Take flight with Peter Pan in an epic pantomime adventure!
Join us for Colchester’s favourite pantomime this Christmas as Neverland bursts to life in a spectacular production that’s fun for the whole family. The New Adventures of Peter Pan promises to be an awe-inspiring spectacle with the perfect blend of breath-taking sets & costumes, mind-blowing flying and effects and of course, side-splitting comedy.
Neverland is in chaos! The dastardly and devilish Captain Hook is back and seeking vengeance… With Peter Pan and the lost children in mortal danger Tinkerbell heads back to Colchester to get help. On arrival she realises many years have passed, and she must now convince Wendy’s granddaughter, to travel to Neverland and help save the legendary Peter Pan from certain death.
Will they make it back in time? Will Peter Pan conquer Hook once and for all? And…what’s that ticking sound? Join us this festive season to find out!
Antony Stuart-Hicks, “the best Dame in the country” (British Theatre), will be taking the reins as director as well as starring as Mrs Smee and fellow Mercury pantomime legend Dale Superville (fresh from the West End production of Fawlty Towers) returns as Smee. Book now for the ultimate feel-good festive day out!
Content to Consider and Accessibility
Please be aware this show will contain flashing lights and loud music.
If you’d prefer to attend a Relaxed Performance (where lighting and sound effects will be reduced), we will be holding these on Thu 5 Dec 2024, 10.15am (also a Schools Performance) and Sat 11 Jan 2025, 2pm (also a BSL interpreted performance).
Our Audio Described performances (with touch tour available) will be on Sat 7 Dec 2024, 2pm and Sat 18 Jan 2025, 7pm;our Captioned performances will be on Sat 7 Dec 2024, 7pm and Sat 18 Jan 2025, 2pm; and our BSL performances will be on Fri 6 Dec, 7pm, Sat 11 Jan, 2pm (also a relaxed performance) and Fri 17 Jan, 7.30pm (also an adult performance – 18+).
If you are attending a relaxed performance, or would like to know more about specific elements of the show, please view our social story below (please be aware that this contains spoilers). If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Download social story
Adult Performances
Out 18+ adult performances are known for being a little more risqué! If you want to leave the kids at home and double the laughter, these performances will be in January 2025 on: Tue 14 Jan, 7.30pm; Wed 8 Jan, 7.30pm; Thu 9 Jan, 7.30pm; Fri 10 Jan, 7.30pm; Tue 14 Jan, 7.30pm; Wed 15 Jan, 7.30pm; Thu 16 Jan, 7.30pm and Fri 17 Jan, 7.30pm (also BSL interpreted).
In addition to our adult performances, we have been granted a late licence for LATES – Cocktail Cabaret on Fri 17 Jan, following the adult panto performance of The New Adventures of Peter Pan. This means the bar will be open until 12.45pm for a special January jolly celebration after adult panto!
Booking for a school?
We can’t wait to welcome schools back to the marvellous Mercury pantomime this festive season!
Our 2024 schools performances are: Wed 27 Nov, 10.15am & 2pm; Thu 28 Nov, 10.15am & 2pm; Fri 29 Nov, 12pm; Tue 3 Dec, 10.15am; Wed 4 Dec, 10.15am & 2pm; Thu 5 Dec, 10.15am (also a Relaxed Performance) & 2pm; Fri 6 Dec, 12pm; Tue 10 Dec, 10.15am; Wed 11 Dec, 10.15am & 2pm; Thu 12 Dec, 10.15am & 2pm; Fri 13 Dec, 12pm; Tue 17 Dec, 10.15am; Wed 18 Dec, 10.15am & 2pm.
Tickets for schools are £14 (including levy) and for every 10 tickets you buy the 11th is free for a teacher or member of support staff.
You can book today (and even pre-order your ice cream!) by filling in our form or by calling our customer experience team on 01206 573948. Please be aware the form will ask you for your first and second choice performances dates and times, so please do have a look through the performance schedule below before heading over to the form.
Schools Order Form
Download our Education Pack
School Workshops
Make your school’s visit to the Mercury panto even more enriching with our fun workshop exploring character archetypes, fairy tales and conventional storylines. This practical storytelling workshop is the perfect Christmas treat for a class-sized group before or after they’ve seen the show.
Find out more here and contact our Box Office to book.
Booster Seats
Need a little lift to get the best view? Booster seats are available at the door to the theatre. Pick one up on your way in!
