Traditional British pantomime continues to defy the world’s ongoing
financial problems as theatres report their “best ever” pantomime
season.
Research undertaken for the second annual Panto Day shows that panto
season 2012 is set to be the most popular and lucrative yet, with the
genre’s popularity still riding high centuries after its birth.
Record Breaking Box Office Figures
The Greenwich Theatre’s most successful panto year was in 2001, but
they are already “well on track” to break that and are up 18% on
equivalent ticket sales at this point last year.
The Harlequin Theatre in Redhill’s production of Cinderella is out-selling 2011’s Sleeping Beauty by around 10%.
In Canterbury, ticket sales at the Marlowe Theatre are set to
increase from £1.4m last year by around 8.5% and it is estimated that
90,000 people in total will see this season’s pantomime starring Toyah
Willcox and Gareth Gates.
At the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich, 41 performances of their rock ‘n’ roll pantomimeSleeping Beauty are already sold out.
Harrogate Theatre’s 90% capacity last year was up 5% on 2010, with 2012’s Jack and the Beanstalk set to be an equally successful year. Currently 22 performances are sold out.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Croydon’s Fairfield Halls has recently
broken all records since box office records began and is currently up
over 6% on 2011’s figures – an almost £100,000 increase in sales.
The Mayflower, Southampton is re-introducing pantomime to its
programming this year, having listened to their audience who demanded
its return.
The Oldham Coliseum sold £20,000 of tickets for their 2012 production of Dick Whittington on the first day Aladdin opened in 2011.
Magic Beans Productions in Sevenoaks have doubled attendance figures
over the past three seasons at the Stag Theatre, with figures on target
to increase again this year. An extra week has been added to meet demand
and the company is now also producing pantomime in Weymouth.
In Newcastle, the Theatre Royal is retaining its extra week added due to
popular demand last year and has already sold over 70,000 tickets for Aladdin which opens on Tuesday 27thNovember 2012.
Prof. Millie Taylor of the University of Winchester and author of British Pantomime Performance said:
“Music, dance, story and spectacle stimulate togetherness, and
mirror neurons cause audiences to experience the excitement of
happy-ever-after wonderlands. Pantomime’s popularity is undiminished by
the economic crisis and increasingly stretched budgets of contemporary Britain.”
Showing posts with label panto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label panto. Show all posts
Panto Day in the Press!
We're really excited about this year's Panto Day on Wednesday 5th December and it's great to see so many of you are too! Why not have a read of what the Press have to say....
Less than one month to go until #Panto Day 2012!
Pantomime has been a traditional part of the
British arts calendar for over 300 years and with the season soon upon us, the
nation is being invited to celebrate #Panto Day on Wednesday 5th December.
#Panto Day is a day to celebrate everything
panto related, in any fitting way. Many theatres, actors, audiences and
enthusiasts are already showing their interest in joining the celebrations, and we'd love you to get involved too! If you're planning a #Panto Day event, let us know. Contact Simon by emailing simon@celebratepanto.co.uk.
Although only its second year, Panto Day has
gone from strength to strength, with over 100 theatres and companies already
pledging their Panto Day support.
Panto fans are invited to join our online
panto celebrations on 5th December by tweeting anything and everything panto
related using the official hashtag #panto.
Plans are also under way for a very special "Day in the Life of Pantoland" project, which will take place on #Panto Day itself: Wednesday 5th December. More details to be revealed soon...
* The very first Panto Day was celebrated on December
1st 2011.
* Panto Day's official website can be found
at celebratepanto.co.uk
* You can follow the latest Panto Day news on
Twitter @Panto_Day
* The face of Panto Day is Dame Henrietta (Hettie) Hashtag. You can follow
her on Twitter: @HettieHashtag
*Panto Day Button Badges and T-Shirts are
available. More information can be found at celebratepanto.co.uk (Scroll down for details) She's eligible, entertaining, extravagant...She's @HettieHashtag
"Tweet me and let me know how you'll be celebrating #Panto Day this year on Wednesday 5th December, darlings. Don't forget to use the hashtag '#Panto'!"
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a Panto Day T-Shirt!
