Est: 2016
oh yes it is...
"He had the whole audience just wrapped around his hand (and the puppet too)"
Pantomimes and Puppets have always been the perfect partnership since day one. Over the years much loved characters from stage shows and TV programmes have joined us in the world of panto. Lets take a look at some of the best over the years...
Click a name to see what they have done in panto...
Basil Brush
Basil Brush is an anthropomorphic fox, best known for his appearances on daytime British children's television. He is primarily portrayed by a glove puppet, but has also been depicted in animated cartoon shorts and comic strips. The character has featured on children's television since the 1960s. A mischievous character and a raconteur, Basil Brush is best known for his catchphrase "Ha Ha Ha! Boom! Boom!", used after something he finds funny, and also for speaking in a "posh" accent and manner, referring to himself as a "fella". The character claims to dislike puppets, and says his most prized possession is his "brush", this being the traditional name for a fox's tail.
1968: Aladdin - Theatre Royal, Brighton
1970: Aladdin - London Palladium
1971: Cinderella - Coventry Theatre
1974: Cinderella - Wimbledon Theatre
1974: Jack and the Beanstalk - Sunderland Empire
1978: Dick Whittington - Opera House, Manchester
1979: Dick Whittington - Sunderland Empire
1980: Jack and the Beanstalk - Congress Theatre, Eastbourne
1983: Babes in the Wood - Beck Theatre, Hayes
2004: Dick Whittington - Richmond Theatre, London
2005: Dick Whittington - Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe
2006: Aladdin - Theatre Royal, Nottingham
2007: Cinderella - Alban Arena, St Albans
2008: Aladdin - Ipswich Regent
2009: Cinderella - Grove Theatre, Dunstable
2010: Cinderella - Ashcroft Theatre in Croydon
2011: Aladdin - Royal & Derngate, Northampton
2011: Cinderella - Birmingham Hippodrome
2012: Cinderella - Grand Opera House, York
2012: Dick Whittington - Portsmouth Theatre Royal
2013: Aladdin - Theatre Royal, Windsor
2014: Beauty and the Beast - Theatre Royal, Windsor
2015: Beauty and the Beast (Touring Easter panto)
2015: Cinderella - Theatre Royal, Windsor
2016: Beauty and the Beast (Touring Easter panto)
2017: Sleeping Beauty - Theatre Royal, Windsor
2018: Dick Whittington - Theatre Royal, Windsor
2019: Aladdin - Theatre Royal, Windsor
2019: Beauty and the Beast (Easter panto tour)
2020: Cinderella - Theatre Royal, Windsor
2020: The Wizard of Oz (Easter panto) - Grange Theatre, Oldham
2021: Jack and the Beanstalk - Theatre Royal, Windsor
2021: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Majestic Theatre, Retford & Exmouth Pavilion
2022: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Bradford Playhouse
2023:
2024:
Bill and Ben
The Flower Pot Men is a British children's programme, produced by BBC television, first transmitted in 1952, and repeated regularly for more than twenty years.The show was the basis for a comic strip of the same name in the children's magazine Robin. A reboot of the show called Bill and Ben was produced in 2001.
2002: Jack & The Beanstalk - Hexagon Theatre Reading
2002: Jack & The Beanstalk - Bradford Alhambra
Bodger and Badger
Bodger and Badger was a BBC children's comedy programme which was first broadcast in 1989.
It starred Andy Cunningham as Simon Bodger, who had a badly behaved companion, a talking badger with a love for mashed potatoes.
1992: Cinderella - Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe
1993: Dick Whittington - Devonshire Park Eastbourne
1994: Cinderella - Anvil Theatre, Basingstoke
1995: Cinderella - Lewisham Theatre
1997: Jack and the Beanstalk - Devonshire Park Eastbourne
1998: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
1999: Dick Whittington - Hall for Cornwall in Truro
2000: Dick Whittington - Bournemouth Pavilion
2001: Jack and the Beanstalk - Princess Hall in Aldershot
2002: Dick Whittington - Lyceum Theare Sheffield
2003: Jack and the Beanstalk - Palace Theatre Mansfield
2005: Cinderella - Forum Theatre Billingham
Dawson Chance is a professional ventriloquist. He appeared on the 29 January 1976 episode of The Good Old Days with 2 puppets - Scruffy the Tortoise and Big Al, a giant white kangeroo. Stay up to date on your Fandom. Stay up to date on your fandom with carefully curated and timely Fandom newsletters.