Panto Shout-Out/Birthday Book
If you’d like our cast to say Happy Birthday or give a shout out to a member of your party during the show, you can submit your requests via the form below.
Please note: we wish we could use every message we receive, but sadly that is never possible and we can’t offer any guarantee that your birthday or shout out will be used in the show.
Videos
Antony Stuart-Hicks
Sherry Smee
Antony has survived 27 years in ‘show off’ business and is delighted to be returning for his 9th pantomime season at the Mercury.
Antony is a Senior Producer for the Mercury, Patron for Theatricool Performing Arts in Colchester and Trustee for Theatre in the Rough CIC. Based in Colchester, Antony provides freelance consultancy services to theatres, producers and creative organisations nationwide.
Producer credits include: Live & Outrageous, Viva Burlesque! (Mercury Theatre Colchester); Rice & Peas (in association with Blouse & Skirt!); Absolute Certainty? (in association with Qweerdog); Death Drop (World Premiere, The Garrick Theatre, West End); Tonight at the London Coliseum (Streamed Concerts); Voice Box – Intimate Theatre, Direct to the Lens (Online Theatre Festival in association with At Swefn’s Edge & Harlow Playhouse); 40 Pantomimes (venues include: Chatham, Fareham, Liverpool, Southport, Halifax, Peterborough, Harlow, Barnstaple, Helston, Newark, York, Whitley Bay, Ipswich, Maidstone, Worthing and Salford); Peter Pan – A New Musical (International tour & Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne); Grease – The Musical (European tour); Secret Santa: The Frost Files (World Premiere – Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne); The Canterville Ghost (International tour); Rapunzel (UK tour); Romeo & Juliet (International tour); Robin Hood (International tour); The Hound of the Baskervilles (UK tour); Alice in Wonderland (UK tour); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (International tour); Hamlet (European tour); Alice in Wonderland (European tour); The Wizard of Oz (UK tour); The Lost Dragon (Harlow Playhouse); King Arthur’s Kitchen (USA tour); 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Harlow Playhouse/UK tour); Judy & Liza (UK tour); The Snow Queen (UK tour); The Ugly Duckling (UK tour); Treasure Island (UK tour); Barry Manilow’s Copacabana (Harlow Playhouse/UK tour); Peter Pan – A Rock Musical (European tour); Boris & Ingrid (UK & International tour in association with Mercury Theatre Colchester); An Ideal Husband (European tour); Pride & Prejudice (European tour); The Wizard of Oz (European tour); The Shakespeare Review (Litchfield Garrick) and Your Nation Loves You (Delirium/Old Vic).
Directorial credits include: Rapunzel (UK tour); Robin Hood (International tour); The Hound of the Baskervilles (UK tour); What Are They Like? (Warwick Arts Centre); Pride & Prejudice (European tour); Snoopy – The Musical, Avenue Q and Me & My Girl (Jersey Opera House); Cinderella (Harlow Playhouse); Peter Pan – A New Musical (International tour); The Lost Dragon (Harlow Playhouse); Cinderella (York Barbican); Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations (Jersey Arts Centre); Accidents Happen (Tristan Bates, London); Stage by Stage (UK tour); Grimm Tales (Jersey Arts Centre); Divas (UK tour); Macbeth (Regional tour) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Unity Theatre, Liverpool).
Theatre includes: Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles; The Knight of Biscay in Don Quixote; George in His Fragile Mind; Terisius in Antigone; George in Stop Giving Me Grief; Malvolio in Twelfth Night; Demetrius/Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Cardinal Richelieu in The Three Musketeers; Stuart in Gosforth’s Fete; Giovanni in Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!; Graham in Fine Wine & Pringles at the Café Belgrade; Macbeth in Macbeth; Hugo in No Horizon; Scrooge in A Christmas Carol; Meg Long in Our Country’s Good; Ratty in The Wind in the Willows and Saturninus in Titus Andronicus.
Television & Film includes: The Legacy (Suffolk Mind); The Undateables Christmas Special (Channel 4); Strictly Come Dancing – Christmas Special (BBC); Brookside (Mersey TV); Liverpool One (Lime Productions); And the Beat Goes On (Channel 4); David Copperfield (BBC Films); The Bill (Talkback Thames); In His Life (MBC); Midsomer Murders (Bentley Productions) and Fan & Friend (ITV).
Musical Theatre includes: Professor Callaghan in Legally Blonde (Jersey Opera House); Edna Turnblad in Hairspray (Dubai); Roscoe in Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (Criterion, West End); