Birmingham pantomime history

With a regular annual attendance of over 600,000, the Hippodrome is the busiest single theatre in the United Kingdom, and the busiest venue for dance outside London.

1957: Jack and the Beanstalk
1958: Robinson Crusoe
1959: Aladdin
1960: Sleeping Beauty
1961: Cinderella
1962: Robinson Crusoe
1963: Puss in boots
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1965: Humpty Dumpty
1966: Sleeping Beauty
1967: Aladdin
1968: Cinderella
1969: Babes in the wood
1970: Dick Whittington
1971: Jack and the Beanstalk
1972: Cinderella
1973: Robinson Crusoe
1974: Aladdin
1975: Emu in Pantoland
1976: Jack and the Beanstalk
1977: Cinderella
1978: Turn around again
1979: Babes in the wood
*
1981: Aladdin
1982: Dick Whittington
1983: Jack and the Beanstalk
*
1985: Humpty Dumpty
*
1988: Jack and the Beanstalk
1989: Babes in the wood
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1991: Cinderella
1992: Aladdin
1993: Dick Whittington
1994: Jack and the Beanstalk
1995: Cinderella
1996: Mother Goose
1997: Goldilocks and the three bears
1998: Cinderella
1999: Snow White and the seven dwarfs

1982: Cinderella
1983: Aladdin
1984:
1985: Robinson Crusoe
1986: Jack and the Beanstalk
1987: Turn again Whittington
1988: Aladdin
1989: Jack and the Beanstalk
1990: Cinderella
1991: Goldilocks and the three bears
1992:
1993:
1994: Peter Pan
1995: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1996: Cinderella
1997: Jack and the Beanstalk
1998:
1999: Dick Whittington

2001: Dick Whittington
2002: Aladdin
2003: Cinderella
2004: Jack and the Beanstalk
2005: Peter Pan
2006: Cinderella
2007: Aladdin
2008: Robin Hood
2009: Sleeping Beauty
2010: Dick Whittington
2011: Cinderella
2012: Robinson Crusoe
2013: Snow White and the seven dwarfs
2014: Jack and the Beanstalk
2015: Aladdin
2016: Dick Whittington
2017: Cinderella
2018: Peter Pan
2019: Snow White and the seven Dwarfs
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2021: Goldilocks and the three bears
2022: Dick Whittington
2023: Jack and the Beanstalk
2024: Peter Pan
2025: Robin Hood
2026: Sleeping Beauty

