George Webster, a CBeebies presenter who has Down's syndrome and won best presenter at the BAFTA Children’s Awards in 2022, will make his pantomime debut this December at the Royal & Derngate theatre in Northampton.
Webster will appear as Starky, one of Captain Hook’s henchmen, in The All New Adventures of Peter Pan, which runs from 5 to 31 December. ITV Cold Feet actor and comedian John Thomson will play Captain Hook, while Gordon Cooper will co-direct and take the role of Dame Dolly. The production is by Evolution Productions, led by husband-and-wife team Paul Hendy and Emily Wood.
Speaking after meeting the cast for the first time, Webster described landing the part as a "pinch me moment" and said he was looking forward to "sword fighting, the Tinkerbell stuff — everything really, it's just so exciting." He said the company had been welcoming and that, as Starky, he expected some playful boos from the audience but could "handle that."
Producer Emily Wood said the show will include classic pantomime elements: "a beastly baddie, a heroic heroine, amazing dance routines and side-splitting comedy," alongside familiar characters such as Peter Pan, fairies, pirates and mermaids. Jo Gordon, chief executive of Royal & Derngate, said the theatre was "delighted to have a great cast and company coming together for what is always such a magical time of year," and that the panto would be a joy for families and often a young person's first taste of theatre.
The cast met on Monday, with formal rehearsals scheduled to begin in November. Evolution Productions has mounted seasonal pantomimes at venues across the country; this staging of Peter Pan follows the tradition of British pantomime as a staple of winter theatre entertainment drawing audiences of all ages.
Tickets for The All New Adventures of Peter Pan are on sale through the Royal & Derngate box office and the theatre’s website. The run will include matinees and evening performances throughout December, concluding on New Year’s Eve Eve with the season’s final shows.