Bradford pantomime history

The Alhambra Theatre is named after the Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain, which was the place of residence of the Emir of the Emirate of Granada.

Panto history at BRADFORD ALHAMBRA

1913: Robinson Crusoe
1930: Mother Goose
1931: Humpty Dumpty
1932: Babes in the Wood
1933: Red Riding Hood
1935: Cinderella
1936: Mother Goose
1937: Babes in the Wood
1938: Aladdin
1939: Mother Goose
1940: Jack and the Beanstalk
1941: Red Riding Hood
1942: Cinderella
1943: Humpty Dumpty
1944: Aladdin
1945: Jack and the Beanstalk
1946:
1947: Cinderella
1948: Red Riding Hood
1949: Humpty Dumpty
1950: Aladdin
1951: Cinderella
1952: Mother Goose
1953: Jack and the Beanstalk
1954: Red Riding Hood
1955: Robin Hood
1956: Sleeping Beauty
1957: Puss in Boots
1958: Dick Whittington
1959: Jack and the Beanstalk
1960: Robin Hood
1961: Puss in Boots
1962: The Frog Prince
1963: The Pied Piper of Hamelin
1964: Tom Thumb
1965: Robin Hood
1966: Cinderella
1967: The Pied Piper of Hamelin
1968: Merry King Cole
1969: Dick Whittington
1970: Robinson Crusoe
1971: Cinderella
1972: Aladdin
1973: Puss in Boots
1974: Jack and the Beanstalk
1975: Goldilocks and the three bears
1976: Aladdin
1977: Cinderella
1978: Babes in the wood
1979: Dick Whittington

1980: Jack and the beanstalk
1981: Aladdin
1982: Cinderella
1983: Babes in the wood
1984: No Panto due to venue refurbishment
1985: No panto due to venue refurbishment
1986: Babes in the wood
1987: Aladdin
1988: Dick Whittington
1989: Cinderella
1990: Jack and the beanstalk
1991: Robinson Crusoe
1992: Cinderella
1993: Cinderella
1994: Aladdin
1995: Dick Whittington
1996: Jack and the beanstalk
1997: Cinderella
1998: Peter Pan
1999: Dick Whittington
2000: Aladdin
2001: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2002: Jack and the beanstalk
2003: Cinderella
2004: Dick Whittington
2005: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2006: Aladdin
2007: Peter Pan
2008: Cinderella
2009: Jack and the Beanstalk
2010: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2011: Robin Hood
2012: Cinderella
2013: Aladdin
2014: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2015: Jack and the beanstalk
2016: Peter Pan
2017: Cinderella
2018: Aladdin
2019: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2020: NO PANTO due to Covid-19
2021: Sleeping Beauty
2022: Jack and the Beanstalk
2023: Cinderella
2024: Pinocchio

1913

1913: Robinson Crusoe

Open 26th December 1913

Cast

May Lilian Levey (as Robin Hood), Molly Hackett (as Polly Hopkins), Philo Norton (as Fairy Queen),

Marie Churchill (as Princess), James Craig (as Mrs Crusoe), Darrol Richards (as Davy Jones)

1930: Mother Goose

Cast

Norah Blaney, George Lacy,

Joan Brett, Marie Picquart

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1931: Humpty Dumpty

Cast

Ivor Vintor, Hugh Rene, Bertram Dench,

Nita Underwood, Gwen May

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1932: Babes in the Wood

Cast

Irene Lister, Noreen Davies, Mary O'Hara, Albert Modley,

Norman Griffin

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1930-43

1934: Red Riding Hood

Cast

Bessie Pratt, Jennie Gregson,

Fred Walmsley, Roy Barbour,

Phylis Godden

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1935: Cinderella

Cast

Phylis Godden, Bessie Pratt, Ivy Luck

Marian Dawson, Reg Bolton,

Claude Worth

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1936: Mother Goose

Cast

Albert Modley, Rosalind Melville, Iris Sadler

Marion Gerth, Doreen Cheyne, Joan Preston

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1937: Babes in the Wood

Cast

Robin Coles, Elsie Tree

Fred Walmsley, Betty Conquest

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1939: Mother Goose

Cast

Margaret Morgan, Pauline Lewis,

Marian Dawson, Albert Modley,

Darroll Richards

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1938: Aladdin

Cast

Frank Randle, Peggy Bedall

Iris Sadler, Renee Foster

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

Pictured right: Renee Foster as Aladdin

1940: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

June Bardsley, Joy Francis,

Norman Evans, George Baines,

Percy Garside, Hal Osmond

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1941: Red Riding Hood

Cast

Veronica Duke, Anne Singer

Phil Strickland, Jack Hayes

Percy Garside, Marie Delaislane

Francis Laidler Pantomime

1942/43 Cinderella

Cast

Rosalind Melville, Pauline Lewis,

Georgette Perry, Muriel White,

Bunny Doyle, Wilfred Watson,

Billy Purvis

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1943: Humpty Dumpty

Cast

Grace Daper (as Prince Rudolph), Irlin Hall (as Princess Rosetta), Norman Evans (as Martha),