1971: Cinderella - Victoria Theatre, Salford
1972: Cinderella - Odeon Theatre Golders Green
1973: Cinderella - Princess Theatre Torquay
1977: Mother Goose - Congress Theatre, Eastborne
1978: Robinson Crusoe - Richmond Theatre
1979: Robinson Crusoe - Swansea Grand
1981: Mother Goose - London Palladium
1982: Mother Goose - Liverpool Empire
1985: Cinderella - Lewisham Theatre, Catford
1987: Cinderella - Manchester Palace
1989: Cinderella - Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford
1990: Cinderella - New Theatre in Cardiff
1991: Aladdin - Mayflower, Southmapton
1992: Aladdin - Birmingham Hippodrome
1993: Aladdin - New Victoria Theatre Woking
1994: Aladdin - New Theatre Plymouth
1995: Aladdin - Wimbledon Theatre
1997: Cinderella - Mayflower Theatre Southampton
1998: Cinderella - Birmingham Hippodrome
1999: Cinderella - Theatre Royal Plymouth
2001: Cinderella - Milton Keynes Theatre
2002: Cinderella - Mayflower Theatre Southampton
2003: Cinderella - Opera House Manchester
2004: Cinderella - Theatre Royal Plymouth
2005: Aladdin - Orchard Theatre Dartford
2006: Cinderella - Birmingham Hippodrome
2007: Cinderella - Wycombe Swan High Wycombe
2008: Cinderella - Theatre Royal Nottingham
2009: Cinderella - Cliffs Pavilion Southend
2010: Cinderella - New Theatre Cardiff
2011: Cinderella - Civic Theatre Darlington
2012: Cinderella - Grand Theatre Swansea
2013: Snow White - Cliffs Pavilion Southend
2014: Peter Pan - Orchard Theatre Dartford
2015: Peter Pan - Wycombe Swan in High Wycombe
2016: Peter Pan - Churchill Theatre Bromley
2018: Cinderella - Venue Cymru, Llandudno
2019: Aladdin - New Victoria, Woking
Dooby Duck's Disco Bus was a children's puppet show presented by Dooby Duck, a puppet duck with a shiny showbiz jacket, and a pink bow-tie who introduced puppets singing contemporary songs of the day. Dooby signed off each show laughing and saying 'Dooby Dooby Dooby Dooby Dooby Quack Quack'. The character first appeared as a segment on the children's sketch programme 'The Satellite Show'.
1985: Babes in the Wood - Palace Theatre Manchester
1988: Aladdin - Bristol Hippodrome
1988: Cinderella - Sunderland Empire
1988: Dick Whittington - Alhambra in Bradford
1989: Aladdin - Dominion Theatre
1989: Dick Whittington - Bristol Hippodrome
1989: Jack and the Beanstalk - Sunderland Empire
1990: Cinderella - Bristol Hippodrome
1990: Mother Goose - Sunderland Empire
1991: Aladdin - Derngate Northampton
1991: Dick Whittington - Wimbledon Theatre
1992: Aladdin - Opera House Manchester
1992: Dick Whittington - Theatre Royal Plymouth
1993: Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Theatre Royal Newcastle
1994: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Darlington Civic
1994 (February): Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Grand Theatre Leeds
1995: Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Wolverhampton Grand
1996: Jack and the Beanstalk - Derngate Theatre, Northampton
1996: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Cliffs Pavilion
2015: Cinderella - Darlington Civic
2016: Aladdin - Crewe Lyceum
2017: Aladdin - Swansea Grand
Emu is a puppet emu given to British entertainer Rod Hull in the 1960s while he was presenting a children's breakfast television programme in Australia. Hull adopted the mute puppet for his cabaret act, and took it with him to the United Kingdom when he returned in 1970. The character was given a mischievous and sometimes aggressive onstage persona, attacking celebrity guests (and Hull himself) for comic effect. Hull and Emu also appeared on several episodes of The Hudson Brothers' comedy show in the United States.
