Panto will put the fun back into 2022

TinPot Theatre are putting on their tenth annual pantomime at Montgomery Hall, Wath, in the week running up to December and quipping it’s their “tin year anniversary”.

They are staging Jack and the Beanstalk at Montgomery Hall, with  Ccast featuring children, young people and adults from the Wath community and surrounding area.

Company co-director Jamie Utley said: “The show has gone from strength to strength. We started producing our show with a small hope that we might put a few ‘bums on seats’ but consistency, determination and hard work has paid off and  

“We now attract over 2250 people to our show annually -  not bad for a fringe theatre group in Wath.”

The theatre company’s Facebook page is a testament to their success, with many “fans” commenting on how far they travel to see the show and how a Tin Pot Panto has created a new Christmas tradition for them and their families.

Suzy Peterson, co-director, added: “We’ve worked with so many people over the years and I always feel proud about the number young people we’ve supported.  

“It’s been a joy getting to know the children and teenagers, who take part in the show annually and welcoming them to the Tin Pot family; we really want them to feel a sense of belonging and place.

Jack and the Beanstalk, which runs from December 17 to Christmas Eve, is a true family show, featuring Dave and Eliza Austin, a father and daughter duo.

Dave, a secondary maths teacher, has taken on the traditional role of panto “silly boy” for ten years, while Eliza’s first role was as Snoozy, the tiniest dwarf in Snow White, when she was just four.

Her biggest role to date is that of one of the babes in Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood

Dave said he had loved seeing her confidence grow year on year.

“It doesn’t matter whether she wants to pursue a career in theatre or not, taking part in the show has given Eliza the ability to lead a group, speak publicly and not be afraid of anything,” he said. “Plus we love being able to spend time together doing something that brings us so much joy.”

Tickets for the panto are priced at £10 for adults and, £9 for children, and group bookings are available at a discounted rate. They can be booked through the theatre company website or Montgomery Hall.