1957: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Beryl Reid

Reg Dixon

Freddie Frinton

1957

1958: Robinson Crusoe

Cast
Harold Holness

David Whitfield

David Williams

Philip Ashley

1959: Aladdin

Cast

Norman Evans as Widow Twankey

Dickie Valentine as Wishee Washee

Eve Boswell as Aladdin

Philip Morant as Abanazar

Ramoni Brothers

Sheila Henderson as So-Shi

Grace O'Connor as Princess Yasmin

William Dickie as Emporer

Alan Curtis as Kamar

Jackie Lester as Grand Vizier

David Kirk as Genie

1960: Sleeping Beauty

Cast

Jimmy Jewel as The King

Ben Warriss as Presto the Jester

Betty Emery as Fairy Florizel

Dorothy Dampier as Carabosse

James Hinson as Chamberlin

Virginia Vernon as Princess Melanie

Ernest Arnley as The Queen

Charles Harris as The Wizard

Bruce Trent as Prince Michael

1958

1959

1960

1961

1961: Cinderella

Cast

Lonnie Donegan

Danny La Rue

Alan Haynes

1962: Robinson Crusoe

Cast

Norman Wisdom

1963: Puss in Boots

Cast

Frankie Vaughan

1965: Humpty Dumpty

Cast

Ken Dodd

Judy Collins

Ken Roberts

Seth Joy

Joy Jackley

Seth Jee

Iris Sadler

1966: Sleeping Beauty

Cast

Morecombe & Wise

Kevin Scott

Patricia Brendin

Jimmy Lee

Eddie Molloy

1967: Aladdin

Cast

Yana

Lauri Lupino Lane

Harry Worth

Enya Green

Ken Wilson

Peter Butterworth

David Browning

1968: Cinderella

Cast

Des O'Connor

Jack Douglas

Freddie Sales

Joe Black

1969: Babes in the Wood

Cast

Mike Winters

Bernie Winters

Wyn Calvin

Erica Yorke

Ian Paterson

1970: Dick Whittington

Cast

Anita Harris

Freddie Davies

Bernard Bresslaw

Billy Dainty

1971: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

The Bachelors

Peter Glaze

Frank Carson

Don McLean

Yvonne Marsh

1972 Cinderella (Hippodrome)

Dicki Henderson,

Alan Hayes,

Arthur Askey

1973: Robinson Crusoe

Cast

Roy Hudd

Charlie Williams

1974: Aladdin

Cast

Larry Grayson

Alfred Marks

Keith Harris

Ken Wilson

Dilys Watling

1975: Emu in Pantoland

Cast

Rod Hull

Carl Wayne

Billy Dainty

Barbara New

Georgina Moon

1976 Jack and the Beanstalk (Hippodrome)

Charlie Drake

The Dallas Boys

Alan Randall

1962

1963

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1977: Cinderella

Cast

Richard O'Sullivan as Buttons

Tessa Wyatt as Cinderella

Frank Williams

Robert Young

Mary Laine

Erica Yorke

Bill Boazman

Blayne Barrington

Nicholas & Nickleby

Paul Aylett

1978: Turn Again Whittington

Cast

Norman Wisdom

Elizabeth Larner

Tony Fayne

1979: Babes in the Wood

Cast

Les Dawson

Roger De Courcey

Julie Rogers

Eli Woods

Colette Kelly

Danny O'Dea

1981: Aladdin

Cast

Danny La Rue as Widow Twankey

Dylis Watling as Aladdin
Leon Greene as Abanazar
David Ellen as Genie

Brian Marshall as Wishee Washee
Danielle Carson as Princess Balroubadour

George Giles as Grand Vizier

Johnny Hutch as Captain

Andy Rothwell as PC Boodles

Eric Desiles as PC Noddles

Robert Edmunds as PC Pong

John Betty as PC Pong

Margin Magne as PC Tong

George Reibbitt as Emperor of China

with Kim Rosato, Guy Gregory and The Halfwits

1982: Dick Whittington

Cast

The Krankies as Captain and Mate

Paul Henry as Idle Jack

Billy Dainty as Sarah The Cook

1983: Jack & The Beanstalk

Cast

Cilla Black

Gareth Hunt

Paul Squire

Jimmy Cricket

Harry Worth

Wyn Calvin

1985: Humpty Dumpty

CAST

Rustie Lee

Keith Harris

Jacqui Scott

Windsor Davies

Gary Holton

1988: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Russ Abbott

Bella Emberg

Tudor Davies

Jill Foot

Norman Painting

Cheryl Taylor

Windsor Davies

1989: Babes in the Wood

15th December 1989 - 24th January 1990

Cast

Christopher Biggins

Cannon and Ball

Pat Roach

Bernadette Nolan

Mike Holloway

1991: Cinderella

24th December 1991 - 29th February 1992

Cast

Des O'Connor as Buttons

Peggy Mount as Fairy Godmother

Ian Smith as Baron Hardup

with The Simmons Brothers

1992: Aladdin

23rd December 1992 - 14th February 1993

Cast

Danny La Rue as Widow Twankey

Michael Elphick as Abanazar

Brian Conley as Aladdin

Dawson Chance

Alison Young

1993: Dick Whittington

22nd December 1993 - 18th February 1994

Cast

Lesley Joseph as Fairy Bowbells

John Nettles as King Rat

Ross King

Rosemarie Ford as Dick

Wayne Sleep as Tommy the Cat

Wolf (Gladiators)

