Showing posts with label Stockport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stockport. Show all posts

Tuesday 19 September 2017

Dates for your Diary - The Wizard of Oz Pantomime Continues North West Tour

Last month we reviewed the highly entertaining and very funny pantomime The Wizard of Oz at the Stockport Plaza. You can read our review here - The Wizard of Oz at Stockport Plaza - Review

Due to the success and popularity of the show, The Wizard of Oz pantomime is back on the yellow brick road and will be embarking on a mini tour this October, with dates in Southport, Liverpool & Rhyl.

The critically acclaimed panto production from Regal Entertainments visits Southport Theatre from Tuesday 24th to Thursday 26th October; The Epstein Theatre from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th October; and the Rhyl Pavilion Theatre from Monday 30th to Tuesday 31st October.


Eastenders actress Cheryl Fergison will continue to lead the cast as the Wicked Witch of the West, whilst BBC Pitch Battle star and singing sensation Maddie Hope Coelho replaces previously announced Charlotte Gallagher, in the role of Dorothy.

Cheryl and Maddie will be joined by X Factor star David Heath as the Scarecrow, the charismatic Philip McGuiness playing the Tinman and the hilarious Richard Hazlewood as the Cowardly Lion.

The show was a huge success during it's run at St Helens Theatre Royal last October and the Stockport Plaza last month, playing to a packed-out auditorium. It is guaranteed to delight the audiences of Southport, Liverpool and Rhyl this October.

Cheryl Fergison, most notably known for playing Heather Trott in the BBC soap, returns as The Wicked Witch of the West. Cheryl is a multi-talented performer and has starred in many stage and film productions. She is also a wonderful singer and musician.

No stranger to pantomime, she has also appeared in Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Beauty and the Beast to name but a few, as well as making audiences boo and hiss with her performance as the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz.

Stepping into the coveted Ruby Slippers, the incredibly talented Maddie Hope Coelho joins the cast to play Dorothy. Maddie trained at Laine Theatre Arts, West End MT and The Royal Ballet School. Her theatre credits include Fairy Goodapple in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Mary Margaret in Singin' in the Rain, as well as appearances in Sleeping Beauty and Aladdin. She is delighted to be playing Dorothy and hopes the audiences have a magical time.


David Heath was a contestant on ITV's The X Factor back in 2006 as a member of boy band Eton Road. Since his time on the show he has turned his talents to theatre with credits including Billy in Wag - The Musical, as well as pantomime leading men including Aladdin, Prince Valentine in Snow White and Prince Valiant in Sleeping Beauty.

Guaranteed to give an oil-slick performance as Tinman, the charming Philip McGuiness is a panto regular, having previously played Gaston in Beauty and the Beast and Captain Hook in Peter Pan.

Finally, no stranger to Panto, having played the Beast in Beauty and the Beast and Abanaza in Aladdin, Richard Hazlewood will be practising his best roar as the lovable Cowardly Lion.

The Wizard of Oz is a firm family favourite which tells the story of young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto, as they embark on a wondrous adventure over the rainbow in the magical land of Oz.

Regal Entertainments' panto version of this classic family show includes an hilariously funny script, dazzling costumes and sets, plus a wealth of brilliant songs and show-stopping choreography.

Be sure to join Dorothy, Toto and their new friends Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion as they journey down the Yellow Brick Road to The Emerald City in search of The Wizard of Oz who can make all their dreams come true. This is the perfect half-term treat for all little munchkins!


Wizard of Oz Producer, Chantelle Nolan said: "We are very excited to continue our tour of the North West. We had an amazing time during the run of the show in St Helens last year and critics are raving about our recent Stockport show. Audiences seem to go mad for it with many families making return visits, so catch it while you can in Liverpool, Southport and Rhyl!"

Tickets are now on sale. Book early to avoid disappointment.

*The cast is subject to change.