Betty Jumel (as Humpty Dumpty), Percy Garside (as Chancellor),

Charlie Jass (as Neddy the Donkey), Edgar Driver (as The KIng),

with Judy Miller and Beatrice Findlay

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1944: Aladdin

Cast

Sylvia Kellaway, Audrey Hewitt, Bunny Doyle, Bert Rich, Wilfred Watson, Billy Purvis

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1943-45

1945: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Bunty Meadows, Gloria Starr, Sonia Stacpoole, Roy Barbour, Jack Hayes

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1946

1946: Mother Goose

Cast

Norman Evans, Margery Manners, Betty Martin, Betty Jumel, Percy Garside,

Edgar Driver, Richard Milner, Billy Purvis

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1947: Cinderella

Cast

Wilfred Pickles, June Whittfield, Fay Lenore, Marian Dawson, Bert Rich,

Richard Milner

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1948: Red Riding Hood

Cast

Norman Evans, Margery Manners, Mary Merodith, Percy Garside, Billy Purvis

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1949: Humpty Dumpty

Cast

Albert Modley, Margery Manners, Bonnie Downs, Deidre Payer

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1950: Aladdin

Cast

Zena Dell, Mary Allen, Claude Chandler, Rob Currie, Alex Lennox,

Percy Garside, Billy Purvis, Iris Lawrence

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1951: Cinderella

Cast

Kathleen West (as Ugly Sister), Walter Niblo (as Buttons), Joy Beattie (as Prince Charming),

Jasmine Dee (as Cinderella), Betty Dayne (as Dandini), Trevor Morton (as Ugly Sister),

Melanie Paul (as Fairy Godmother), Geoffrey Denton (as Baron Broke).

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1952: Mother Goose

Cast

George Hackford (as Bailiff), Bonnie Downs (as Gretchan), Jack Storey as (Mother Goose),

Doreen Duke, Billy Purvis (as Blotte the Dog), Horace Mashford (as Squire),

Phyllis Gladwyn (as Jill), Sheridan Grant (as Fairy Silverleaf), John Martin (as King),

Bernard Bedford (as Demon Discord), Les Murphy (as Jack)

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1953: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Bunny Doyle, Betty Dayne, The Romas

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1954: Red Riding Hood

Cast

Jack Storey, Jasmine Dee, Viki Emra

Francis Laidler Pantomimes

1947

1948

1949

1950

1951

1952

1953-57

1955: Robin Hood

Cast

Jimmy Paige, Eddie Henderson,

Call Macord

Gwladys Stanley Laidler Pantomimes

1956: Sleeping Beauty

Cast

Joe Black, Lorna Dean, Billy Whitaker,

Barbara Sumner

Gwladys Stanley Laidler

Pantomimes

1957: Puss in Boots

Cast

Ken Barnes, Bonnie Downs, Patricia Vivian,

Donald Stewart

Gwladys Stanley Laidler

Pantomimes

1958: Dick Whittington

Cast

Ronnie Hilton, Sonny Jenks, Billy Stutt, Don Aroll, Susan Swinford, Derek Westlake

Gwladys Stanley Laidler Pantomimes

1959: Jack and the Beanstalk

Opened 23rd December 1959

Cast

Ken Dodd, Tony Heaton, Lisbeth Lennon, The Manetti Twins, The Astaire Brothers, Carol Payne

Gwladys Stanley Laidler Pantomimes

1960: Robin Hood

Cast

Freddie Frinton, Patricia Starr, Jack Douglas, Ray Elston, James Locker, Steven Page,

Mavis Ranson, Gayna Martine, John Hanson, Keith Lazar, Peter Trey, Robert Robinson,

Jimmy Wheeler

Gwladys Stanley Laidler Pantomime

1961: Puss in Boots

Cast

Tommy Cooper, Diana Day, Joy Turpin, George Bolton

1958-59

1960

1982

1962: The Frog Prince

Cast

Billy Dainty, Freddie Frinton, Charlie Cairoli, Henry Lyton, Astra Blair, Nico Ferry

