The wait is over!
“Oh, yes it is!” “Oh, no it isn’t! “Oh, yes it is!”
Rounding off Joburg Theatre’s 60th Anniversary celebrations, Bernard Jay and Joburg Theatre present the ‘panto of all pantos’ – Janice Honeyman’s brand new mash-up-mega-mix pantomime extravaganza, Adventures in Pantoland. Described as being “next level!” Adventures in Pantoland brings all our favourite panto characters from five pantomimes (Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, Snow White, Jack and The Beanstalk and Peter Pan) together in one production.
Janice Honeyman comments:
“When Joburg Theatre invited me to create a brand new pantomime for its 60th anniversary, I instantly became excited and buzzing with ideas in accepting the challenge. This year’s show will be a mash-up-mega-mix of pantomimes, where ever-popular characters such as Princess Aurora, Aladdin, Snow White and Jack the Joller meet on stage with the Wicked Queen Evilina, the Abominable Uncle Abanazar, Madame Kakkeloura Khakibos and the Crooked Captain Hideosa Hook.”
“We’ll take you on a daring and dangerous quest to retrieve the long-lost, sneakily-stolen Golden Goblet of Goodness. It’s goodies versus baddies, heroes versus villains, the happies versus the horrids – and you’ll be there with us to conquer greed and recapture the glow of goodness in Pantoland”.
Executive Producer of the show, Bernard Jay adds:
“With all the breath-taking spectacle, magical storytelling, over-the-top comedy and outrageous topical references that Joburg Theatre audiences have grown to expect from the annual pantomime. This year’s panto will once again be the ideal all-the-family outing to the theatre.”
The cast this year will feature (in alphabetical order):
- Michelle Botha as Empress Wun-Tun-Tum,
- Dylan Du Plessis as Aladdin,
- David Arnold Johnson as The Crooked Captain Hideosa Hook,
- Didintle Khunou as Snow White,
- Ilse Klink as Madame Kakkeloura Khakibos,
- Hlengiwe Lushaba Madlala as Floradora-Gloria the Fairy of Goodness-Gracious,
- Carmen Pretorius as Princess Aurora,
- Brenda Sakellarides as The Wicked Queen Evilena Eeeyuuuw,
- Justin Swartz as Jack the Joller,
- Grant Towers as Goop the Green Goblin, and
- Ben Voss as The Abominable Uncle Abanazar.
Dancing, singing and playing every other role in the panto ensemble will be triple-threat performers (also in alphabetical order):
- Louise Duhain, Tarryn Heard, Elsje Lourens, Gareth Meijsen, Katlego Nche, René Setlhako, Thandaza Silwane, Jordan Soares, Logan Timbre, Kensiwe Tshabalala, Stephan Van Der Walt and Donovan Yaards.
This is Janice Honeyman’s 32nd pantomime production and it’s a proper good versus evil story that will captivate audiences as the Goblet of Goodness is stolen by the bad guys and the good guys have to find it and bring it back, as she cleverly adds South African spices into the mix that will give the shows it’s local flavour and topicality.
Bernard Jay adds:
“The show is full of surprises, but I hope our audiences will especially enjoy that there are so many goodies and baddies all trying to outdo each other on stage.”
“With all the breath-taking spectacle, magical storytelling, over-the-top comedy and outrageous topical references that Joburg Theatre audiences have grown to expect from the annual pantomime, this year’s panto will once again be the ideal all-the-family outing to the theatre.”
The creative team for the mega-spectacular, mega-musical Adventures in Pantoland include production designer Andrew Timm, choreographer Nicol Sheraton, musical director Dale-Ray Scheepers, costume co-ordinator Bronwen Lovegrove and lighting designer Johan Ferreira.
“Adventures in Pantoland is an epic journey of traditional good versus evil. Obviously, good wins out in the end!”
Get ready for an over-the-top spectacle spectacular, as Adventures in Pantoland officially opens on The Mandela stage at Joburg Theatre today and runs until 24 December 2022.
This is the first year since the pandemic that the panto will play to a full house so come out and support the arts and our theatres. Tickets from R260 are available via Webtickets, Joburg Theatre or by calling the Theatre Box Office on 0861 670 670.
Production run-time: 2 hours 20 minutes (including 20 minute interval).
Adventures in Pantoland – Photos by enroC photos & video
