Tom Lister to join Steve Royle in Aladdin Blackpool’s No.1 Pantomime – The boys are back in town!

Don’t miss TV soap sensation Tom Lister (Emmerdale’s Carl King) teaming up with his best mate Steve Royle for Blackpool’s No.1 Pantomime featuring this year’s fabulous family pantomime Aladdin at Blackpool Grand Theatre this Christmas.

It’s a dream of a double act that’s not to be missed! Tickets are already flying out! with some performances from Friday 1 December to Monday 1 January already offering limited availability…

Tom will star as the wonderfully wicked magician Abanazar in this year’s enchanting tale of magic, mayhem and misunderstandings and he is thrilled to be joining Britain’s Got Talent finalist and family favourite Steve Royle live on the Grand Theatre’s famous stage once again. “I cannot wait to be back at The Grand for Panto this year!” he said. “It really is like home to me and to be able to perform alongside one of your best mates feels like a real festive treat. I must be asked ‘when are you and Steve doing Panto together again’ at least once a month! Well, now you know! It’s this Christmas. Bring on the chaos!”

Steve added: “Tom is one of my best buddies and so you can imagine how thrilled we are to be back in Pantomime together again. When we get together anything can happen and no two shows are the same, which is the perfect excuse to book twice this year! Expect bedlam and shenanigans a plenty!”

Tom has appeared in many musicals in the UK and abroad but most notably, he played the lead role of Julian Marsh in 42nd Street, at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane. This critically acclaimed musical ran for two years before being shown in cinemas across the country.

Tom is probably best known for the nine years he spent playing Carl King in Emmerdale, which he left when he was dramatically killed off in a live episode in 2012 – thank goodness there will be no such calamities befalling him in this show!

He’s played Wild Bill in Calamity Jane – No1 UK Tour, Callaghan in Legally Blonde – South Korea, and Grimes/Eel in Water Babies – Leicester Curve. His other TV credits include Heartbeat, Doctors and The Bill.

Tom added: “I love all the wonderful fun and chaos that pantomime brings and looking forward to playing a baddie again.  What makes it even more special is I get to spend a panto season with one of my best mates, Steve.  It’s going to be a blast!.”

The fantastic family pantomime at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre is always a laugh-a-minute extravaganza with stunning sets, top musical hits, amazing costumes and exciting special effects to keep audiences both young and old entertained!  This year’s Aladdin is truly a magical treat for all the family you won’t want to miss!

Tom Lister joins Steve Royle | Aladdin, Blackpool’s No.1 Pantomime

Join our hero Aladdin, his mother Widow Twankey and his madcap brother Wishee Washee as they embark on a magical adventure and try to defeat the evil Abanazar and his plan to become master of the world. With help from the Genie of The Lamp and the Spirit Of The Ring. Will Aladdin save the day, will he marry the beautiful Princess Jasmine? Will the Genie be freed? There’s only one way to find out… hitch a ride on a magic carpet and come to see Aladdin, Blackpool’s No.1 Pantomime!

Aladdin is presented by Martin Dodd for UK Productions Ltd, who has presented the Christmas pantomime at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre since 1996. Other productions presented at The Grand by UK Productions include Legally Blonde the Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast The Musical, The Kite Runner, 42nd Street, South Pacific, Carousel, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma!, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Anything Goes.

Pantomime Producer Martin Dodd said, “I could not be more delighted that Tom is returning to the Grand this Christmas. Tom and Steve together are a laugh-a-minute force of nature, a match made in comedy heaven. It’s anybody’s guess at this stage what they will cook up between them, but what I do know is that it will be hilarious, anarchic and unmissable!”

Adam Knight, Blackpool Grand Theatre Chief Executive said, “We can’t wait for this year’s spectacular pantomime ‘Aladdin’. Following last year’s amazing record-breaker we are thrilled that West End and Soap star Tom Lister will be joining us once again. Following huge public demand, bringing these two comic and stage geniuses together once more has been requested since their last presence in Peter Pan (2019). We‘re sure this will be another sure fire hit!”

Tom Lister & Steve Royle | Aladdin Blackpool’s No.1 Pantomime

Join us for Blackpool’s No.1 Pantomime starring Tom Lister and Steve Royle! It’s never to early to book your seats! More star casting to be announced…

Aladdin is at Blackpool Grand Theatre from Friday 1 December 2023 to Monday 1 January 2024 with morning, matinee and evening performances starring Tom Lister (Emmerdale) as Abanazar and Steve Royle (Britain’s Got Talent) as Wishee Washee.

• Accessible performances will also be available, with an extra special relaxed pantomime performance on Thu 28 Dec at 5pm plus audio described & signed performances on Sat 9 & Sat 16 Dec at 2pm and Thur 28 Dec at 1pm.

Tickets are already selling fast with some performances already offering limited availability.

Please call the Box Office on 01253 290190 or visit www.BlackpoolGrand.co.uk for bookings and further information. Tickets from £15. Family tickets, group and school rates are available.

