Sneak peek at Lincoln's Christmas pantomime as celebrity cast promises 'lots of surprises'

Lincoln Christmas pantomime cast at the New Theatre Royal for a press launch
-Credit: (Image: New Theatre Royal)


The cast has been confirmed for this year's Christmas pantomime at Lincoln's New Theatre Royal. A number of famous faces are among the line-up for the 2024 production of Snow White which promises to bring "lots of surprises".

Fan-favourite and former Olympic gymnast, Louis Smith, returns to Lincoln for his second-ever pantomime. The 2012 Strictly Come Dancing champion, who will be playing The Huntsman, said: "Last year was great, I was the baddie. But this year I'm more of the good guy so I'm looking forward to bringing a new dynamic and seeing what I can tap into in terms of my limited acting ability.

"The New Theatre Royal itself is a great place to be and to do panto. From the ushers, all the way to the lighting technicians, everyone here is so lovely. Everything's a conversation and nothing's a dictatorship. Coming back was a no-brainer for me. The city itself is great."

READ MORE:Judge unable to impose 'dangerous' sentence on Bulgarian sex offender because of Brexit

READ MORE:Flood alerts issued across Lincolnshire after 'relentless' rain

Speaking about his transition into musical theatre from gymnastics, he said: "They're two very different worlds. Gymnastics is very militarised and very quiet and reserved. You try and replicate what you do in training and that's it. You can't be too extrovert otherwise you're seen as a rebel.

"I definitely feel more myself in terms of tapping into that extrovert side and performance side."

Mayor of Lincoln, Councillor Alan Briggs, joined the cast on stage at the press launch
Mayor of Lincoln, Councillor Alan Briggs, joined the cast on stage at the press launch -Credit:New Theatre Royal

Another star returning to the New Theatre Royal stage is X Factor finalist Amelia Lily who will play The Wicked Queen. She said: "I think people can expect a lot of surprises, we have a lot of big characters in it this year. This is my first Christmas playing the baddie so I'm very excited about that.

"I'm such a joker in real life so getting to play a character that's completely different to myself is super cool from an acting point of view. I love the cackles. I love the boos. It will just encourage me to be even badder.

"The fact that this is my third time back says a lot about how much I like Lincoln. It's so beautiful and there's so much character here. Even in the theatre alone. The people in here are like a second family to me now and it's super lovely to be asked back."

Other cast members include comedian Patrick Monahan as Muddles, Alex Singh as Nurse Nelly, Sophie Towns as Snow White, Althea Burey as Fairy Forget-Me-Not and Natalie Hayes-Cowley as The Enchantress In The Mirror. Natalie, who is also the theatre's artistic director, said: "The team and I are excited for this one, as alongside Cinderella, this is the fairytale pantomime.

"Showcasing characters who have captured the hearts and minds of generations young and old, with that magical wonder of good and evil. It’s a story that has it all, with, as always, that added NTR twist."

The pantomime will run from Tuesday, December 3, 2024 – Sunday, January 5, 2025. A signed and relaxed performance will also take place on Sunday, December 8 at 1.30pm.

Family tickets are available and a panto payment plan was introduced earlier this year, allowing patrons to spread the cost of tickets across separate instalments. Tickets can be purchased by contacting the box office on 01522 519999 or online at www.newtheatreroyallincoln.co.uk.