THE PANTO ROLLERCOASTER!

It’s almost time for rehearsals… oh yes it is! Christmas has arrived early at Imagine HQ, and the team are well and truly gearing up for the season getting everything ready ahead of rehearsals starting imminently. The first rehearsal is Dick Whittington at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry on 28 October and then it just keeps coming – 21 productions in total! The panto rollercoaster is well and truly off and running.

In the meantime, casting is complete, so Lou is preparing hundreds of scripts ready to be printed and sent to cast members, and Callum is working behind the scenes on all the music.

Katie and Emma in our marketing team are flat out – posters are appearing everywhere, and press days are a go with Swindon having a press day on 21 October, and Dartford and Fareham have press launches on 28 October. Roz and Ruth are preparing to make the annual order for more than 4,500 chocolate selection boxes to give out in the song sheets, which will take over Sarah B’s office!

Niamh is in the throes of licensing more than 400 children and recruiting chaperones, Kev is preparing the details for thousands of weekly salary payments, Jaz is preparing 450+ induction packs to hand out on the first day of rehearsals, Alex is painting more than 650 pairs of shoes and our wardrobe and stores team are working flat out, gearing up to load trundles, flight cases, set boxes and so much more to go out to venues in more than 60 x 7.5 tonne and articulated lorries. Across the year we’ve used over 100kg of glitter in our preparations! For team Imagine, panto is officially here.

Imagine also welcome some new members to the team – James Senyah and Pratyusha Velagala in Finance, and Leisa McEwen in Administration. Welcome to the crazy madness of the next few months!

THE DUCHESS (OF MALFI) PRESS NIGHT

Trafalgar Theatre held its press night for The Duchess (Of Malfi) on Wednesday, with a host of famous faces flocking to see Jodie Whittaker’s return to the West End stage for the first time in more than a decade.

Zinnie Harris’ acclaimed production is a powerful adaptation of John Webster’s classic and is playing at the Traf for a strictly limited 11-week West End season until 20 December.

Jodie leads an all-star cast in this compelling and powerfully modern masterpiece which includes acclaimed actor and Motherland star Paul Ready who takes on the pivotal role of The Cardinal. 

Recently widowed and in search for a new lease of life, the Duchess (Whittaker) defies her family’s wishes by remarrying beneath her class. However, when her brothers, driven by insurmountable greed and rage, discover her second marriage they unleash a series of cruel and devastating punishments against her that repress her power. But will their vicious atrocities come back to haunt them?

Check out our press night gallery below!