Est: 2016
oh yes it is...
1960s
What was the best selling song in the 1960s?
"She Loves You"
Between 1960 and 1969, fourteen singles sold more than one million copies in the UK, of which the biggest-selling was "She Loves You" by the Beatles.
Panto was thrilled to host a lineup of popular music stars from the 2010s. The audience was treated to an unforgettable night of music and entertainment at many locations across the country! Did you ever see one the stars below in panto?
Panto was thrilled to host a lineup of popular music stars from the 2010s. The audience was treated to an unforgettable night of music and entertainment at many locations across the country! Did you ever see one the stars below in panto?
The 1960s saw panto and the music world connect even more with pop stars taking to the stage in the hight of the music craze.
Some stars from the 1960s however took many years to enter the panto world. Click a name to learn more...
Billy Fury
Ronald Wycherley, better known as Billy Fury, was an English musician and actor. An early star of rock and roll, he equalled the Beatles' record of 24 hits in the 1960s and spent 332 weeks on the UK chart. His hit singles include "Wondrous Place", "Halfway to Paradise" and "Jealousy".
1965/66: Aladdin - New Theatre, Oxford
Early into the run of this pantomime run it became clear that Billy was having problems, particularly ironically with the singing, he seemed unable to project his voice in these days before radio microphones he was also suffering with his health. Rather than continue with the gruelling twice daily schedule continued over a lengthy run, the producers agreed to release Billy from the panto, and bring in another star name to play the same role of “Aladdin” - Enter Jean Bayless who took on the role after sitting in on just one performance before appearing on stage with no proper rehearsal.
Elaine Jill Paige OBE is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professional appearance on stage in 1964, at the age of 16.
1966/67: Babes in the Wood - Wimbledon Theatre
2017/18: Dick Whittington - London Palladium
2020/21: Pantoland at the Palladium - London Palladium
Elaine Paige
Video: Bows / Curtain Call from Dick Whittington 2017 with Elaine Paige
Gerry and the Pacemakers were a British beat group prominent in the 1960s Merseybeat scene. In common with the Beatles, they came from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein, and were recorded by George Martin.
1963/64: Babes in the Wood - Gaumont Theatre, Stoke on Trent
1964/65: Babes in the Wood - Gaumont Theatre, Ipswich
1976/77: Jack and the Beanstalk - Empire Theatre Liverpool
1989/90: Babes in the Wood - Theatre Royal Hanley
Gerry Marsden
Helen Kate Shapiro (born 28 September 1946) is a British pop and jazz singer and actress. While still a teenager in the early 1960s, she was one of Britain's most successful female singers. With a voice described by AllMusic as possessing "the maturity and sensibilities of someone far beyond their teen years", Shapiro recorded two 1961 UK chart toppers, "You Don't Know" and "Walkin' Back to Happiness", when she was just fourteen years old.
1964/65: Aladdin - New Theatre, Hull
1971/72: Goody Two Shoes - Forum Theatre, Billingham
1982/83: Cinderella - Tameside Theatre
1983/84: Dick Whittington - Wyvern Theatre, Swindon
1985/86: Dick Whittington - Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon
1987/88: Cinderella - Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
1988/89: Aladdin - Charter Theatre Preston
1989/90: Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood - Harlequin Theatre, Redhill
1992/93: Jack and the Beanstalk - Millfield Theatre, Edmonton
Helen Shapiro
Below: 1964 - Aladdin (New Theatre, Hull)
Jess Conrad OBE (born Gerald Arthur James; 24 February 1936) is an English stage and screen actor and singer. As a boy he was nicknamed "Jesse" after American outlaw Jesse James; as there was already an actor named "Gerald James" in Actors' Equity, a drama teacher who was a fan of writer Joseph Conrad suggested the stage name of "Jess Conrad".
1965/66: Puss in Boots - Swansea Grand
1966/67: Robinson Crusoe - ABC Embassy, Peterborough
1967/68: Mother Goose - Barnsley Civic
1968/69: Dick Whittington - Ashcroft Theatre Croydon
1971/72: Dick Whittington - Wimbledon Theatre
1974/75: Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Wimbledon Theatre
1975/76: Jack and the Beanstalk - New Theatre, Cardiff
1978/79: Jack and the Beanstalk - Watersmeet, Rickmansworth
1982/83: Babes in the Wood - Wyvern Theatre Swindon
1984/85: Cinderella - Theatre Royal, Windsor
1985/86: Cinderella - Lewisham Theatre, Catford
1989/90: Cinderella - Bradford Alhambra
1990/91: Cinderella - Tameside Theatre
1991/92: Cinderella - The Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead
1992/93: Aladdin - Horsham Arts Centre
1993/94: Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood - Millfield Theatre, Edmonton
1995/96: Cinderella - The Wellington Theatre Norfolk
1996/97: Cinderella - Wyvern Theatre, Swindon
1997/98: Jack and the Beanstalk - Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage
1998/99: Robin Hood - Theatre Royal Hanley
2003/04: Cinderella - Fernham Hall, Fareham
2004/05: Cinderella - Ferneham Hall Fareham
2005/06: Peter Pan - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
2009/10: Aladdin - Theatre Royal Windsor
2010/11: Cinderella - Theatre Royal Windsor
Jess Conrad
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns CBE (born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie; 3 November 1948) is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality. Noted for her powerful singing voice, Lulu began her career in the UK but soon became known internationally. She had major chart hits with "To Sir with Love" from the 1967 film of the same name, which topped the Billboard Hot 100, and with the title song to the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun. In European countries, she is also widely known for the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 winning entry "Boom Bang-a-Bang", and for her 1964 hit "Shout", which she performed at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Lulu
1966/67: Babes in the Wood - Wimbledon Theatre
1972/73: Peter Pan - Manchester Opera House
1975/76: Peter Pan - London Palladium
1976/77: Aladdin - New Theatre, Oxford
1983/84: Jack and the Beanstalk - Lewisham Concert Hall
The Osmonds
The Osmonds were an American family music group who reached the height of their fame in the early to mid-1970s. The group had its best-known configurations as a quartet (billed as the Osmond Brothers) and a quintet (as the Osmonds). The group has consisted of siblings who are all members of a family of musicians from Ogden, Utah, and have been in the public eye since the 1960s.
Donny Osmond
2021/22: Pantoland at the Palladium - London Palladium
2008/09: Cinderella - Royal & Derngate Northampton
2010/11: Cinderella - White Rock Hastings
2011/12: Aladdin - Swansea Grand
2013/14: Peter Pan - Swansea Grand
2014/15: Cinderella - Venue Cymru
2017/18: Aladdin - His Majestys Theatre Aberdeen
2018/19: Peter Pan - Birmingham Hippodrome
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During the 2018/19 season whilst performing the evening show on Thursday 27th December, Jimmy began to feel unwell during Act 2, despite feeling so poorly he struggled through to the end of the show and was then rushed to hospital where it was confirmed he had suffered a stroke whilst on stage.
With a month of the production left to run Darren Day was brought in to take over the role of Captain Hook for the rest of the run.
Jimmy Osmond
Video: Curtain call from Peter Pan in 2018 starring Jimmy Osmond
