From Mind's Eye
Christmas is a-coming
It’s that very special time
For seasonal and family shows
And for pantomime!
Mind’s Eye is providing audio description up and down the country this year with a range of traditional pantomimes and Christmas shows!
With four different Cinderellas, three Jack and the Beanstalks, and four Peter Pans, to name but a few, there’s plenty going on – oh yes there is!
All shows are described by Anne Hornsby, unless advised otherwise.
Most theatres offer touch tours, usually an hour, or an hour and a half before the show. Do book your headsets and places on the touch tour in advance.
The furthest north we go is Theatre by the Lake in Keswick. The theatre is presenting the heart-warming story of The Railway Children. The production will be directed by Ian Forrest and designed by Martin Johns.
The audio described performance for The Railway Children is on Friday 11 January 2013 at 7pm.
Moving down the country, the next stop off is at the Dukes in Lancaster where we are offered a new version of Treasure Island in their intimate theatre space, The Round.
The audio described performance for Treasure Island is on 21 December at 7pm.
Further south, we come to the Octagon Theatre in Bolton - the second theatre in the country to offer audio description back in the late 80s. Here Elizabeth Newman is directing Peter Pan, which promises to live up to the success of last year’s Wizard of Oz.
The audio described performance for Peter Pan is on 4 January at 7.15pm.
The furthest West we go to, is Venue Cymru in Llandudno where the pantomime is Peter Pan. With John Evans as the lovable Smee, and Barney Harwood as Peter Pan.
The audio described performance for Peter Pan is on 16 December at 5pm.
Moving across the country we stop off on the Wirral at New Brighton’s Floral Pavillion. Michael Hurst is describing another Peter Pan, this one starring Jack McMullen.
The audio described performance for Peter Pan is on 3 January at 7pm.
Over the water are the audio described performances for Liverpool, where the Empire is presenting Cinderella and the Playhouse: Jack and the Beanstalk. This year’s Fairy Godmother is Coleen Nolan, Cinderella is Liz Mclarnon and the Ugly Sisters are Pete Price and Pauline Daniels. At the Playhouse, Adam Keast and Francis Tucker create their own brand of silliness in the legendary Rock ‘n’ Roll panto!
The audio described performance for Cinderella is on 19 December at 7pm and both performances on 17 January of Jack and the Beanstalk are being audio described.
Close by at the Brindley, in Runcorn, this year’s panto is also Jack and the Beanstalk with Bruno Langley starring as Jack.
The audio described performances for Jack and the Beanstalk are on 5 January at 5pm and 8 January at 1.30pm.
Moving across the M62 we take in Manchester’s seasonal offerings – Rats’ Tales at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Peter Pan at the Opera House and, at the Lowry, White Christmas and Arabian Nights.
Rats’ Tales is a world premiere by poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy and Peter Pan stars David Hasselhoff as the dastardly Captain Hook. The Library Theatre Company’s production of Arabian Nights is offered with workshops for disabled children with extended touch tours. Meanwhile, you can’t get more Christmassy than White Christmas with Claire Sweeney and Steven Houghton.
The audio described performance for Rats’ Tales, to be described by Eleanor Walk and Maxine Laing is on 5 January at 3.30pm. Peter Pan is being audio described on 7 January at 7pm. White Christmas is being audio described on 3 January at 7.30pm. And Arabian Nights dates are: 12 December at 2pm, 14 December at 7pm, 28 December at 2.30pm and 8 January at 2pm.
Arabian Nights will be described by Anne Hornsby and Pat Hayes.
The furthest East we go over the Christmas season, is Bradford’s Alhambra, where Billy Pearce will once again entertain with his unique brand of silliness, in the pantomime, Cinderella.
There are audio described performances for Cinderella at both performances on 9 January.
Oldham Coliseum actually kicks off the panto audio description season, with their Cinderella. Finetime Fontayne is again the cheeky Dame.
The audio described performance for Cinderella will be on 6 December at 2.15pm.
Moving South, we stop off at the Regent Theatre in Stoke for another Cinderella. The hugely popular Jonathan Wilkes returns to play Buttons.
The audio described performance for Cinderella is on 20 December at 7pm.
Further South we take in the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton where Sherrie Hewson, Keith Harris and Orville, Nikki Evans and Ken Morley will be taking part in the fun. The Grand are offering four audio described performances, of Jack and the Beanstalk, a couple of which are already sold out, so do book soon if you are planning to come along.
Audio descriptions take pace on 10, 11 and 12 January.
The furthest south we go this year for panto, is Milton Keynes Theatre, where Cinderella is again gracing the stage. Starring in this show is Louie Spence as Dandini.
Both performances on 2 January will be audio described.
Other shows coming up:-
Meanwhile, over in Norwich Theatre Royal is another crazy and fast moving show, which could almost be described as panto for grown ups – that is the touring production of One Man Two Guv’nors, with Rufus Hound chasing about as the hard-pressed Francis Henshall, trying to keep two masters happy without revealing to each that the other exists!
The audio described performance for One Man Two Guv’nors is on 8 December at 2.30pm.
High Society is being audio described at Venue Cymru on 30 January at 7.30pm by Eleanor Walk.
And it’s not long now until the audio described performances of The Lion King at the Palace!
Latest news:
Latest news is that audio descriptions have been confirmed for Priscilla Queen of the Desert and for Wicked in Manchester, on 20 February and October 17, respectively, for Rogue Herries at Theatre by the Lake on 20 April at 2pm and for the tour of The Misanthrope which will be audio described in Liverpool on 28 February at both the matinee and evening performances and then on tour.
New season audio descriptions are listed separately on the link on the Events page of the website.
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