High-Flying Adventure ALADDIN Travels to Gateshead This Christmas

Gateshead's biggest pantomime is set to return to the Pantodrome this Christmas. NS Pantomimes are once again behind the exciting high-flying adventure, ALADDIN which is hoped to top last year's record-breaking production in the specially constructed theatre venue in Whickham, Gateshead.

The theatre setup is once being created within a sports venue in Whickham School which will allow over 9,000 local residents, schools and groups to enjoy festive entertainment on their doorstep this December.

The richest pantomime of them all will run from 15 December until Christmas Eve with a number of scheduled performances for public and schools.

The project is being produced by local lad Jamie Gray (26) who has been keen to bring larger scale productions to this side of the river for many years. "I've been involved in theatre from a really young age, I produced my first ever show when I was in school -- It was a bit ropey as you'd expect but since then I've had huge ambition and drive to continue to produce bigger and better things. We had huge success last year with Cinderella - it was so well received and we're going even bigger and better this year."

Jamie is creating the show in collaboration with local writer and composer Thomas Whalley (also 26). Thomas, trained at Associated Studios in London, and his recent theatre credits on London's West End include She Loves Me at the Landor Theatre and Carnival of Dreams at Fairfield Halls. Tom will be putting pen to paper writing this year's story which takes us on an exciting new adventure from Peking to Egypt.

Tom stresses, "Panto is in my blood, my grandma used to produce pantomimes back in the good old days! I relocated to London last year but I am delighted to be able to be writing this year's show. It's great writing for your hometown - Geordies have their own sense of humour which is different to anywhere else in the country so it's great having an amazing local cast of performers and dancers who we know will deliver and the audience will love."

The panto project will once again involve the construction of a full-size stage and auditorium within a building which is currently a number of indoor sports courts. Jamie states, "We've done it once, it was difficult I'm not going to lie but second time round it's always easier- we can't just turn up to the theatre with our set and costume rails and do the show - everything has to be constructed from scratch. It's difficult to envisage what a show will look like in an empty space, but it's exciting. Normally I'd go into a theatre auditorium and sit and look at the stage for hours but with this, it's all drawings on paper. I have a fantastic team behind me so I have no doubt that this years show will be our best yet."

ALADDIN will be an exciting new version of the well loved story with side splitting humour, stunning sets and a range of beautiful costumes created especially for the show. Jamie adds, "The public are going crazy for pantomime here, it's unbelievable the amount of excitement it is creating between young and old -- Gateshead doesn't have it's own large theatre so it's amazing to be able to offer an affordable family show so close to home that will have the same production standards as some city centre venues".

"We're going new and different with ALADDIN this year! Everyone does the same old story over and over again - it's good to keep tradition there but with this I'm adding in some extra surprises along the way".

Tickets for ALADDIN are on sale now and are available online at www.niceswan.com or by calling the booking line 0333 666 3366 or for local/group/school sales call 07741 477660. From £10.50. Special group and school www.niceswan.com or by calling the booking line 0333 666 3366 or for local/group/school sales call 07741 477660. From £10.50. Special group and school discounts available.

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