Est: 2016
The Pantomime Awards
Started in 2022
The UK Pantomime Association
Founded in 2021, the UK Pantomime Association is a charity that explores, shares and celebrates pantomime by investigating the genre’s rich past, engaging with contemporary practice and inspiring the future.
Each year they present the PANTOMIME AWARDS - this yearly event has now become a staple in the PANTO calendar for many.
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To learn more visit the website www.pantomimeassociation.co.uk
2022
Hosted by: Christopher Biggins (UK Pantomime Association President)
Award Winners
Outstanding Achievement: Nigel Ellacott
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Best Ugly Sisters: Duncan Burt and Nic Gibney – Cinderella, Theatre Royal Bath (UK Productions)
Best Dame: Morgan Brind – Sleeping Beauty, Derby Arena (Little Wolf Entertainment)
Best Script: Vikki Stone – Aladdin, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre (In-House)
Best Comic: Tam Ryan – Cinderella, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (Imagine Theatre)
Best Lighting: Matt Cross – Beauty and the Beast, Kings Lynn Corn Exchange (Jordan Productions)
Best Sound Design: Alex Linney – Jack and the Beanstalk, Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man (Shone Productions Ltd)
Best Set Design: Cleo Pettitt – Dick Whittington and his Cat, Watford Palace Theatre (In-House)
Best Costume Design: Celia Perkins – Aladdin, Oldham Coliseum Theatre (In-House)
Best Villain: Rolan Bell – Aladdin, Cambridge Arts Theatre (In-House)
Best Choreography: Jonny Bowles – Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Grand Opera House, Belfast (Crossroads Pantomimes)
Carmen Silvera Award for Best Mythical Being: Alexandra Burke – Aladdin, Opera House, Manchester (Crossroads Pantomimes)
Best Ensemble: Tiago Dhondt Bamberger, Char Burnett, Robert Donnelly, Louis Emmanuel, Amiyah Goodall, Tanieth Kerr, Georgia-Mae Price, Millie Robins, Ernest Stroud, Jessamie Waldon-Day – Dick Whittington, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (In-House)
Best Direction: Paul Hendy – Jack and the Beanstalk, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (Evolution Productions)
Best Principal Girl: Naomi Alade – Robin Hood, Oxford Playhouse (In-House)
Best Musical Direction: Jamie Noar – Robin Hood, Everyman Theatre, Liverpool (In-House)
Best Supporting Artist: Kate Donnachie – Aladdin, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre (In-House)
Barbara Windsor Award for Best Principal Boy: Dominic Sibanda – Sleeping Beauty, Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield (Evolution Productions)
Best Early Career Newcomer: Becca Lee-Isaacs – Robin Hood, Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield (The Big Tiny)
Best Newcomer to Pantomime: Rob Rinder – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bristol Hippodrome (Crossroads)
Special Recognition
Joe Tracini – for changing perceptions and raising awareness of mental health through his pantomime performance and original pantomime song.
Justin Fletcher and Paul Morse – for exceptional execution of the ‘balloon ballet’ and the championing of set-pieces.
Justin Brett, Susan Harrison and Ali James (The Showstoppers) – for skilled execution of fully improvised ‘front cloth’ sequences including songs created from audience participation, promoting innovation in content.
Best Pantomime (Digital): Jack and the Beanstalk, New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich
Best Pantomime (Under 500 seats): Robin Hood, Everyman Theatre, Liverpool (In-House)
Best Pantomime (500-900 seats): Aladdin, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre (In-House)
Best Pantomime (Over 900 seats): Jack and the Beanstalk, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (Evolution Productions)
2023
Location: Trafalgar Theatre in London’s West End
Hosted by: Christopher Biggins (UK Pantomime Association President)
Award Winners
Outstanding Achievement Award: Su Pollard
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Best Choreography: Stillie Dee – Jack and the Beanstalk, Alhambra Theatre, Bradford (Crossroads Pantomimes)
Best Comic: Adam C Booth – Cinderella, Grand Opera House, Belfast (Crossroads Pantomimes)
Best Costume Design: Jasmine Swan – Beauty and the Beast, Mercury Theatre, Colchester (In-House)
Best Dame: Brian James O’Sullivan – Maw Goose, Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling (In-House)
Best Director: Estelle van Warmelo – Beauty and the Beast, The Courtyard, Hereford (In-House)
Best Ensemble: Mairi Barclay, Adam Brown, Gabriel Fleary, Becca Francis, Shailan Gohil, Richard Leeming, Genevieve Nicole and Laura Tyrer – Mother Goose, Duke of York’s Theatre, London (Ambassador Theatre Group)
Best Lighting Design: Sally Ferguson – Dick Whittington, Nottingham Playhouse (In-House)
Carmen Silvera Award for Best Magical Being: Jo Osmond – Beauty and the Beast, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury (Evolution Productions)
Best Contribution to Music: Emma Fraser – Dick Whittington, Octagon Theatre, Yeovil (Evolution Productions)
Best Early Career Newcomer: Neha Eapen – Cinderella, Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds (Paul Holman Associates)
Best Newcomer to Pantomime: Vernon Kay – Cinderella, Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe (Imagine Theatre)
Barbara Windsor Award for Best Principal Lead: Jasmine Triadi – Cinderella, Salisbury Playhouse (In-House)
Best Script: Joyce Branagh – Jack and the Beanstalk, South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell (In-House)
Best Secondary Lead: Ohaana Greaves – The Further Adventures of Peter Pan, Fairfield Halls, Croydon (UK Productions)
Best Set Design: Mark Walters, Nina Dunn and Matt Brown – Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre (Imagine Theatre)
Best Sisters: Andrew Pollard and Alim Jadavji – Cinderella, Lighthouse, Poole (In-House)
Best Sound Design: James Cook – Aladdin, Derby Arena (Little Wolf Entertainment)
Best Supporting Artist: Anna-Jane Casey – Mother Goose, Duke of York’s Theatre, London (Ambassador Theatre Group)
Best Villain: Ben Locke – Robin Hood, Theatr Clwyd, Mold (In-House)
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Special Recognition
Ian McKellen for passionate advocacy and services to the artform of pantomime.
