SOME of the city’s top business people left their boardrooms behind to perform on stage in a festive pantomime for charity.

With a variety of traditional pantomime characters and some new additions, Hi Ho! Tycoons in Tights brought together business people and company directors from in and around Brighton to put on a special show in the run- up to Christmas.

Produced by Lisa Seymour and written and directed by Leah Mooney, the show at The Circle Arts Centre in Portslade last Thursday.

Money raised through the two performances will go to Crones and Colitis UK, Rockinghorse and The Circle homeless charity.

Ms Seymour said: “The pantomime was just great. It was probably one of the most exciting, exhausting and exhilarating experiences of my life.

“The first evening there were a few hiccups and some of the guys on stage were understandably very nervous but we got through it and on the second night it felt a lot better. With a total of 15 people on stage, including 12 managing directors, getting people in a room together to rehearse was always going to be the biggest hurdle. I just feel overwhelmed by the support.”

The pantomime’s plot started with everyone wanting to be the ultimate bad guy at Villains Incorporated, so the mysterious big boss sent them all on a team building day.

But the characters were having none of it. The Genie turned bad and wanted to start fracking in the Enchanted Forest, the Evil Queen used her magic mirror to blackmail others, Voldy was feeling envious of other villains and the Ugly Sisters were being horrible to Snow White’s dwarfs.

Steve Darby, of City Cabs Brighton, who played Ugly Sister Ronnie, said: “It is very different for me to be involved in a project like this and my character is a funny one to play. It is exciting to be a part of and it is all for a great cause.”

Ms Seymour is still waiting for confirmation of the total amount raised, but expects it to be around £4,000.

She said: “There will definitely be another pantomime next year.”