Vince Hill

Katie Budd

The Simmons Brothers

1994: Jack and the Beanstalk

22nd December 1994 - 25th February 1995

Cast

Ray Meagher

Su Pollard

Malandra Burrow

Judi Spiers

Don MaClean

Mike Doyle

Zippy, George, Bungle (Rainbow)

Scorpio (Gladiators)

Kevin Lloyd

1995: Cinderella

Cast

Gary Wilmot: Buttons

Rolf Harris: Baron Hardup

Bob Carolgees and Spit the Dog: The Brokers Men

Robin Cousins: The Prince

Judy Cornwell: Fairy Godmother

Jodie Jackson: Cinderella

Nigel Ellacott

Ian Sandy

Paul Gyngell

1978

1979

1981

1982

1983

1985

1988

1989

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996: Mother Goose

Cast

Matthew Kelly: Mother Goose

Vicki Michelle: Fairy Virtue

Andy Crane: Billy Goose

The Chuckle Brothers: Bish & Bash

Bruce Roberts

Robert Duncan: Demon Vanity

Suzanne Dando
Noel Butler: Priscilla The Goose
Ian Sandy: The King

with the White Power Ranger

Directed by Carol Todd

1997: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Cast

Frank Bruno: The Ringmaster

Karl Howman: Heinkel

Emily Symons: Goldilocks

Don Maclean: Gortle

Malcolm Boyden: Boing the Clown

Mike Doyle: Billy

Sooty

1996

1997

1998

1998: Cinderella

23rd December 1998 - 20th February 1999

Cast

Danny La Rue: Baroness

Brian Conley: Buttons

Dawson Chance: Baron Hardup

Malcolm Boyden: Dandini

Miquel Brown: Fairy Godmother

Brian Godfrey: Ugly Sister

David Morton: Ugly Sister

Ben Nealon: Prince Charming

Catherine Debenham-Taylor: Cinderella

1999

1999: Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs

Cast

Lily Savage / Paul O'Grady: The Wicked Queen

Kriss Akabusi: Muddles

Colette Bibby: Snow White

Lizzie Wiggins: The Nurse

Sean Canning: Catmeat

Mark Halliday: The Prince

2001

2001: Dick Whittington

Cast

Brian Conley: Dick

Anna Brecon: Alice Fitzwarren

Don Maclean: Sarah the Cook

Luke Baxter: King Rat

Rachel Spray: Fairy Bowbells

Danny Edwards: Sultan

Craig Turner: Tommy the Cat

Keith Simmons: Findus - The Mate

Alan Simmons: Captain

2002

2002: Aladdin

Cast

Amanda Barrie: Genie

Bobby Davro: Wishee Washee

Melinda Messenger: Princess

John Challis: Abanazar

Don MaClean: Widow Twankey

Masachi Fujimoto: Emperor

Spiderman

Produced by: QDos

2003: Cinderella

Cast

Julian Clary: Julian Clary

Dave Benson Phillips: Buttons

Rosemary Ashe: Fairy Godmother

Philip Herbert: Baron Hardup

Ian Gledhill: Lord Chamberlain

Henry Luxemburg: The Prince

Lynsey McCaffrey

David Hill: Henia

Tony Jackson: Verucca

Malcolm Boyden: Brokers Man

2003

2004

2004: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Joe Pasquale as Jack

Letitia Dean as Princess

Don Maclean as Dame Trot

Charlie Cairoli as King

Produced by: QDos

2005: Peter Pan

Cast

Joe Pasquale: Smee

Kerris Peeling: Peter Pan

Mina Anwar: Mrs Darling

Toby Hull: Noodler

Ian Sandy: Starkey

Peter Blake: Captain Hook

Lisa Seddon: Wndy

Anna Woodside: Tinkerbell

Natalie Kennedy: Tiger Lily

with Luke Di Bartolomeo, Ben O'Hare and Ashley Andrews

The Acromaniacs

Produced by: Qdos

2006: Cinderella

Cast

Brian Conley as Buttons

Shobna Gulati as Fairy Godmother

Dawson Chance as Baron Hardup

Jody Crosier as Dandini

Nigel Ellacott as Susannah

Peter Robbins as Trinny

Sean Needham as Prince Charming

Michelle Potter as Cinderella

