Mansfield Palace Theatre have a sweet treat for you this Christmas as casting is revealed for the role of Fairy Bon Bon in their Beauty and the Beast pantomime.
Following the town’s best-selling panto last year, the Leeming Street gem promises to bring you, your family and friends plenty of laughs and festive magic with our 2023 show – the first time it has been performed by UK Productions on the Palace stage.
We are delighted to announce that heading up our cast this Christmas will be children’s TV royalty, Dani Harmer, best known and loved for her role as Tracy Beaker in the CBBC show of the same name and the continuation series The Dumping Ground.
Dani is no stranger to Mansfield having performed in Easter pantomime The Wizard of Oz here in both 2013 and 2019. She tells us:
“I love Beauty and the Beast. It is one of my favourite stories and I am really excited about playing Fairy Bon Bon at Mansfield this year. It is my first Christmas in Mansfield so can’t wait to spend some festive times there. Hope to see you all at the theatre!”
One of the most popular fairy tales of all time, Beauty and the Beast is the story of Belle who finds herself imprisoned in an enchanted castle by a prince who has been transformed into a hideous beast by an evil sorceress. Can Belle see beyond the beast’s appearance and fall in love with her captor? Will the beast return to the world he once knew and win the hand of the girl who has melted his heart? There’s only one way to find out…
Taking up residency once again for Christmas 2023 at Mansfield’s number one pantomime home is comedian Adam Moss as Louis La Plonk, who jokes “I was promised I could play Beauty when I took the contract, but I’ll be Louis La Plonk instead! Beauty and the beast is one of the most recognisable pantomimes and I've seen the script so know you’re in for a real treat. This is going to be one not to miss”.
Taking the central role of Belle is Issie Davis, who is no stranger to the stage after having roles in musicals including Spring Awakening, His Dark Materials and The Witches of Eastwick. Known in the industry as a ‘triple threat’, Issie is talented in singing, acting and dancing and can’t wait to get started in her leading role.
Playing opposite Issie as Beast will be Shaun Dalton. His theatre credits include Bill Kenwright’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Kinky Boots and multiple appearances in the award-winning Les Miserables. He previously starred in UK Productions’ national and international tour of Beauty and the Beast so is no stranger to his role this Christmas.
We are so excited to welcome Pantomime Awards winner, Nic Gibney as Polly la Plonk. You may recognise Nic as he reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent last year as Harmony Hard-Up in the panto inspired group, Damenation. He was also awarded the gong for Best Ugly Sisters 2022 for his role in Cinderella at Bath Theatre Royal.
Completing the casting are South African David Alcock as Clement, and Scotland’s George Arvidson as Hugo, who you may recognise from BBC Three’s Cuckoo.
Combining larger than life characters, side-splitting comedy, sumptuous costumes, fabulous scenery, and a thrilling transformation scene, this traditional family pantomime, written by Jon Monie, won Best Script at the Great British Pantomime Awards 2019 and has garnered 5-star reviews and broken box office records.
Producer Martin Dodd said “Following last year’s record breaking production of Peter Pan we are delighted to be working with the fabulous team at Mansfield District Council once again to bring our award winning pantomime Beauty and the Beast to the wonderful Palace Theatre. This will be our 23rd annual pantomime at the theatre and it promises to be the biggest and best yet, with a story we haven’t featured before over the Christmas season. Not only do we have the fabulous and hilarious Adam Moss returning, but one of our most favourite actresses Dani Harmer will be joining the company as Fairy Bon Bon. This sparkling fairy tale is a beast of show so don’t miss out!”
Sian Booth, Cultural Services Manager said “Nothing beats the sparkle of a Christmas pantomime. It’s Mansfield’s favourite time of year and we’re ready to welcome thousands of local families to the Palace for their yearly special treat. With so much kids entertainment now on screens it’s such a thrill to see their eyes light up and jaws drop at a live theatre experience. Add the excitement of Christmas and you have all the ingredients for a magical trip to remember for a lifetime”.
David Evans, Head of Health and Communities, adds “Mansfield families, residents and visitors love it when it’s time for panto. The transformation scene is always a thrill to young and old alike and who doesn’t get swept up in the festive atmosphere and all things sparkly? We’re really excited to have a popular CBBC actress who many of our residents will relate to from watching her journey growing up on the hugely popular and successful Story of Tracy Beaker.
“We remain mindful of the impact of the continuing rising cost of living, so, it is vital that the theatre and wider council continue to provide opportunities for everyone to escape their worries for a few hours and spend some precious time with the ones they love. We continue to be dedicated to making both the theatre and Mansfield Museum accessible assets for everyone, which we are able to do in full-swing for the coming years thanks to Arts Council funding”.
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