Orchard West
Sat 9 – Sun 31 Dec 2023
On Saturday 18th November, the team behind the annual pantomime at the new Orchard West, held a press launch event at The Manor Gatehouse, Dartford, for this year’s spellbinding family pantomime, Beauty and the Beast.
The cast in attendance included EastEnders favourite Shona McGarty, who will lead the line-up of Dartford’s annual panto playing the title role of Belle. She will be joined by Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist John Archer as Belle’s Father, fellow EastEnders actor Harry Reid as Silly Billy, and Musical Theatre performers Emma Jay Thomas as the Enchantress and Tom Senior as Flash Harry.
Attached separately is a syndicated interview with the full cast and photos from the day. Following the launch, the cast went onto the stage in Dartford town centre for the BIG Christmas Light’s Switch On, officially marking the start of the festive season for the town.
The launch event follows the news that Dartford Borough Council (DBC) and Trafalgar Theatres are set to construct and open a state-of-the art temporary theatre venue in Dartford, following concerns over RAAC concrete in The Orchard Theatre’s roof which forced the venue to close in September.
Orchard West will open in time for panto as a fully-functional, temporary, enclosed performance space with 1,000 seats – complete with comfortable seating, heating and cooling systems, access provision and full backstage and front-of-house facilities including indoor toilets and bars.
Beauty and the Beast is staged by Crossroads Pantomimes, the world’s biggest pantomime producer, led by Michael Harrison and the team behind recent Orchard Theatre successes including last year’s production of Cinderella.
Michael Harrison, Chief Executive of panto producer Crossroads Pantomimes said: “We’re delighted that Dartford Borough Council and Trafalgar Theatres have found such a creative solution to keep theatre alive in Dartford while work on the Orchard Theatre is undertaken. With pantomime being such an important part of the Orchard Theatre’s year we are thrilled that our magical production of Beauty and The Beast will be one of the first major productions to be staged in Orchard West.”
Dreaming of a happier life, Belle finds herself transported to a cursed castle and held captive by a terrifying beast. To her surprise, the castle is full of magical characters placed under a spell by an evil enchantress.
Can Belle see beyond the monster and fall in love with her captor before the last petal falls from the enchanted rose? Or will the Beast’s selfishness cost him the world he once knew and the hand of the girl who has melted his heart? Find out in this magical pantomime adventure!
Packed with all the traditional pantomime ingredients Dartford audiences know to expect, don’t miss the action-packed pantomime that promises to be full of laugh-out-loud comedy, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses.
Orchard West Theatre
20-54 Hythe Street, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1BX
Book online: orchardwest.co.uk
Box Office: 0343 310 0033