1963: The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Cast

Reg Varney, Freddie Sales, Joe Church, Terry Feris

1964: Tom Thumb

Cast

Hope and Keen, Jimmy Clithero, Kathleen West, Danny Purches

1965: Robin Hood

Cast

Mike & Bernie Winters, George Lacy, Michael Bevis, Ruth Evans, The Manetti Twins

1966: Cinderella

Cast

Freddie Frinton, Derek Dene, Kathleen West, Betty Jumel, Ruth Evans, John Larson

1967: The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Cast

Freddy Davies, Mark Wynter, Roy Stathers, Michael Lomax, Holly Doone, Roy Hepworth,

Don Smoothey, Christine Cassel, Betty Emery

1968: Merry King Cole

Cast

Harry Worth, Peter Butterworth, Robert Earl, Ken Wilson, Lynton Boys

Bernard Delfont Pantomimes

1969: Dick Whittington

Cast

Vince Hill, Bobby Dennis, Don MaClean, Don Smoothey,

Toni-Sue Birley

1970: Robinson Crusoe

Cast

Tommy Trinder, Jack Tripp, Marion Grimaldi, Allen Christie, The Cox Twins,

The Miles Twins

1971: Cinderella

Cast

John Hanson, David Hamilton, Wendy Bowman, Tommy Rose

1972: Aladdin

Cast

Jack Tripp, The Chuckle Brothers, Bobby Bennett, Jasmine Dee, Wendy Smith, Derek Holt,

June Shard, Allen Christie

1973: Puss in Boots

Cast

Freddie Garrity, Frankie Desmond, Terri Howard, Nick Nissen, Maggie Stride

1974: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Charlie Drake (as Simple Simon),

Cannon & Ball (as The Funniest Men in the North),

Patsy MaClean (as Jack Durden),

Nat Jackley (as Dame Durden), Jack Smethurst (as King)

Directed by Charles Vance

Choreography by Pamela Devis

1975: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Cast

Terry Scott (as Gertie Gemmell), Anne Aston (as Goldilocks), Jackie Pallo (as Heinkel),

Geoffrey Hughes (as Joey the Clown), Keith Harris, Blayne Barrington (as The Ringmaster),

Brenda Addie (as Fiona), with Martin Asscher, Stephanie Colburn and Caroline Lange (as The Bears)

1976: Aladdin

Cast

Barbara Windsor, Freddie Davies, Donald Hewlett, Michael Knowles, John Clegg, Ronne Coyles

1977: Cinderella

Cast

Charlie Drake, Dora Bryan, Bernard Bresslaw, Bill Simpson, Jayne Fyffe, Anne Aston, Joe Black

1978: Babes in the Wood

Cast

Les Dawson, Roy Barraclough, Eli Woods, Peter Goodwright, Tammy Jones

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970-71

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977-78

1979: Dick Whittington

Cast

Bill Maynard, Alan Curtis, Ayshea (Was replaced by Joy Launor Heyes and Ayshea never actually appeared), McDonald Hobley, Len Howe

1980: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Cannon & Ball, Norman Collier (as Dame Durden), Susan Maughan (as Jack),

Gordon Steff (as Victor), Julia Reynolds (as Fairy), June Lewis (as The Wicked Witch),

with Paul and June Kidd and Beverley Andrews

1981: Aladdin

Cast

Little & Large, Norman Collier (as Widow Twankey), Patsy Ann Scott (as Aladdin),

Dudley Long, Peter Lewis

1982: Cinderella

Cast

Russ Abbot, Denise Nolan, Les Dennis, Dustin Gee, Blayne Barrington

1983: Babes in the Wood

Cast

The Krankies, Billy Dainty, Peter Goodwright, Alan Curtis, Janet Edis

1986: Babes in the Wood

Cast

Cannon and Ball (as The Robbers), Wyn Calvin (as Nurse Merryweather),

Craig Douglas (as Robin Hood), Graham Hamilton (as The Sheriff of Nottingham),

Sharon Keil (as Maid Marion), Phillip Edwards (as Will Scarlett),

Phillip Bowerman (as Friar Tuck), The Halfwits (as The Merry Men)

1987: Aladdin

Cast

Su Pollard, Paul Shane, Jimmy Cricket, Eli Woods, Jane Danielle, Joe Black, Maurice Thorogood

