The New Wolsey Theatre 2025 Rock 'n' Roll Panto Will Be BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Ipswich’s favourite Rock 'n' Roll panto hits the New Wolsey Theatre stage from Friday 21 November 2025 until Saturday 17 January 2026 with Beauty and the Beast — and it’s set to be an absolute monster of a show! 

This spectacular festive show for all ages will be packed full of magical adventure, hilarious panto gags and incredible rock and pop hits all played live by an exceptionally talented cast. 

The fabulous Dame Mrs Ringer is making wedding plans for her daughter, unaware that Belle and her feathered friend Pigeon have bigger interests at heart, as they dare to unlock a mysterious 1000-year-old Ipswich door and help the Beast to undo the evil Snarlina’s spell! Can the Beast break the curse in time by learning to love again? Can Belle see beyond his fearsome appearance? And will Pigeon be able to help save the day without getting in a flap?  

Beauty and the Beast is written by Vikki Stone, who last week received a nomination from the UK Pantomime Association for Best Script for last year’s New Wolsey Theatre festive offering, Sleeping Beauty. The winner, chosen between five scripts from pantomimes across the UK last year, will be announced at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking on Sunday 13 April. On her nomination, Vikki said: “I’m thrilled to have been nominated for Best Script in the 2025 Pantomime Awards for last year’s Sleeping Beauty. I’m very passionate about pantomime and always strive to make my scripts serve audiences old and new; a combination of modern and traditional. I love the fact that last year’s show had a great many people coming to the venue to watch panto for the first time. As theatre makers we have a responsibility to make sure that new audiences are discovering and enjoying the art form, which in turn will help keep pantomime alive for generations to come.”

As well as Vikki’s nomination, Musical Director Dan de Cruz has also been nominated for Best Contribution to Music for his work on Sleeping Beauty, marking a fantastic year for the New Wolsey Theatre’s much-loved Rock 'n' Roll pantomime.

New Wolsey Theatre Chief Executive/Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul, said: “I'm incredibly proud that our much-loved pantomime is receiving national recognition, with Pantomime Award nominations for the second year running. Last year, we were thrilled to surpass expectations, selling over 28,000 tickets and 250 livestream passes. More than 3,800 schoolchildren from 44 schools enjoyed an unforgettable festive performance, while over 3,000 audience members experienced the unique magic of pantomime for the very first time.”

Also, after a successful launch last year, the New Wolsey Theatre is running their Pay It Forward campaign again for 2025. Raising over £4,000 from public donations last year, the campaign helps to provide tickets to those who may not otherwise be able to experience the magic of panto. Last year, the theatre worked with charities such as the Ipswich Job Centre and Lighthouse Women’s Aid, and people wanting to donate to this year’s appeal can do so when booking their tickets.

As in previous years, Audio Described, Captioned, British Sign Language interpreted and Relaxed/Dementia-friendly performances will be available, as well as bookable pre-show Touch Tours.

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