Billy Pearce will lead the cast as Wishee Washee in this year’s must-see Alhambra Theatre pantomime, his 20th pantomime appearance at the award-winning Bradford venue. Starring alongside Billy will be Christopher Biggins in his 32nd pantomime appearance, with Aladdin marking his ninth trip to Old Peking where he will take up residence of the iconic laundry and star as Widow Twankey. They are joined by Simon Webbe in the title role of Aladdin.
Audiences attending this Relaxed Performance will enjoy all the magic, sparkle and lavish production values a Qdos Entertainment pantomime offers, with modified elements to suit the sensory and access needs of patrons; it is catered towards people with special needs or those who may otherwise find attending the theatre challenging. Qdos and the Alhambra Theatre are committed to creating an environment that welcomes audiences with specific needs to experience live theatre and the magic of pantomime with their friends, families and school groups.
The production in Bradford will be modified to adapt its suitability for audience members. House lighting is often kept on to allow patrons to feel more comfortable or move about the auditorium, volume levels are reduced so there are no loud bangs, interaction between the stage and the audience is revised and certain language is modified. Talking and noise is encouraged in the auditorium without judgement, often creating spaces for patrons to have some time away from the production if they wish.
Everyone booking for the Relaxed Performance will be sent a visual story in advance to help them familiarise themselves with the plot, characters and the setting before they arrive at the theatre. The Relaxed Performance will also include Sign Language Interpretation.
To make the pantomime performance as accessible as possible the Alhambra Theatre is offering tickets for this Relaxed Performance for a special reduced rate of £13.
Adam Renton, General Manager Bradford Theatres comments:
“After listening to feedback from our customers, families and support organisations in the region, we have decided to offer another Relaxed Performance this year during our pantomime run, once again at the slightly earlier evening performance time of 6pm.
As well as small changes to the show, we will also be taking a more relaxed approach to noise in the auditorium and will provide a designated chill-out area outside the auditorium for people to use if being in the auditorium becomes overwhelming for them. Having seen parents so comfortable at a pantomime performance watching their children enjoying the show over the last three years, I hope that even more people will be able to join us for this specially tailored performance.
This is also a wonderful opportunity for families with very small children to experience pantomime for the first time in an environment where noise and movement doesn’t matter, it’s all part of the fun and we encourage it. We hope that the inclusive welcome and relaxed atmosphere will give everyone the chance to come and experience pantomime.”
