We are nearly ready to go to the ball....We now have our full cast for this year's spectacular pantomime - Cinderella!
Jack Glanville - Buttons
Jack is delighted to be returning to the Octagon for his 9th consecutive year. He can’t wait to get the amazing audiences in Yeovil laughing and cheering.
After becoming a professional standup at 18, Jack has performed all over the world and toured the UK every year.
Jack competed in the BBC New Comedy Awards reaching the semi finals in 2001; only to be pipped to the final by Russel Howard! One of Jack’s proudest moments was winning a National Male Entertainer Award. This honour earned Jack a special guest invitation to meet the then Prince, HRH King Charles at Highgrove House.
Jack and his family wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!!
Gordon Cooper & Matt Daines - The Ugly Sisters
Gordon is a seasoned Panto performer and has appeared in Pantomime at theatres across the UK, including Exeter Northcott, Stafford Gatehouse, Buxton Opera house, and, most notably, The Kings Theatre in Glasgow where he spent two Christmas seasons, the first as an Ugly Sister in Cinderella and then as Widow Twankey in Aladdin. Gordon was very proud to be on that particular stage in a frock, following in the footsteps of Panto legends Rikki Fulton and Stanley Baxter.
Gordon is an experienced voice-over artist, particularly in the world of computer games. He has provided character voices for everything from a zombie, vampire, pirate and a demonic dragon to a crime solving squirrel, an angry wasp soldier and more shouty dwarves than he cares to mention.
Matt trained at Mountview Theatre School. Having had a varied career as an actor and freelance director, Matt has also owned his own prestigious Performing Arts College and was Principal for many years.
Matt is no stranger to pantomime, having played numerous seasons in various roles and as assistant director at City Varieties, Leeds. He joined Evolution firstly in Cinderella (Central Theatre, as Ugly Sister and directing the show), reprising the role the following year (Alban Arena). He then returned to the Alban Arena, to direct Jack and the Beanstalk. The following season saw Matt direct and play Ugly Sister (Fairfield Hall) then Ugly again (Theatre Severn) and the next year he performed Ugly Sister and directed the show once again (Octagon Theatre, Yeovil)
Beccy Lane & Mark Lamb - Cinderella & Prince Charming
Beccy trained at Performance Preparation Academy (PPA) receiving a Level 6 Diploma in Musical Theatre.
Credits include: Jessie (Host) in LOL Surprise Live Arena World Tour (Carter Entertainment, MGA); Soloist in Pop Princesses (Sweeney Entertainments); Jael in In Pieces (On The Jetty at the Turbine/Future Spotlight Productions); Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Kidzania London); Swing in Nurse Nelly Saves Panto (Evolution Pantomimes); Soloist in Spotlight on the Future: Drive In (Live concert); Mowgli in The Jungle Book (UK Tour); Cinderella in Cinderella (Lichfield Garrick Theatre); Rory in Bare: A Pop Opera (The Vaults, Waterloo); Alice Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington (Lichfield Garrick Theatre); Lead Vocalist for Norwegian Cruise Line (Norwegian Spirit); Singer/Dancer for Potters Rep Theatre Company; Cinderella in Cinderella (Camberley Theatre); Jess in Can’t Stop It (Dominion Studio Theatre); Lizzie in Baby (Bellerby Studio Theatre); Stephanie in Flashdance (Electric Theatre); Buffy in Starlight Express (Bellerby Studio Theatre); Ensemble in Sweet Charity (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre); Tinker Bell in Peter Pan (Middleton Arena); Cinderella in Cinderella (The Radlett Centre); Cinderella in Cinderella (Grove Theatre).
Online Credits include: Lead Vocalist in Camberley’s Christmas Wish; Cinderella in Cinderella (Kidzania London); Elle Woods in Legally Blonde Fundraiser (Passion Project)
Beccy is so grateful to be back playing Cinderella and working with Evolution on a show that she knows will spread so much joy.
Mark trained at The Royal Academy of Music & SLP College.
