Pantomime
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Theatre Royal, Birmingham
Past
"Don't be sad for what we had - smile and enjoy the memories we made at these wonderful places..."
The Theatre Royal, until 1807 the New Street Theatre, or, colloquially, New Theatre, was a 2,000-seat theatre located on New Street in Birmingham, England. It was erected in 1774 and demolished in 1956.
Panto history at Theatre Royal, Birmingham
1859: The House that Jack built
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1885: Robinson Crusoe
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1921: The Queen of Hearts
1923: Old King Cole
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1932: Dick Whittington
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1936: Puss in Boots
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1938: Sleeping Beauty
1939: Babes in the Wood
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1943: Aladdin
1944: Robinson Crusoe
1948: Puss in Boots
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1953: Puss in Boots
1954: Humpty Dumpty
1955: Old King Cole
1859
1859: The House That Jack Built
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Cast
Estelle Vernon
Jessie Ryder
Louisa Angel
1885
1885: Robinson Crusoe
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Cast
Vesta Tilley
1904: Babes in the Wood
1921
1923
1921: The Queen of Hearts
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Cast
G S Melvin as King of Hearts
Eddie Garr as Queen of Hearts
Harry Weldon as Knave of Hearts
Bice O'Neill as Queen of Diamonds
Bogie Lambert as Knave of Clubs
Sydney Russell as The Joker
Wat Tyler as The Herald
Christine Roy as The Prince
Billie Browne as Margery - Queen of the May
Enid Marshall as Phoebe
with Mdlee Listakova, Nona Lyn, Lutie Griffiths, Ada Hurcum, The Griffiths Brothers and The Dainty Dances
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Devised and Written by Philip Rodway
Additional Lyrics by Tom H Townson
Music speciality composed by Harvey Rushworth
Opened 26th December 1921
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1923: Old King Cole
Cast
Clarkson Rose as Old King Cole
Olive Fox as Quilini
Florence Hunter as Amaryllis
The Hanlon Brothers as Snip & Snap
Tom D Newall as Mother Hubbard
Byrk Walkley as Ronald
Fred Conquest as Fido
Victor Fairley as Colonol Bogey
Ethel Alderson as The Pixie
Leonta Proctor as Fairy Flora
Devised & Written by Philip Rodway
1932
1932: Dick Whittington
Cast
Elaine Trevor as Fairy Bowbells
Herbert Langley as The Demon Rat
Gwladys Stanley as Dick Whittington
Jimmy Young as Alderman Fitzwarren
Florence Hunter as Alice Fitzwarren
Marjorie Macklin as Lord Algy
Reginald Jecks as The Emperor of Morocco
Fred Whittaker as The Cat
George Doonan as Jack
A W Baskcomb as Selina The Cook
1936
1938
1936: Puss in Boots
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Cast
Fred Gwyn as Queen Goslina
Jimmie Leslie as King Herbert
Marjorie Lotinga as Princess Rowena
Roy Jefferies as Plonk
De Haven as Carolus
Sandy Powell as Sandy
Opened 17th February 1936
Produced by Tom Arnold
1939
1938: Sleeping Beauty
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​Cast
Gordon Whelan as Chamberlain
Frank Attree as Maligna The Wicked Queen
Mary Thornley as The Good Fairy
Bunny Doyle as Rudolph
Tom Gamble as The Queen
Albert Darnley as The King
Hazel Jennings as Princess Beauty
Winnie Braemar as Trixie
Jack Edlin as Clown
Evelyn Laye as The Prince
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Opened 23rd January 1939
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1943
1939: Babes in the Wood
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Cast
Anne Bolt as Maid Marion
Bert Platt as Baron Baddun
Clarkson Rose as Nurse Merryweather
Ethel Revenell as Ethel
Gracie West as Gussie
Helen Breen as Robin Hood
Charles Cornford as Friar Tuck
Billy Danvers as Jack O Green
Shirley Belmore as Fairy Sunbeam
Opened 23rd December 1939
Produced by Tom Arnold
1943: Aladdin
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Cast
Afrique as Abanazar
Marjorie Matthews as Slave of the Ring
John Farries Moss as The Great Roc
Hazel Jennings as Aladdin
James Heys as The Vizier
Melville Birley as The Emporer
Tom Gamble as Widow Twankey
Dicky Hassett as Pekoe
Mavis Hill as Princess
Collinson & Breen as
The Pekin Policeman Li Hi and Li Ho
Produced by Julian Wylie Productions Ltd
1944
1948
1944: Robinson Crusoe
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Cast
Betty Frankiss as Robinson Crusoe
Sybil Summers as Polly Perkins
Henry Ford as Billy Crusoe
Nat Jackley as Will Atkins
Eddie Henderson as Mrs Crusoe
Murray & Mooney as 1st & 2nd Mate
G H Elliott as Sambo
Richard Beamish as Bosun
George Fairweather as Cannibal King
Harry Eades as Man Friday
1953
1948: Puss in Boots
1953: Puss in Boots
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Cast
Jimmy Jewel
Beb Warriss
Fay Lenore
Jack Hayes
Fred Kitchen
June Rose
George Hamilton
1954
1954 Humpty Dumpty
Cast
Norman Evans
Betty Jumel
1955
1955: Old King Cole
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Cast
Andy McFarlane
Robert Marlowe
Vanda Vale
Billy Sutton
Gordon Bellingham
Beryl Foley
Mary Forbes
Harry Shiels