Congleton Pantomime is a society which produces an annual Pantomime at Daneside Theatre in Congleton. It has a members ranging in age from eight to eighty. Some members appear on stage, some help backstage, some help by serving on the committee that manages the group. All are valued for the contribution they make and new members are made very welcome.

The Pantomime society was formed in 1979 when a small group of people got together with the purpose of putting on a pantomime in Congleton. After a lot of fundraising and hard work, the first production was staged in Astbury Village Hall in January 1980. The hall could only seat an audience of 120 and the dressing rooms were in caravans in the car park. The cast sometimes had to brave two or three inches of snow before making an appearance on stage!
After five years at Astbury, Daneside Theatre was completed. The Pantomime members had joined in with fundraising and helped with painting and other jobs as it neared completion. They staged a mini Pantomime, ‘The Pied Piper’, as their contribution to the opening show. The group have produced their show at the theatre every year since.

Auditions are held, usually in July, for main characters and chorus parts. Details are published in the local paper, the Congleton Chronicle. There are opportunities for adults and young people to take part. Over the years we have used talented Dancers and Pantomime Babes provided by local dance schools, including The Jean Clarke School of Dance and Congleton Ballet School..

The Pantomime group plays to a family audience (children age 3 and over) and also have group bookings from local schools, Sunday schools and uniformed organisations.

The annual show starts on the second Saturday in January and runs until the following Saturday. There are matinees on each Saturday starting at 2.30 p.m. followed by an evening performance at 7.30 p.m. Two performances on the Sunday at 1.00 p.m. & 5.30 p.m. and nightly Tuesday - Friday at 7.30 p.m. (no performance on Monday), 10 performances in all. Tickets are on sale from 1st September at the Tourist Information Centre, Tel: 01260 271095. Alternatively you can book before this date using the booking form on the Contacts page.

2009 was the 30th production of Congleton Pantomime. To mark this occasion Brian Jefferson has written a book detailing the first 30 years from its beginnings at Astbury Village Hall to the sell out shows at Daneside Theatre. A must for all Panto enthusiasts, copies are on sale at the Tourist Information Centre in the Town Hall or Congleton Museum, Market Square.

PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS

AT ASTBURY VILLAGE HALL

1980 SLEEPING BEAUTY
1981 PUSS-IN-BOOTS
1982 ALADDIN
1983 QUEEN OF HEARTS
1984 JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

AT DANESIDE THEATRE

1985 BABES IN THE WOOD
1986 CINDERELLA
1987 DICK WHITTINGTON
1988 MOTHER GOOSE
1989 SLEEPING BEAUTY
1990 ALADDIN
1991 RED RIDING HOOD
1992 JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
1993 BABES IN THE WOOD
1994 SNOW WHITE
1995 CINDERELLA
1996 SINBAD THE SAILOR
1997 PUSS IN BOOTS
1998 MOTHER GOOSE
1999 ALADDIN
2000 CINDERELLA
2001 DICK WHITTINGTON
2002 JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
2003 SNOW WHITE
2004 BABES IN THE WOOD
2005 SLEEPING BEAUTY
2006 ROBINSON CRUSOE
2007 ALADDIN
2008 JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
2009 CINDERELLA
2010 DICK WHITTINGTON
2011 BABES IN THE WOOD