Cast, Doncaster, for their ongoing commitment to integrated BSL signing in pantomime
Theatre Royal Stratford East for their continued innovative and inclusive practice in the field of pantomime.
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Best Pantomime (Under 500 seats): Robin Hood, Theatr Clwyd, Mold (In-House)
Best Pantomime (500 – 900 seats): Mother Goose, Duke of York’s Theatre, London (Ambassador Theatre Group)
Best Pantomime (Over 900 seats): Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre (Imagine Theatre)
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2024
Location: G Live in Guildford
Hosted by: Angellica Bell, Myra DuBois and Ore Oduba, with Rob Madge presenting the coveted Best Pantomime Awards.
Award Winners
Outstanding Achievement Award: Twins FX
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BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Myles Brown: Beauty and the Beast, Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells (Little Wolf Entertainment)
BEST COMIC: Matt Slack: Jack and the Beanstalk, Birmingham Hippodrome (Crossroads Pantomimes)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Dawn Allsopp: Snow White, Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds (In-House)
CHRISTOPHER BIGGINS AWARDS FOR BEST DAME: Ben Roddy: Aladdin, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (Marlowe Theatre and Evolution Productions)
BEST DIRECTION: Simon Fielding: Cinderella, Towngate Theatre, Basildon (Towngate Theatre and Simon Fielding Ltd)
BEST ENSEMBLE: Danielle Cato, Oliver Imeson, Sophie Karaolis, Sarah Jane Lowe, Louis Parkins and Luke Stone: Mother Goose, Cambridge Arts Theatre (In-House)
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN: Jamie Corbidge: Cinderella, Swansea Grand Theatre (Imagine Theatre)
CARMEN SILVERA AWARD FOR BEST MAGICAL BEING: Amanda Henderson: Jack and the Beanstalk, Rhyl Pavilion (Anton Benson Productions)
BEST CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC: Chris Wong: Aladdin, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (Marlowe Theatre and Evolution Productions)
BEST EARLY CAREER NEWCOMER: Jewelle Hutchinson: Cinderella, Nottingham Playhouse (In-House)
BEST NEWCOMER TO PANTOMIME: Benjamin Armstrong: Aladdin, Lighthouse Theatre, Poole (In-House)
BARBARA WINDSOR AWARD FOR BEST PRINCIPAL LEAD: Alexandra Mardell: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Theatre Royal Plymouth (Crossroads Pantomimes)
BEST SCRIPT: Paul Hendy: Aladdin, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (Marlowe Theatre and Evolution Productions)
BEST SECONDARY LEAD: Lotti Brogan: Dick Whittington, King’s Lynn Corn Exchange (Jordan Productions)
BEST SET DESIGN: David Shields: Snow White, Grand Theatre Wolverhampton (In-House)
BEST SISTERS: Iain Lauchlan and Andy Hockley: Cinderella, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry (Belgrade Theatre and Imagine Theatre)
BEST SOUND DESIGN: Nigel Bayliss: Sleeping Beauty, Theatre Royal Bath (UK Productions)
BEST SUPPORTING ARTIST: Ben Tanner: Mother Goose, Derby Arena (Little Wolf Entertainment)
BEST VILLAIN: Wendi Harriott: Sleeping Beauty, Watersmeet Theatre, Rickmansworth (Paul Holman Associates)
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Special Recognition
Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling who received the Award for Achievement in Inclusive Practice for their production of Aladdin set in Discotopia which celebrated female empowerment, LGBTQ+ narratives and inclusive casting;
Cinderella at The Theatre Chipping Norton who won the Award for Achievement in Innovation with their production which relocated the traditional narrative to Latin America, celebrating the culture of carnival and addressing the challenge of deforestation. The production worked with cast and creatives from the Latinx community and engaged a dramaturg;
Michael J Batchelor who received an award for his contribution to Pantomime History, Tradition and Heritage. A talented designer, as well as Dame himself, his pantomime Dame costumes are regarded as the best in the industry, worn by Dames throughout Pantoland each season. He has perfected the art of costuming the Dame, ensuring impact, comedy and functionality through his inventive and playful designs.
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BEST PANTOMIME (UNDER 500 SEATS): Aganeza Scrooge, Tron Theatre, Glasgow (In-House)
BEST PANTOMIME (500 – 900 SEATS): Sleeping Beauty, Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage (Jordan Productions)
BEST PANTOMIME (OVER 900 SEATS): Jack and the Beanstalk, Birmingham Hippodrome (Crossroads Pantomimes)
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