café bar; flexible spaces for performances, events, exhibitions and meetings; and the Children’s Theatre, opened in the 1950s as a pioneering youth theatre and now used as a vital resource for professional artist development.
For more information, visit www.aberdeenartscentre.com or follow Aberdeen Arts Centre on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @AberdeenArtsCentre.