Click here to order your very own Panto Day 2012 T-Shirt
*to a UK address. Contact Cardiff Embroidery direct for overseas shipping costs.
2 Months To Go!
#Panto Day 2012: Wednesday 5th December
Official Hashtag: #panto
Twitter Feed: https://twitter.com/panto_day
Website: http://www.celebratepanto.co.uk/
#Panto Day is only 2 months away. Wednesday 5th December will see the Twittersphere alive with #panto chatter as #panto passionistas across the world come together to celebrate the wonder that is Pantoland.
Make sure you join in by tweeting your #panto memories, favourite #panto jokes and everything else #panto related. We'll also be playing a game of #Panto Ping Pong...more news on that next month!
Last year over 100 theatres, companies and individuals got involved to help celebrate this cultural institution. This year, plans are already underway for special #Panto Day competitions, photos, audio, video and much more! Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Panto_Day for all the latest news and updates and let us know how you plan to celebrate....
2011 - It's Behind Us!
2011 saw the launch of Panto Day (P-Day); a celebration of pantomime using social media. Twitter users came together to tweet anything and everything panto related on the 1st December, from memories, to facts, to photos and anecdotes and although the day's official hashtag #panto did not trend nationally, it did trend on the social media website during the afternoon in Swindon.
On 1st December 2011 the twittersphere was a buzz with pantomime related tweets and it was wonderful to see so many pantomime enthusiasts and practitioners joining together to celebrate this uniquely British artform.
Over 100 theatres in the UK joined in, along with many professional pantomime production companies, their casts, crews and audiences. Amateur dramatic societies also joined in the fun and tweets were being generated roughly every 10 seconds throughout the day.
With a new year comes a new opportunity to celebrate pantomime. Feedback from P-Day 2011 has been so positive that it will be repeated in December 2012, bigger and better for the Olympic year.
Plans are already for Panto Day 2012, with Twitter feed @Panto_Day set up to keep followers updated on all Panto Day 2012 news and activities.
The Panto Day team is currently looking for theatres, companies and individuals who may be interested in playing a larger role during 2012, such as hosting events, documenting practice or helping out with live Tweeting throughout the day. Although Twitter will still form a large part of celebrations, the Panto Day team hope that 2012 will encompass much, much more....
If you would like to get involved, tweet or direct message @Panto_Day to pledge your support or request further information.
The Panto Day 2012 Team would also love to hear from you if you have any ideas about events or activities that could be run to celebrate Britain's national artform. How would you celebrate pantomime? Custard pie throwing? Dame for Day fancy dress? Thigh slapping world record contest? Let us know!
A very big 'Thank You' to everyone who got involved in P-Day 2011 and here's to Panto Day 2012! I look forward to hearing from you.
Simon Sladen
On 1st December 2011 the twittersphere was a buzz with pantomime related tweets and it was wonderful to see so many pantomime enthusiasts and practitioners joining together to celebrate this uniquely British artform.
Over 100 theatres in the UK joined in, along with many professional pantomime production companies, their casts, crews and audiences. Amateur dramatic societies also joined in the fun and tweets were being generated roughly every 10 seconds throughout the day.
With a new year comes a new opportunity to celebrate pantomime. Feedback from P-Day 2011 has been so positive that it will be repeated in December 2012, bigger and better for the Olympic year.
Plans are already for Panto Day 2012, with Twitter feed @Panto_Day set up to keep followers updated on all Panto Day 2012 news and activities.
The Panto Day team is currently looking for theatres, companies and individuals who may be interested in playing a larger role during 2012, such as hosting events, documenting practice or helping out with live Tweeting throughout the day. Although Twitter will still form a large part of celebrations, the Panto Day team hope that 2012 will encompass much, much more....
If you would like to get involved, tweet or direct message @Panto_Day to pledge your support or request further information.
The Panto Day 2012 Team would also love to hear from you if you have any ideas about events or activities that could be run to celebrate Britain's national artform. How would you celebrate pantomime? Custard pie throwing? Dame for Day fancy dress? Thigh slapping world record contest? Let us know!
A very big 'Thank You' to everyone who got involved in P-Day 2011 and here's to Panto Day 2012! I look forward to hearing from you.
Simon Sladen
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