To learn more about Regal Entertainments Ltd, you can visit their social media pages here:

Facebook: RegalEntertainmentsLtd
Twitter: @RegalEntsLtd

Listing Details

Southport Theatre, The Promenade, Southport, PR9 0DZ
Tuesday 24th to Thursday 26th October
1pm and 5pm
Tickets: From £11 / Groups (20+): All Seats £13 + 1 in 20 go free / Schools: £9 - 1 teacher in 10 goes free.
To book call 0844 871 3021 or visit ATG Tickets

The Epstein Theatre, Hanover House, 85 Hanover Street, Liverpool, L1 3DZ
Friday 27th to Sunday 29th October
Fri: 6pm | Sat: 10:30am, 1pm, 6pm | Sun: 12pm, 4pm.
Tickets: Adult £18/ Concession £16/ Family (2 Adults, 2 Children) £60
Groups (20+): All Seats £13 + 1 in 20 go free
To book call 0844 888 4411 or visit www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk

Rhyl Pavilion, E Parade, Rhyl, LL18 3AQ
Monday 30th to Tuesday 31st October
Monday 6pm, Tuesday 10:30am, 1pm, 5:30pm
Tickets: From £14 / Groups (20+): All Seats £12 + 1 in 20 go free
To book call 01745 330000 or visit www.rhylpavilion.co.uk


Tuesday 8 August 2017

The Wizard of Oz at Stockport Plaza - A Review

Last night we visited the fabulous Stockport Plaza theatre to see the wonderful Wizard of Oz pantomime. Oh no we didn't! Ohhhh yes we did!

In true pantomime fashion the show was filled with an entertaining cast that provided a wide array of songs, dance, jokes & slapstick comedy that was suitable for the whole family. If you have never been to a pantomime before then a 'panto' is often based around a well known story or fairytale. They are high energy, lots of fun and have you giggling from start to finish and The Wizard of Oz certainly ticked all the pantomime boxes!


We have been to many productions in the past which have been based on Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Aladdin, but this was the first time we had a seen a Wizard of Oz pantomime. It was therefore great to see something different, in what was also a beautiful venue. The Stockport Plaza is a stunning example of art deco architecture and it was certainly a pleasure to watch the show in such lovely surroundings.


The show began with a lovely solo piece sung by Fiyero (Richard Hazlewood) which was a nice introduction to the show. This was soon followed by some catchy upbeat songs with matching choreography, that got the audience clapping & dancing along straight away. The supporting dancers & ensemble were brilliant and it was lovely to see children of all ages having the opportunity to perform on stage.

Once the initial performances were over the story began and we started to learn a little more about Dorothy and her family. The show featured a mixture of well known modern tunes along with popular classics such as Somewhere Over the Rainbow and it wasn't long before Dorothy (and her little dog too) were transported to the wonderful world of Oz. One by one we were introduced to Glinda the Good Witch, Eva the Wicked Witch of the West, The Scarecrow, The Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion.


The show continued to follow the story of Dorothy on her quest to return home to Kansas whilst her new found friends helped her along the way. The audience shouted in delight as regular panto phrases became a necessity with shouts of "It's behind you" and "Booooo" whenever the Wicked Witch appeared on stage. The Wicked Witch was being played by Cheryl Fergison who is best known as "Heather Trott" from Eastenders. She was fantastic in the role with a wonderful stage presence that immediately commanded your attention. It was great to see her as a baddie in comparison to the gentle mild mannered character that she played in the popular soap. There were a few Eastenders jokes thrown into the mix which gave the adults a giggle and it was great that humour for the whole family remained throughout the production.


Once Dorothy and her friends had finally reached the great Wizard of Oz they were given the task of recovering the witches broom. This saw the group embark on another journey through the scary forest and we particularly enjoyed Philip Shaun McGuinness in the role of the Tin Man. My children thought he was brilliant and loved his costume too! David Heath as the Scarecrow was also wonderful and Si Foster as The Cowardly Lion supplied plenty of laughs.


Our favourite part of the show was when Dorothy's friends performed an hilarious song together. I don't want to reveal too much, but this part was so funny and had both children and adults laughing out loud . It was really well arranged and Glinda (Olivia Sloyan), the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow were absolutely superb.



Once Dorothy and her friends had battled evil and recovered the broom, they returned to the Wizard of Oz where they learnt that each of them had already possessed what they had seeked. The Lion had already exhibited great courage, the Tin Man had already shown that he had a kind heart and The Scarecrow clearly had a brain. Unfortunately the great wizard was unable to help Dorothy, but Glinda the good witch was soon on hand with a bit of advice. With the help of the ruby slippers, Dorothy learnt that she could return home.


Before the show ended we were treated to a good old sing-a-long as well as a final rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" where Dorothy (Maddie Hope Coelho) exhibited her stunning vocal range with a breathtaking performance of the song.

Overall we had an absolutely brilliant time at The Wizard of Oz which has been produced by Chantelle Nolan and Jane Joseph for Regal Entertainments Ltd. The cast were fantastic and the show featured some excellent choreography, wonderful singing and laugh out loud comedy from start to finish. The scenery and costumes were an accurate representation of the original story and both the cast and creative team behind the production should be very proud of achieving such a wonderful family pantomime. A special mention also has to be given to Buddy the dog starring as Toto, who was great on stage and completely unfazed by the bright lights and cheering audience. Well done to all involved!


