A double dose of festive fun is on the Christmas cards for families all over the region as the Northumberland Theatre Company gives the chance for youngsters of all ages to see two of their professional productions including Amble’s resident panto.
NTC is a professional small-scale touring theatre company based at the Dovecote Centre, Amble. Each of their show’s tours around the country, predominantly using village halls and community centres as venues in small rural towns and villages. One of the aims of NTC is to bring theatre to audiences who wouldn’t normally travel into the big cities or towns to see the arts.
The Snow Queen, is now showing in small community venues from Worcestershire to the Scottish Borders via Northumberland, Durham and North Yorkshire. In total, including extra schools’ performances there will be 42 shows.
With many years’ experience of writing drama, music and songs for theatre, TV and radio, Gillian and Rick Juckes have created a new musical adaption of Hans Christian Andersen’s much loved fairy-tale The Snow Queen is about true friendship and the lengths you would go to save your best friend. In this case, Kai needs to be rescued from the Snow Queen but not before a wealth of adventure for Gerda and her helpers – the Crow and the Reindeer.
Beauty and the Beast, the Amble Panto will run from December 20th to 31st December with 14 performances.
Created by and featuring many of the same team as last year’s successful Sleeping Beauty, join Belle in this classic story as she eventually finds her perfect prince. Packed with humour and with a cast of colourful characters that will delight young and old alike, this is a perfect Christmas treat that will have the whole family laughing and enchanted. Shakespearean actor David McCarthy is upping his game to play the Bedlidoodle ( cross between a Bedlington terrier and a Poodle) his career may never recover. With tickets at just £10 or four for £35 this pantomime is the most affordable professional panto in the region.
Artistic Director Gillian Hambleton said; “We are coming up to our 40thanniversary and every year we continue to entertain audiences of all ages. It’s a busy time for the company at Christmas but it’s so rewarding to know that we are bringing quality theatre to our communities.”
For further details go to www.northumberlandtheatre.co.uk Ends
Photo shows: The cast of Beauty and the Beast and The Snow Queen