ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
CHATHAM PANTO IS PURRRFECT !
THIS YEAR ’ S PANTOMIME AT THE CENTRAL THEATRE , CHATHAM , IS SIMPLY THE CAT ’ S WHISKERS ! DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT OPENS ON FRIDAY 7TH DECEMBER AND RUNS UNTIL MONDAY 31ST DECEMBER 2018 .
The all-star cast is headed by star of stage and screen , Ray Quinn , who takes the title role . Ray is a multi-talented actor , singer , dancer and ice skater whose first screen appearance was in Brookside as Anthony Murray back in 1999 when he was just 10 . Since then , Ray has gone on to reach The X Factor final in 2006 , only losing out to Leona Lewis . That led to a career in music and , of late , musicals including Grease , Legally Blonde , Dirty Dancing and , currently , the UK tour of Summer Holiday as Don . He is also well known for ‘ doing the double ’ on ITV ’ s Dancing on Ice , winning for the first time in 2009 and again in 2014 for the Champion of Champions show . Ray is no stranger to panto , having performed in venues up and down the country over the years but this is his first outing as our hero , Dick Whittington .
Joe Tracini returns home to Medway for a third year , this time as Idle Jack , the lazy son of Sarah the Cook – played by panto veteran Ian Good . The pair teamed up last year in the smash hit , Sleeping Beauty , and the Central Theatre is delighted that they ’ re back as another panto mother and son combo . Joe is known to many for his time on Hollyoaks as Dennis Savage and is currently on-screen in his second series of the hit CBBC show The Dengineers . Ian has appeared in over 35 pantomimes as well as performing in and directing many stage musicals and plays . You might also recognise him as one half of the Bounty kitchen roll competitive housewives , Brenda and Audrey – having starred in their TV ads for nine years .
Get your boos and hisses ready for the evil King Rat , played by West End star , Steven Serlin . Steven has been playing baddies for many years in pantos across the land and , this year , was very proud to be nominated for Best Baddie at the Great British Panto Awards .
Completing the cast is Jessica Croll as Alice Fitzwarren – will Dick Whittington win her heart ? Jessica is currently on tour as Jane in
Salad Days , following the UK tour of Wonderland in which she played first-cover Alice . And not forgetting Dick Whittington ’ s faithful feline friend – his cat !
The cast also features 20 young dancers from across Medway and Kent who successfully auditioned with over 100 hopefuls to gain their chance to shine !
After last year ’ s dream of a panto , Sleeping Beauty , Dick Whittington promises to be the adventure of a lifetime from the streets of London on a spectacular voyage across the seven seas to Morocco .
Ring out the bells for the best festive family entertainment around – book now at www . medwayticketslive . co . uk or call the Box Office on 01634 338338 .
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