Tickets are still available for the show which is running until Saturday 12th August 2017.

Listing Details

Regal Entertainments presents The Wizard of Oz

Venue: Stockport Plaza Theatre, Mersey Square, Stockport, SK1 1SP.

Dates: Monday 7th August 2017 to Saturday 12th August 2017

Times: 1pm & 5pm

Tickets: Available from £13 (Groups 20+ from £12) *subject to booking fee.

Box Office: 0161 477 7779

Please visit the website for the most up to date ticket information and availability at: www.stockportplaza.co.uk


Disclaimer: We attended the press night on a complimentary basis for the purpose of providing an honest review of the show. Opinions are my own unless otherwise stated.

Wednesday 19 July 2017

The Wizard of Oz at Stockport Plaza - Competition

Get ready to go on a magical adventure over the rainbow with Regal Entertainments and their enchanting summer pantomime production of The Wizard of Oz. The show will be heading to the Stockport Plaza from Monday 7th August to Saturday 12th August and will be sure to delight the audience with a great selection of brilliant songs and show-stopping choreography.

The show features a wonderful cast including Cheryl Fergison (Eastender's Heather Trott) as the Wicked Witch of the West. Cheryl is a multi-talented performer who has starred in many stage and film productions and is a fantastic singer and musician. She is no stranger to pantomime, having previously starred in Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Beauty and the Beast to name but a few, as well as making audiences boo and hiss with her performance as The Wicked Witch in the 2016 production of The Wizard of Oz.


Stepping into the coveted Ruby Slippers once more is the incredibly talented Charlotte Gallagher who also returns for 2017 to play Dorothy. Charlotte has a wealth of stage experience including pantomime roles at venues across the North West, including performances of Peter Pan, Snow White & Alice in Wonderland.

The Wizard of Oz is a firm family favourite which tells the story of young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto as they embark on a wondrous adventure over the rainbow in the magical land of Oz.

Regal Entertainments' version of this classic family show includes music, dance, an hilariously funny script and dazzling costumes and sets.

Be sure to join Dorothy, Toto and all their new friends Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion as they journey down the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City in search of The Wizard of Oz who can make all their dreams come true.

Wizard of Oz producer, Chantelle Nolan said: "We are very excited to be bringing this production to Stockport. We had an amazing time during the run of the show in St Helens last year, audiences seemed to go mad for it with many families making return visits. We are now delighted to confirm our stellar cast and they cannot wait to entertain families of Stockport!"

Important Information

Regal Entertainments Ltd presents The Wizard of Oz

Venue: Stockport Plaza Theatre, Mersey Square, Stockport, SK1 1SP

Dates: Monday 7th August to Saturday 12th August

Times: 1pm & 5pm

Tickets: Available from £13 (Groups 20+ from £12) *subject to booking fee

Box Office: 0161 477 7779

Please visit the website for the most up to date ticket information and availability at:  www.stockportplaza.co.uk

Competition

We have a fabulous competition available for our readers for the chance to win a family ticket to see the show on Monday 7th August at 5pm. Please read the terms and conditions and if you would like to enter, then please do so using the gleam form below. Good Luck!

Win A Family Ticket to see The Wizard of Oz in Stockport

Terms & Conditions


  • There is 1 (one) prize of a family ticket to the 5pm performance on Monday 7th August 2017 at the Stockport Plaza Theatre, Mersey Square, Stockport, SK1 1SP.
  • A family ticket is for 2 adults and 2 children or alternatively 1 adult and 3 children.
  • The winner will be required to collect their family ticket from the box office prior to the show.
  • Tickets are non-transferable and there is no cash alternative.
  • There will be no contribution towards travel.
  • Entry is open to UK residents age 18 years or older.
  • Competition closes on Monday 31st July 2017 at 12 noon and the winner shall be drawn at random on the same day and contacted via email.
  • Due to the time restrictive nature of the prize, the winner shall have 48 hours to reply to the email and confirm acceptance of their prize before another winner from the remaining eligible entrants is drawn.
  • The family ticket is valid for the 5pm performance on Monday 7th August 2017only and cannot be changed to an alternative date or time.
  • No bulk or third party entries.
  • The winners contact details shall be shared with the promoter for the purpose of prize fulfilment.