1972: Babes in the Wood - London Palladium
1974: Aladdin - Bristol Hippodrome
1975: Emu in Pantoland - Liverpool Empire
1976: Emu in Pantoland - Shaftsbury Theatre, London
1977: Emu in Pantoland - Coventry Theatre
1978: Emu in Pantoland - Princes Theatre, Plymouth
1979: Emu in Pantoland - Kings Theatre in Southsea
1980: Emu in Pantoland - Princess Theatre, Torquay
1981: Emu in Pantoland - Blackpool Grand
1985: Jack and the Beanstalk - Churchill Theatre, Bromley
1986: Robinson Crusoe - Theatre Royal, Nottingham
1987: Babes in the Wood - London Palladium
1988: Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs - Birmingham Alexandra
1989: Aladdin - Lewisham Theatre
1990: Cinderella - Reading Hexagon
1991: Jack & The Beanstalk - The Hawth, Crawley
1992: Robinson Crusoe - Grand Theatre, Swansea
1993: Jack and the Beanstalk - Cambridge Corn Exchange
1994: Dick Whittington - Cliffs Pavilion Southend
1995: Aladdin - Grand Opera House, Belfast
1996: Cinderella - North Wales Theatre, Llandudno
1998: Puss in Boots - Theatre Royal, Windsor
2003: Cinderella - Theatre Royal, Windsor
2009: Aladdin - Theatre Royal, Windsor
Carol Lee Scott AKA: Grotbags
1985: Jack and the Beanstalk - Churchill Theatre, Bromley
1986: Robinson Crusoe - Theatre Royal, Nottingham
1989: Jack and the Beanstalk - Tameside Theatre
1993: Sleeping Beauty - Grand Theatre, Swansea
(During the 1993 production Carol Lee Scott was taken seriously ill after the first few performances and had to pull out of the rest of the run)
1995: Beauty and the Beast - Barnsley Civic
1998: Red Riding Hood - Billingham Forum
Freddie Stevens AKA: Robot Redford
1980: Emu in Panto Land - King's Theatre Southsea
1985: Jack and the Beanstalk - Churchill Theatre Bromley
1986: Robinson Crusoe - Theatre Royal Nottingham
1989: Aladdin - Lewisham Theatre
1992: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Dartford Orchard Theatre
Hacker The Dog, more commonly known as Hacker T. Dog, is a Border Terrier dog puppet who appears on the CBBC television channel in the United Kingdom. He is described as being born and living in Wigan, Greater Manchester.
2021: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - King George's Hall, Blackburn
2022: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Middleton Arena
2022: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Telford Theatres
Jamie Leahey is one of the UK’s newest ventriloquist acts. His act combines his newly found talent of ventriloquism and his love of old school comedy. In 2022 Jamie finished Runner-Up in the final of Britain’s Got Talent, amazing the judges and receiving a standing ovation after each of his performances at the London Palladium and the Hammersmith Apollo.
2016 (Easter): Peter Pan - St Helen's Theatre Royal
2016 (October): Wizard of Oz - St Helen's Theatre Royal
2016 / 2017: Aladdin - St Helen's Theatre Royal
2017: Sleeping Beauty - St Helen's Theatre Royal
2018 / 2019: Peter Pan - St Helen's Theatre Royal
2019 / 2020: Peter Pan - Liverpool Empire Theatre (Qdos)
Then Jamie was joined by Chuck
2022 (August): Beauty and the Beast - Playhouse, Whitely
2022 / 2023: Cinderella - St Helens, Theatre Royal
2023 (Easter / Spring tour): Rapunzel
2023: Jack and the Beanstalk - Rhyl Pavilion Theatre
2024 (Easter Tour): Robin Hood
Special thanks to Jamie for sharing these images with us!
Jamie and Chuck
filmed in 2023
One of the most sought after comedy ventriloquists in the world with a huge array of characters including the comedy classic Lightening Les the underweight boxing champion of the world, Grandad, Charlie baby, Knuckles the biker, Louie the blues and Jim’s talent for turning people into dummies – Jim continually challenges the perception of the fascinating art of ventriloquism with the most entertaining audience participation you will ever see! One of the best technical vents in the world; Jim uses his incredible vocal skills and excellent comedy and characterisation to present a unique show. His approach to the fascinating art of ventriloquism and puppetry is something not to be missed.