LISTING

Aladdin Pantomime

Grand Theatre, 33 Church Street, Blackpool FY1 1HT

Fri 1 Dec 2023 to Mon 1 Jan 2024

Relaxed Performance – Thu 28 Dec at 5pm

Box Office 01253 290 190

blackpoolgrand.co.uk

Facebook – @blackpoolgrand

Twitter – @Grand_Theatre

Instagram – grandtheatrebpl

UK Productions

ukproductions.co.uk

Twitter – @UKP_Ltd

…//ends

FOR EDITORS

Steve Royle

Steve is an actor, writer, comedian, juggler, a Gillard award winning presenter on BBC Radio Lancashire and a very memorable finalist on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent 2020 – finishing in third place. Steve also starred to critical acclaim, in the world premier tour of Naturally Insane: The Life of Dan Leno in 2019/20, taking the hit show to the Criterion Theatre in the West End in 2021.

Steve spent many years as a special guest on Dave Spikey’s tours and has supported several other top comedic names including Peter Kay, Mick Miller, Roy Walker and The Lancashire Hotpots! He was also the first comic, ever, to act as warm-up for The Royal Variety Show featuring Take That, Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow and Meatloaf. He is also a regular TV warm-up act for programs such as The Rob Brydon Show, A Question Of Sport, Mastermind and even survived over 150 episodes of The Price is Right with Joe Pasquale. In 2015 he performed 16 nights at The Manchester Arena as part of the Phoenix Nights Live show, helping raise well over £5million in the process.

Steve’s first love, however, is stand-up and it is a job that has taken him all over the world: Cruises in the Med, Norwegian Fjords and the Caribbean, hotels and comedy clubs in Hong Kong, Dubai, Crete, Cyprus, Turkey and Japan. He is a regular headline act at The Comedy Store and other alternative venues and has several television appearances to his credit from Phoenix Nights, Max And Paddy’s Road To Nowhere, Peter Kay’s Britain’s Got The Pop Factor…, Stand-up Britain, Give Your Mate A Break, The Afternoon Show, Talk Of The North and straight acting roles in The Things You Do For Love and Magnolia. He was also featured on the Granada Programme Behind The Scenes and That’s Entertainment (with Cannon and Ball) and was voted Entertainer of the Year at the inaugural Red Rose Awards.

For over 12 years Steve could also be found in the guise of Mad Edgar, the infamous court jester at Camelot theme park where he presented over 2000 Crazy Juggling Shows. Steve most recently completed his 19th consecutive pantomime (celebrating 1,000 fabulous pantomime performances!) at The Grand Theatre, Blackpool – his 24^th Pantomime in total and was also made an honorary member of The Friends of The Grand in 2016 for his services to the theatre.

Tom Lister

Tom loves all the wonderful fun and chaos that pantomime brings and is once again looking forward to playing a baddie – a role he really enjoys! Back in 2016, when Tom donned the tights and wig of Captain Hook, he won Best Villain at the inaugural Great British Pantomime Awards!

Following on from those dizzy heights, he went on to play the lead role of Julian Marsh in 42nd Street, at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane. This critically acclaimed musical ran for two years before being shown in cinemas across the country.

Tom is probably best known for the nine years he spent playing Carl King in Emmerdale, which he left when he was dramatically killed off in a live episode in 2012 – thank goodness there will be no such calamities befalling him in this show!

Since then, he has been involved in many musicals in the UK and abroad. He’s played Wild Bill in Calamity Jane – No1 UK Tour, Callaghan in Legally Blonde – South Korea, and Grimes/Eel in Water Babies – Leicester Curve. His other TV credits include Heartbeat, Doctors and The Bill.

Tom’s other interests include undertaking extreme challenges for charities close to his heart such as marathons, triathlons and bike rides. He has recently discovered a new love of winter sea swimming, so if you happen to see him bobbing about in the River Avon, make sure you give him a wave!

Blackpool Grand Theatre – Arts Council England, National Portfolio Organisation

In July 2014 the Arts Council England granted the Grand Theatre, National Portfolio Organisation status. The Arts Council’s National Portfolio Organisations represent some of the best arts practice in the world, and they play a vital role in helping ACE meet their mission of great art and culture for everyone. ACE are determined to fund organisations at a level at which they can continue to produce the excellent and innovative art that audiences want and deserve.

Blackpool’s Grand Theatre – Heritage and History

The Grand Theatre was opened on July 23, 1894 by Thomas Sergenson who immediately dubbed the theatre ‘Matcham’s Masterpiece’. This title is even more merited now that there are few surviving examples of the work of Frank Matcham, the leading Victorian theatre architect.

Access

We want to make a visit to Blackpool’s Grand Theatre a comfortable and enjoyable one for everyone. Accessibility is one of our priorities and full information about all the access provisions of our venue, including our guides, maps, facilities including seating arrangements, assistance dogs, accessible performances, hearing loops and how to sign up to our Access Register, is available at https://www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/box-office-and-venue/our-venue/accessibility

For further information on Blackpool Grand Theatre visit: www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk

Marketing Department, Grand Theatre, 33 Church Street, Blackpool FY1 1HT

t. 01253 743261 | e. marketing@blackpoolgrand.co.uk