Sleeping Beauty – Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
Saturday 11 December 2021 – Sunday 16 January 2022
Relaxed Performance – Tuesday 11 January 2022 at 6pm
Tickets: from £16.50 (inclusive of booking fees)
Call the Box Office on 01274 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk
The stars of this year’s spectacular Alhambra Theatre pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, proved it’s never too early for a wake-up call by getting into the festive spirit and launching this year’s festive production!
Christmas came early yesterday in Bradford when comic and panto favourite Billy Pearce (King Billy), TV doctor and presenter Dr Ranj (The Royal Doctor), Liz Ewing (Carabosse), Brogan McFarlane (Princess Aurora) and Sabrina Aloueche (The Good Fairy) met outside the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford to launch Yorkshire’s biggest panto.
Billy Pearce first topped the bill of the Alhambra Theatre’s annual festive production in 1993, winning
acclaim from critics and audience members alike, solidifying his reputation as the King of Yorkshire comedy.
He has performed in five Children’s Royal Variety Performances and three Royal Variety Performances.
His previous theatre credits include The Rocky Horror Show and Eurobeat alongside Mel Giedroyc. Billy is
a recipient of the Services to Arts and Entertainment award, presented at the Yorkshire Awards, previously
won by the Kaiser Chiefs and Alan Ayckbourn. Side-splittingly funny, Billy will bring his trademark mad-cap
comedy and boundless energy to the stage and will have audiences laughing in the aisles.
Dr Ranj is a well-known TV personality and has already had an impressive TV career to date! He is one of
the resident doctors on ITV’s leading daytime series This Morning, co-presenter of ITV’s prime-time series
Save Money: Good Health and Save Money: Lose Weight and co-creating host of BAFTA award-winning
CBeebies series, Get Well Soon. In 2018 Ranj swapped his scrubs for sequins as a Strictly Come Dancing
contestant, partnered with Janette Manrara. The dancing duo also took part in the Strictly Live Tour in 2019. He got to perform again on television, this time singing on ITV’s hugely popular series All Star
Musicals. Dr Ranj is delighted to be hitting the stage once again in his pantomime debut!
Liz Ewing is a Scottish television and theatre actress. Her London West End theatre work includes Follies
(National Theatre), Gypsy (Savoy Theatre), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Palace Theatre), Les Misérables
(Palace Theatre), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Novello Theatre) and the international tour of I Dreamed
a Dream. After an illustrious musical theatre career Liz has gone one to star in many TV productions
including BBC’s The Nest and ITV’s Taggart.
Brogan McFarlane trained at Bird College and The Brit School. Her credits whilst training include dancer
at The Brit Awards for Dua Lipa and Hugh Jackman and she starred as Maria in 9 to 5 The Musical.
Sabrina Aloueche is a musical theatre actress best known for her role as Scaramouche in the musical We
Will Rock You and her roles as Young Cosette and Éponine in the London productions of Les Misérables.
Join Billy, Dr Ranj, Liz, Brogan and Sabrina in a magical adventure where Princess Aurora pricks her finger
on an enchanted spinning wheel given to her by her evil godmother Carabosse and is placed under a cruel
curse forcing her to sleep for one hundred years. Can true love survive and break the spell? Can Aurora’s
hilarious father, King Billy, help save the town and who will outwit the evil Carabosse and foil her wicked
plans?
Adam Renton General Manager Bradford Theatres said:
“The Alhambra Theatre’s spectacular pantomime is back this year to thrill the huge numbers
of people who regularly visit as part of their festive celebration. The brilliant and hugely
popular Billy Pearce will be back in panto-land this year alongside the talented Dr Ranj and of
course our fantastic supporting company.
It’s now time to hopefully lift our spirits and enjoy the magnificent tradition of Pantomime at
the Alhambra Theatre. We cannot wait to welcome customers back to share some festive
magic, witness spectacular effects, laugh loudly and create some wonderful memories!”
Sleeping Beauty runs from Saturday 11 December 2021 to Sunday 16 January 2022 and is guaranteed to
have all the fun, laughter, magic and special effects that audiences have come to expect from the Alhambra
Theatre pantomime each festive season. Don’t get caught snoozing, book your tickets now!
Star ratings/quotes from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 2019/20:
5/5 YORKSHIRE POST | **** The Stage
“…an evening of non-stop entertainment and comedy” Telegraph & Argus
“…this is a great panto, fun for all ages…” Keighley News
The production is staged by Crossroads Pantomimes, the world’s biggest pantomime producer.