Manchester Pantomime Guide 2010/11

For a soap star spectacular...
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Opera House
Tina O’Brien (Coronation Street) takes to the stage as the lead in this Panto classic. Joining from Emmerdale will be Deena Payne as the Wicked Queen and Andy Devine as the Henchman. As for Prince Charming, it’s down to Key 103’s Mike Toolan to woo Snow White. The show runs from 3 December to 2 January, with tickets ranging from £13.75 to £28 for two and a half hours of entertainment. For further info click here.

For a classic musical...
Peter Pan
The Lowry
The J M Barrie classic is being brought alive with music written by Jule Styne and played by a 14 piece orchestra. Thomas Law, Brian Capron, John Henshaw and Sarah Jayne Dunn will all be lending their acting and vocal talents to the performance. The Lowry will be hosting the show from 8 December to 1 January with tickets priced from £21 to £32. Click here for further info.

For something out of town...
Cinderella
Hyde Town Hall
Bruce Jones (Coronation Street), Casey-Lee Jolleys (Coronation Street), Lee Otway (Hollyoaks) and Caroline Whitmore (Granada Reports) will all be starring in Hyde’s festive offering. Audiences are warned to expect lots of participation required from them and flamboyant performances from the UK’s youngest professional dame, Danny Jay. It’s running from 3 December to 2 January with tickets costing £14. Click here for further info.

For a local production...
Cinderella
Radcliffe Civic Suite
Laura Handley (Hollyoaks) will be taking on the role of the Fairy Godmother to add some sparkle to this local production. Tickets start at just £5 for this very limited run in Radcliffe. The production takes place at 1pm on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 December. Click here for further info.

For families...
Mother Goose
Salford Arts Theatre
A comedic take on a family-favourite is being staged with a range of matinee and evening performances. The show runs from 16 December to 24 December with a family ticket (two adults and three children) costing £26. Click here for further info.

For the 4-7 year olds...
Winnie The Witch
The Dancehouse
The company that have previously brought Charlie and Lola and Horrid Henry to life is now taking Winnie and her cat Wilbur to the stage. Lizzie Franks (Grandpa in my pocket) is playing Winnie with eccentric puppets accompanying her on stage. It begins on 17 December and runs until 8 January but some performances are for schools only. Prices range from £9.50 to £12.50. Click here for further info.

For a traditional performance...
A Christmas Carol
The Lowry
A celeb-free performance makes this a more subdued show for the whole family. It’s a heart-warming classic with Scrooge facing the Spirits of Christmas once again. The Dickens Classic runs from 3 December to 8 January with tickets from £12.50 to £16.50. Click here for further info.

For the over 18s...
Panto’s on Strike
Opera House
Jonny Wilkes and Paddy McGuiness attempt to stop a Pantomime characters walk-out in this adult only comedy. A different take on festive entertainment with the leads helping the likes of a cross-dressing dwarf it’s likely to have the audience laughing. As the show runs pre-panto season (the characters obviously have to be rescued in time for December) it finishes on 27 November. Prices range from £22.25 to £32.25. Click here for further info.