1988: Dick Whittington

Cast

The Krankies (as Captain and Mate), Christopher Biggins (as Sarah The Cook),

Amanda Reddington (as Alice Fitzwarren), Simon Bowman (as Dick Whittington),

Dooby Duck, Derek Holt (as Tommy The Cat), Russell Lane (as Alderman Fitzwarren),

Abigail Lee, Maurice Thorogood (as King Rat)

1989: Cinderella

Cast

Jim Davidson (as Buttons), Jess Conrad (as Prince Charming), Charlie Drake (as Baron),

Hilary O'Neil (as Cinderella), Freddie Lees (as Ugly Sister), Paul Toothill (as Ugly Sister)

1990: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Max Boyce (as Jack), Ian Botham, Geoffrey Hayes, Liz Hobbs (as Princess), Jane Freeman

1991: Robinson Crusoe

Cast

David Essex, Bobby Bennett, Erik Ray Evans

1992: Babes in the Wood

Cast

Russ Abbot, Bella Emberg

1993: Cinderella

Cast

Paul Nicholas (as Prince Charming), Billy Pearce (as Buttons), Sarah Buckley (as Cinderella),

Bobby Bennett (as Ugly Sister), Dave Lee (as Ugly Sister), Eddie Caswell (as Baron),

Su Douglas (as Baroness and Fairy Godmother), David Kristian (as Dandini)

1994: Aladdin

Cast

Roy Barraclough. Billy Pearce, Lewis Collins, Nicholas Smith

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991-92

1993

1994

1995: Dick Whittington

Cast

Matthew Kelly (as Sarah the Cook), Linda Lusardi (as Alice Fitzwarren),

The Grumbleweeds (as Captain and Mate), Mike Sterling (as Dick Whittington),
Graham Hamilton (as King Rat), Robin Polley (as Alderman Fitzwarren),
Stuart Chaffer (as Tommy the Cat), Basil Soper (as Sultan of Morocco), The Ben Karim Troupe

1996: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Billy Pearce, Ken Morley, Geoffrey Durham, Emma Roache, Paul Squire

1997: Cinderella

Cast

Geoff Hinsliff (as Baron), Billy Pearce (as Buttons), Su Douglas, Mina Anwar (as Fairy Godmother),

Sasha Lawrence

1998: Peter Pan

Cast

Leslie Grantham (as Captain Hook), Joe Pasquale (as Smee), Joanna Bobin, Danielle Brown,

Hayley Miller, Linda Newport, Sara Hillier, The Acromaniacs

Nick Thomas Pantomime

1999: Dick Whittington

Cast

Lisa Riley (as Fairy Bowbells), The Chuckle Brothers, Tony Peers, Maurice Thorogood,

Peter Byrne, Katie Budd

Nick Thomas Pantomime

2000: Aladdin

Cast

Cannon and Ball, Trisha Penrose, Kuvinder Ghir, Liana Bridges, Sooty

A Talentspot pantomime

2001: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Cast

Amanda Barrie (as Queen Nastasha), Billy Pearce (as Muddles), Kathryn Rooney (as Snow White),
Nik Martin (as Prince), Colin Oates (as Clara Voyant), John Tearney (as Chambers),
Anji Kreft (as Spirit of the Mirror), Michael Caballero, Phil Searle, Jimmy Vee, Steve Haze, Audrey Wilson and Jason Thomkins

Qdos pantomime

2002: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Malandra Burrows (as the Princess), Billy Pearce (as Jack), Bill & Ben, Don Crann,

Su Douglas, Charlie Cairoli

Qdos pantomime

2003: Cinderella

Cast

Billy Pearce (as Buttons), Dean Sullivan, Su Douglas, Mina Anwar (as Fairy Godmother),

Veronica Hart, Miles Weston

Qdos pantomime

2004: Dick Whittington

Cast

Paul Usher (as King Rat), Billy Pearce (as Dick), Postman Pat, Bobby Bennett,

Carolynne Good, Faye Barker

Qdos pantomime

2005: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Cast

Lesley Joseph (as Wicked Queen), Roger Kitter, Peter Piper, Victoria Hay, Andrew Kennedy

Qdos pantomime

2006: Aladdin

Cast

Billy Pearce (as Aladdin), Bobby Bennett (as Widow Twankey), Gary Sharkey (as Abanazar),

Philip Hitchcock (as Emperor), Lila McConigley (as Princess Jasmine)

