Twelve months of advanced selling all comes to fruition this weekend with the opening of our annual pantomime at the Cliffs Pavilion.

More than 46,000 people have so far booked tickets to see television, musical theatre and pantomime legend Brian Conley star with Birds of a Feather favourite Lesley Joseph in a blockbuster production of Cinderella.

With 50 performances over four weeks, pantomime is the longest-running of any production at either of our two theatres and consequently has the longest sales period. In fact, in recent years we have established a tradition of going on sale with the following year’s pantomime at the same time as performances of the current pantomime actually start. This means that every December we are actually selling for two different pantomimes.

Throughout that 12-month sales period the amount of activity gradually increases with promotional material being distributed at fairs and carnivals in the summer, advertising at various autumn events especially during the Guy Fawkes season and then virtually non-stop participation in Christmas Lights and other festive occasions during the final two months. The object of the exercise, of course, is to ensure that no-one is denied the opportunity to find out about the panto!

And just in case you’re wondering, next year’s panto will be Aladdin, with tickets just going on sale.