Harry Potter and The Hobbit stars to lead Corn Exchange Newbury pantomime
Corn Exchange Newbury has announced its cast for this year’s pantomime Dick Whittington, running from 29 November 2024 - 5 January 2025.
The cast features Harry Potter film star Chris Rankin, best known for playing Percy Weasley in the Wizarding World franchise, and will be performing as Alderman Fitzwarren. Starring in the role of Dick Whittington will be Kai Harris (West End Does Christmas 2023) with his trusty sidekick of a cat Cosmo, played by Jade Johnson (The Book of Mormon, West End) who returns to the Corn Exchange for her third Christmas after playing Fairy Common in last year’s production of Beauty and the Beast. Causing mischief and mayhem as the evil King Rat will be Alex Crandon (Cinderella, Salisbury Playhouse). Scott Riney will play the Dame to bring some classic Christmas fun to the stage.
Grace Kelly Miller will investigate the chaos as Detective Fairy Bowbells, and Shannon Bourne (Becoming Nancy, Birmingham Rep) joins as Alice Fitzwarren. The ensemble features Jake Poolman (Les Misérables), Adam Craig (The Wizard of Oz, West End), and Finna Hardy (pantomime debut).
The show has been created by Plested Brown and Wilsher, which is made up of Clare Plested, Adam Brown (The Hobbit, Warner Brothers; Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tale No Tales, Disney), and Amanda Wilsher.
Joining them in the creative team are choreographer Miranda Wilford, musical director and orchestrator Ben Barrow, set and dame costume designer Mark Walters for Glitter Pantomimes, costume designer Carl Davies, lighting designer Vicky Allen, and sound designer Nathan Smith.
Plested Brown and Wilsher said: “We’re so excited for the people of Newburyshire to meet our fantastic panto cast this year! Returning to our stage is Newbury favourite Jade Johnson as Cosmo the Cat! Back flipping his way into our hearts is the flipping wonderful Kai Harris as Dick Whittington. You’ll scream with laughter at Dick’s mum, our super Dame, Scott Riney. Sensational singer Shannon Bourne will blow you away as the talented musician-wannabe Alice. You may recognise her very silly father Alderman Fitzwarren from some Harry Potter movies… Keeping us in order is the hilarious Grace Kelly Miller as Detective Fairy Bowbells. She’ll have her work cut out against the dastardly Percy Rat played villainously by the superb Alex Crandon. And there are no words to describe how brilliant our ensemble are - Finna Hardy, Jake Poolman and Adam Craig. We’re so lucky to have nabbed such incredible talent!”