Qdos pantomime

2007: Peter Pan

Cast

Billy Pearce (as Smee), Peter Blake, Jodie Jackson, Rhoda Montemayor,

Ronni Elizabeth Hart, Leanne Fury

Qdos pantomime

2008: Cinderella

Cast

Billy Pearce (as Buttons), Hayley Tamaddon (as Cinderella), Jan Eric

Qdos pantomime

2009: Jack and the Beanstalk

Cast

Billy Pearce (as Jack), Gaynor Faye, Leanne Jones, Tony Adams, Jay Worthy

Qdos pantomime

2010: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

18th December 2010 - 6th February 2011

Cast

Billy Pearce, Sian Reeves, Peter Piper, Kelly Chinery

Qdos pantomime

2011: Robin Hood

17th December 2011 - 5th February 2012

Cast

Billy Pearce, Andrew Ryan, Hilary O'Neil, Neil Fingleton, Ian Stuart Robertson

Qdos pantomime

2012: Cinderella

Cast

Billy Pearce (as Buttons), Lynda Bellingham (as Fairy Godmother), Brendan Sheerin (as Baron),
Brian Godfrey

Qdos pantomime

2013: Aladdin

14th December 2013 -26th January 2014

Cast

Billy Pearce (as Aladdin), Chico (as Slave of the Ring), Masachi Fujimoto (as Emperor),

Jeffrey Harmer, Adam Stafford (as Widow Twankey), Jenny Gayner, The Acromaniacs,

Kerry Pearce, Jack Gow, Lucy Tindle, Laura Watson, Jordan Hinchliffe, Katie Amos,

Samuel Stanley, Rhodri Watkins

Qdos pantomime

2014: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

13th December 2014 - 25th January 2015

Cast

Billy Pearce (as Muddles), Joe McElderry (as Man in the Mirror), Adam Stafford, Jenny Gayner,

Lauren Hall, David O'Mahony, Ewan Goddard, Tom Brandon, Matt Bateman, Mark Laverty,

Paul Toulson, Jabari Braham, Richard Johnston, Kerry Pearce, Katie Amos, Helen Ternent,

James Wilson, Alastair Walker, Jason Sales, Hannah Oldham, Jordan Hinchcliffe,

Qdos pantomime

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015: Jack and the Beanstalk

12th December 2015 - 24th January 2016

Cast

Billy Pearce, John Challis, Lisa Riley, Jake Canuso, Adam Stafford, Sarah Vaughan, Katie Amos,

Jonathan Mawson, Jordan Hinchcliffe, Amelia Armstrong, Josh Packham, Bethany Dows,

Lucy Marie Fitzgerald

Qdos pantomime

2015

2016: Peter Pan

17th December 2016 - 29th January 2017

Cast

Billy Pearce (as Smee), Darren Day (as Captain Hook), Jon Lee (as Peter Pan),

Charlie Hardwick (as Mermaid), Lucy Evans, Marina Lawrence-Mahrra, Rose O'Hare,

Alessia McDermott, Josh Packham, Franchesca Small, Lukas Redford, Eleanor Meenan

Jordan Hinchliffe, Laura Siddall, Martin Harding

Qdos pantomime

2017: Cinderella

16th December 2017 - 28th January 2018

Cast

Coleen Nolan (as Fairy Godmother), Billy Pearce (as Buttons), Shane Nolan (as Dandini),
Graham Hoadly, Jack Land Noble, Sarah Goggin, Sam Barrett, Lukas Hunt, Amy Brown
Michael James Dyer, Stephanie Jayne Thompson, Davey Taverner, Ruby Bridle,
Jamie Cruttenden

Qdos pantomime

2018: Aladdin

8th December 2018 - 20th January 2019

Cast
Billy Pearce (as Wishee Washee), Christopher Biggins (as Widow Twankey),

Simon Webbe (as Aladdin), Carl Sanderson, Sarah Goggin, David O'Mahony,
Emily Beth Harrington, Nicholas Li, Callum Rayment, Anna Dainton, Ryan Hamer
Marco Venturini, Jessica Scorpio, Charlie-Anne Robinson, Elle Locke

Qdos pantomime

2019: Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs

14th December 2019 - 26th January 2020

Cast

Billy Pearce, Fay Tozer, Paul Chuckle, Matthew Croke, Sarah Goggin, Ewan Goddard, Alex Wheeler,
Olly Holmes, Tomos Wyn, James Rockey, Jordan Hillier, Jaime Tait, Jordan Hinchcliffe,

Stephanie Thompson, Sebastian Binns, Vivian Gayle, Jessica Kewley, Amelia Armstrong,
Ryan Goscinski, Nicole Carlisle

A Qdos pantomime