Christmas is synonymous with pantomime.

Take a few celebrities, a pantomime dame and plenty of slapstick and you have a festive show that is great fun for all the family.

Here in Sussex there are plenty of fantastic pantos to get your teeth stuck into and Jamie Walker has been looking at some of the biggest and best.

Aladdin

Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, running until Tuesday, January 1

 

We all know the story of Aladdin, the happy-go-lucky, flying carpet flying, cheeky chappy whose primary goal in life is to woo the beautiful Princess Jasmine.

In Worthing’s panto this year it is Steps member Lee Latchford Evans who will be bringing to life the title role, with the stage being his land of Agrabah.

Lee is joined on stage by Cbeebies presenter Rebecca Keatley, who embodies the role of Jasmine.

The traditional panto dame position will be played by Sussex favourite Dave Lynn and in a unique twist the role of the male villain, Abanazar will be played by female comedian Vikki Stone.

Brian Blessed will not be appearing – but his voice will be as he brings home the booming voice of the genie.

This show will definitely be huge amounts of fun and is a great retelling of a Disney favourite movie.

If you’re lucky you might even get a Steps song thrown in for good measure.

Sleeping Beauty

Capitol Theatre, Horsham, Friday, December 14, to Sunday, January 6

 

Everyone feels sorry for Sleeping Beauty, being asleep for 100 years, but it sounds blissful to me.

This tuckered-out Disney princess is being brought to life, or to sleep, by Natasha Hoeberigs.

The Australian stage star has said that as a child she never saw panto so is looking forward to being part of it.

Her Prince Charming, or in this case Prince Rupert, will be played by Sean Smith.

Smith rose to prominence when he and sister Sarah finished third in the 2007 series of The X Factor under the group name Same Difference.

Heart FM’s Nicola Hume will be playing the role of Fairy Good Heart.

In her role she will be sprinkling some magic across the stage.

She will also be faced with a challenge in battling against the curses of the evil Carabosse, who is played by Bad Girls, Casualty and Emmerdale star Nicole Faraday.

True love’s kiss is what is meant to wake Sleeping Beauty from her everlasting slumber, but if that fails then the high tempo songs, plenty of fun, and a lot of audience participation mean it is unlikely you will be falling asleep in this show.

The Capitol has become a fan favourite for its yearly panto spectacular and 2018 promises to be another hit.

Cinderella

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, runs until Sunday, January 13

 

Transforming fruit into carriages and the quest for a shoeless foot, Cinderella is one of the best-known children’s fairy tales in the world and is

Eastbourne’s chosen pantomime this year.

Laura Baldwin, fresh from a starring West End performance in Eugenius, takes up the role of the title character.

Prince Charming will be played by Katherine Glover, who also played Dick Whittington in Eastbourne’s panto last year.

Impressionist Hilary O’Neil will be getting her sweetest, most caring voice ready to take up the role of the Fairy Godmother.

And Martyn Knight and Scott St Martyn take on the roles of the Ugly Sisters.

Make sure you get down to this show and see if Prince Charming can

find the foot that fits the fabled glass shoe.

Robin Hood

The Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham, Thursday December 13, to Monday, December 31

 

The man who steals from the rich to give to the poor, Robin Hood is a superhero in green trousers with a matching pointy hat.

He is out on another quest to foil the evil Sheriff of Nottingham from catching him as he goes about taking his riches.

If you’re in the mood for a more intimate, but no less fantastic, panto experience then this performance at the Ropetackle may be right up your street.

Brought to you by LP Creatives, who have been running this small but special winter release at the Ropetackle for eight years, the show has everything you could want from a major stage production just in more secluded settings.

Jack Callagan plays Robin Hood with Sophie Baxter as Maid Marion and Jordan Pendlebury as the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham.

This show truly is fun for all the family and the smaller venue size will make you feel like even more part of the show.

Make sure you don’t miss out on Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men visiting Shoreham.

Rocky Horror Show

Theatre Royal, Brighton, Thursday, December 13, to Saturday, January 5

 

If you’re not a fan of panto or Christmas then you share something in common with Dom Joly, who will be taking up the role of the narrator for the Brighton dates of the Rocky Horror Show.

A bit less festive, but plenty of fun, the show will be bringing the weird and wonderful to the city.

Also starring Joanne Clifton, of Strictly Come Dancing fame, and A1 singer Ben Adams, this show is going to be absolutely spectacular.

Perhaps not as fully family friendly as your average panto, this is definitely one for the more grownup audience.

If you want a spectacular Christmas experience but want to forgo the traditional aspects of pantomime, this could be the show for you.

As well as the big shows we featured above, there are plenty of others across the county, some of which are listed below:

A Pair Of Pantos

Marlborough Pub and Theatre, Brighton, Tuesday, December 18 to Thursday, December 20

If you want something a bit removed from your traditional panto then check out this moulding of two classic stories.

A mix of Jack And The Beanstalk and Dick Whittington, A Pair Of Pantos is the brainchild of Hester Chillingworth who has produced this cracking LGBT-friendly show for all ages to enjoy.

Aladdin

The Hawth, Crawley, runs until Sunday, January 6

We have Aladdin in Worthing on the right but if that is a little too far out of your way then why not check out the show in Crawley instead?

Of course the plot is slightly different, as is the cast, but it will still be a brilliant show featuring Agrabah’s favourite troublemaker.

Dancing On Ice’s Jason Gardiner and EastEnders star Shaheen Jafargholi star in this production.

Jack And The Beanstalk

White Rock Theatre, Hastings, Friday, December 14, to Sunday, December 30

Former X Factor star Chico has recovered from a stroke earlier this year to take to the stage in the role of Jack, whose magic beans grant him a beanstalk that leads to a giant in the clouds.

We all know the tale of Jack And The Beanstalk, where a foolish purchase turns into a huge adventure.

And with soap star Michelle Collins, who has appeared in both EastEnders and Coronation Street, also appearing this is set to be a cracking panto.

Sleeping Beauty

Chichester Festival Theatre, Saturday, December 15, to Sunday, December 30

Chichester’s version of Sleeping Beauty differs from the Eastbourne one featured on the right.

The major difference is that this production is being performed by Chichester Festival Youth Theatre. It is suitable for youngsters aged seven and over.