IMAGINE THEATRE WINS THREE
UK PANTOMIME ASSOCIATION AWARDS
Best pantomime (over 900 seats) & Best Set Design – Mark Walters/Nina Dunn/ Matt Brown
Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand
Best Newcomer to Pantomime
Vernon Kay -Cinderella, Wycombe Swan
Following 12 nominations pantomime producer Imagine Theatre are delighted to announce a win in three categories at the UK Pantomime Association’s annual pantomime awards last night.
Beauty and the Beast at Swansea Grand which last year broke box office records, won two awards including the coveted award for Best Pantomime (over 900 seats).
Swansea Grand Theatre manager, Grant McFarlane commented; “We couldn’t be more delighted, what a great night for Swansea Grand and Imagine Pantomimes! Audience feedback last year was exceptional, and it’s great to see that reflected in this award. Panto is alive and well in Swansea and we look forward to seeing many more people return to visit us this year”
Kev Johns, Swansea’s favourite Dame who will return again this year said; “We were up against some hefty competition and it’s wonderful for Swansea Grand to take home these wins! Swansea is a real panto town, who love the tradition and this is a lovely acknowledgement for all of us and those who support us year on year”
The pantomime also won Best Set Design for Mark Walters, Nina Dunn and Matt Brown. Their ground-breaking digital set combines state of the art technology with all the elements you’d expect to find in a traditional pantomime brought to life with LED animated scenes to create a magical and enchanting theatrical experience.
Vernon Kay who made his debut in High Wycombe’s Cinderella this year was crowned Best Pantomime Newcomer said “I’m so delighted to have been recognised as best Newcomer to pantomime in the UK Pantomime association awards. As a panto lover this is a real honour. Performing in Cinderella at High Wycombe was my stage debut. I had a fantastic time playing Dandini with a great bunch of people and I’m hugely proud to have won this award for my local venue and the team behind the show. Perhaps I am, as I’ve always suspected, the true king of the Dad joke!’
With 18 pantomimes on sale across the UK for 2023 Sarah Boden Business and Marketing Director for Imagine Theatres said “We are over the moon to have won these three awards and are so proud of all of our winners and nominees and the teams working behind them to bring magic to the stage in panto every year. Our congratulations go out to all of the winners who work tirelessly to ensure the tradition of pantomime continues to thrive”
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. The Pantomime Awards 2023 were hosted Christopher Biggins London’s West End, on Tuesday 11 April.
To find out more about Imagine Theatre www.imaginetheatre.co.uk