2005

2006

2007

2007: Aladdin

Cast

John Barrowman as Aladdin

Don Maclean as Widow Twankey

The Grumbleweeds as The Chinese Policeman

Masashi Fujimoto as Emperor

Lila McConigley as Princess Yasmin

Peter Gallagher as Abanazar

Philip Andrew

2008

2008: Robin Hood

Cast

John Barrowman: Robin Hood

Paul Zerdin

Titan the Robot

2009: Sleeping Beauty

Cast

Joe Pasqulae

Ray Quinn: The Prince

Ceri Dupree

Lucy Evans

2010: Dick Whittington

Cast

Joan Collins as Queen Rat

Julian Clary

Nigel Havers

Jeffrey Holland

Keith Harris

Produced by

2009

2010

2011: Cinderella

Cast

Lynda Bellingham as Fairy Godmother

Brian Conley as Buttons

Basil Brush

Produced by: Qdos

2012: Robinson Crusoe

Cast

Brian Conley

Lesley Joseph

Produced by: Qdos

2013: Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs

Cast

John Partridge as The Prince

Gok Wan as Man in the Mirror

Stephanie Beacham as Wicked Queen

Gary Wilmot as Dame

Paul Zerdin as Muddles

Matt Slack as Oddjob

Danielle Hope as SNow White

Produced by: Qdos

2014: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Jane McDonald as Fairy

Duncan James as Jack

Chris Gascoyne as Fleshvreep

Gary Wilmot as Dame

Paul Zerdin

Matt Slack

Lynda Bellingham had originally signed to star as Fairy but illness prevented her from appearing and she personally asked her friend Jane McDonald to take on the role instead

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2015: Aladdin

Cast

Marti Pellow as Abanazar

Julian Clary as Slave of the Ring

Lee Mead as Aladdin

Matt Slack as Wishee Washee

Andrew Ryan as Widow Twankey

Produced by: Qdos

2016

2016: Dick Whittington

Cast

John Barrowman: Dick

Steve McFadden: King Rat

Matt Slack

The Krankies

Jodie Prenger

Andrew Ryan

2017

2017: Cinderella

Cast

Beverley Knight as Fairy Godmother

Danny Mac as Prince Charming

Matt Slack as Buttons

Suzanne Shaw as Cinderella

Ceri Dupree

Phil Randall

The Grumbleweeds

Produced by: Qdos

2018: Peter Pan

Cast

Matt Slack:Smee

Jimmy Osmond / Darren Day: Captain Hook

Jaymi Hensley: Peter Pan

Meera Syel: The Mermaid

Sascha Williams

Stephanie Nock

Kellie Gnauck

Cassie Compton

Imogen Brooke

Becky Bassett

Elizabeth Civil

Joshua-Kyle Cantrill

Kimberley Brightcliffe

Charley Da Silva

Stephen Johnson

Elysia Pemberton

Ben Rutter

Josh Packham

Luke Redford

The Timbuktu Tumblers

Whilst performing the evening show on Thursday 27th December, Jimmy Osmond began to feel unwell during Act 2, despite feeling so poorly he struggled through to the end of the show and was then rushed to hospital where it was confirmed he had suffered a stroke whilst on stage. With a month of the production left to run Darren Day was brought in to take over the role of Captain Hook for the rest of the run.

2018

2019

2019: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Cast

Lesley Joseph: Wicked Queen
Joe McElderry: The Man in the Mirror

Faye Brookes: Snow White

Flawless

Doreen Tipton

Andrew Ryan

Matt Slack as Muddles
Jac Yarrow

Produced by: Qdos

2020

No Hippodrome pantomime due to the worldwide outbreak of Covid-19 and a proposed production of Robin Hood (a touring panto from Qdos) was cancelled as the UK was plunged into it's 3rd lockdown in January 2021 due to Covid-19.