1989: Cinderella - Grand Theatre Wolverhampton
2014: Aladdin - Grand Opera House Belfast
2015: Cinderella - Lyceum Theatre in Crewe
1965: Puss in Boots - Swansea Grand Theatre
1973: Robinson Crusoe - New Theatre Cardiff
1974: Aladdin - Birmingham Hippodrome
1975: Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Bradford Alhambra
1977: Cinderella - Ashton Tameside Theatre
1978: Babes in the Wood - Lewisham Concert Hall
1979: Little Red Riding Hood - Lewisham Concert Hall
1980: Robinson Crusoe - New Theatre, Cardiff
1981: Aladdin - Theatre Royal Nottingham
1982: Aladdin - Oxford Apollo
1984: Humpty Dumpty - Dominion Theatre London
1985: Humpty Dumpty - Birmingham Hippodrome
1986: Humpty Dumpty - Sunderland Empire
1987: Humpty Dumpty - New Theatre Hull
1988: Humpty Dumpty - Theatre Royal Nottingham
1989: Aladdin - Theatre Royal Nottingham
1990: Snow White - Cliffs Pavilion Southsea
1991: Mother Goose - Darlington Civic
1992: Mother Goose - Pavilion Theatre Rhyl
1993: Robinson Crusoe - Ayr, Gaiety Theatre
1994: Dick Whittington - Southport Theatre
1995: Aladdin - Charter Theatre, Preston
1996: Jack and the Beanstalk - Weston Super Mare
1997: Jack and the Beanstalk - Dorking Halls
1998: Little Red Riding Hood - Billingham Forum
1999: Dick Whittington - Alhambra Theatre Bradford
2000: Aladdin - Floral Pavilon Brighton
2001: Cinderella - Lyceum Theatre in Crewe
2002: Jack and the Beanstalk - Wolverhamtpon Grand
2003: Dick Whittington - Fernham Hall in Fareham
2004: Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Bolton Albert Halls
2005: Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Ferneham Halls
2006: Aladdin - Fernham Hall in Fareham
2007: Cinderella - Fernham Hall in Fareham
2008: Dick Whittington - Ferneham Hall in Fareham
2009: Peter Pan - New Theatre Hull
2010: Dick Whittington - Birmingham Hippodrome
2011: Cinderella - Theatre Royal Plymouth
2012: Jack and the Beanstalk - Wolverhampton Grand
Hall created Lenny the Lion in 1954 after he visited the zoo while working at the summer season in Blackpool. Lenny was made from an old fox fur and papier-mâché, with a golf ball for the nose.
1957: Babes in the Wood - Wolverhampton Grand
1959: Puss in Boots - Wolverhampton Grand
1963: A Wish for Jamie - Alhambra Glasgow
1965: A Love for Jamie - Theatre Royal Newcastle
1971: Aladdin - Golders Green Odeon
1974: Cinderella - Casino Theatre London
1980: Cinderella - New Theatre Hull
1981: Snow White - Tameside Theatre Manchester
1982: Cinderella - Cliffs Pavilion Southend
1983: Babes in the Wood - Kings Theatre Southsea
1986: Dick Whittington - Theatre Royal, Newcastle
1987: Jack and the Beanstalk - Theatre Royal Hanley
1988: Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Grand Theatre Swansea
1989: Mother Goose - Wyvern Theatre in Swindon
1991: Mother Goose - Theatre Royal Brighton
1995: Aladdin - Theatre Royal Brighton
Comedian and ventriloquist Max Fulham has been working professionally since his early teens and brings a fresh and contemporary twist to a classic art.
2017: Aladdin - South Holland Centre, Spalding
2018: Aladdin - Cambridge Arts Centre
2019: Aladdin - Churchill Theatre, Bromley
2020: Jack and the Beanstalk - Lichfield Garrick
CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19
2021: Cinderella - Theatre Royal, York
2022: Sleeping Beauty - Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
Max Fulham answers our questions - recorded August 2020.
Nobby the Sheep was a puppet presenter used on the ITV Saturday morning shows Gimme 5
(1993-1994) and Ghost Train (1989-1991)
1991: Mother Goose - Shaw Theatre London
1992: Goldilocks & The Three Bears - Wimbledon Theatre
Otis the Aardvark was a puppet presenter on Children's BBC. Otis mainly presented the afternoon links on BBC One alongside the main CBBC presenters. Otis was thought to be inspired by the 1992 Children's BBC idents which ended with a voice proclaiming "Tell that aardvark it's a wrap". These idents led to much speculation as to what the phrase meant. However, these idents were dropped just before the character of Otis appeared in late 1994.
1996: Jack and the Beanstalk - Derngate Theatre, Northampton
1997: Robin Hood - Cambridge Corn Exchange
1997: Robin Hood - Darlington Civic
1998: Robin Hood - Theatre Royal, Hanley
1998: Robin Hood - The Hawth, Crawley
1999: Cinderella - New Theatre, Hull
1999: Jack and the Beanstalk - Wolverhampton Grand
2000: Aladdin - Lyceum Crewe
2000: Jack and the Beanstalk - His Majestys Theatre, Aberdeen