Credits include: Ensemble in Sondheim's Old Friends (Sondheim Theatre, West End), Maria Friedman & Friends (Menier Chocolate Factory), Prince Charming in Sleeping Beauty (Castle Theatre, Wellingborough), Singer/Dancer for Norwegian Cruise Lines.
Concerts include: Lead Vocalist in A Night on the West End! & The 12 Hour Revue (Welsh Musical Theatre Orchestra).
TV & Film includes: Escape from Sobibor (ITV1)
Tash Moore & Damian Patton - Fairy Godmother & Dandini
Tash grew up in Yeovil and spent many happy years training with the Young Octagon Theatre Company. She studied Musical Theatre at Guildford School of Acting and went to play a variety of roles on stage including Miranda in Return to the Forbidden Planet, Brooke in Noises Off, Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show, Philia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Yum Yum in The Hot Mikado. Tash took a break from stage work over a certain recent pandemic and has been working in television production with companies such as Left Bank, Hat Trick and currently in-house with Channel 4. She’s also directing Into the Woods for Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society which is playing at Westlands in October. She cannot wait to venture back on stage as an actor, and where better to start in her home town! Her first professional pantomime was 20 years ago at the Yvonne Arnaud in Guildford and having enjoyed various roles since, is delighted to be playing Fairy Godmother in Evolution’s production of Cinderella.
Damian fell in love with the magic of live entertainment from an early age. Performing really is in his blood as his mother was a professional dancer, his Father part of ‘The Patton Brothers’ and his uncles ‘The Chuckle Brothers’. He was constantly travelling as a child and even learnt to walk backstage!
Damian loves to make people laugh and went straight into panto upon leaving 6th form in 2008. This will be his 17th Pantomime in a row and Christmas would not be the same without it! He even met his wife Eliza back in 2010 in Pantomime when he was appearing as one of the ugly sisters. Luckily, she could see past the false eyelashes and lipstick and the rest is history.
Throughout the rest of the year Damian can be found touring the country with his one man show.
This will be Damian’s 3rd time performing with Evolution. 2021 saw him play Muddles in Snow white - Assembly halls Tunbridge wells. Last year he played Billy in Jack and The Beanstalk - Alban Arena, St Albans.
Damian’s Panto credits include: Red Riding Hood Bolton Albert halls (2007), Goldilocks Billingham Forum (2008), Aladdin Leicester Peepul Centre (2009), Cinderella National tour (2010), Aladdin National tour (2011), Red Riding Hood The Forum Theatre Barrow-in-Furness (2012) Jack and the Beanstalk Bolton Albert Halls (2013) Snow White Hazlitt Theatre (2014), Dick Whittington Scarborough Spa (2015), Cinderella Belfast Grand Opera House (2016), Cinderella Whitley Bay Playhouse (2017), Cinderella Princess Alexandra Auditorium Yarm (2018). Jack and the beanstalk Playhouse (2019).
Once again, this fabulous, festive production will be written by PAUL HENDY and produced by Evolution Productions, the same award winning team behind the smash hit, Dick Whittington!
Come and see all your favourite faces at Westlands Entertainment Venue this year whilst The Octagon Theatre is closed for redevelopment. We've bought the same pantomime team over to Westlands!
The Octagon Theatre and Evolution Productions scooped the prize of Best Contribution to Music (Emma Fraser) at the UK Pantomime Awards 2023 and were also nominated for three other awards for the production of Dick Whittington, including Best Pantomime (500 - 900 seats), Best Choreography (Josie Lee) and Best Lighting Design (Kathryn Monkton) - so you know you're in safe and very good hands when coming to see Cinderella!
With hilarious comedy, beautiful sets and costumes, and fantastic music, Cinderella promises to be our funniest and most spectacular pantomime ever! It's never to early to book... so don't be late for the ball and get your tickets today!
"A triumph of invention... achingly funny... terrific, triumphant show!" - The Fine Times Recorder
"Fast-paced, funny and engaging!" - Greatest Hits Radio
(Reviews from Dick Whittington 2022/23)
Book your tickets for Cinderella for a fun festive family treat.
BOOK HERE
Cinderella runs from Friday 8 - Sunday 31 December 2023 at Westlands Entertainment Venue.
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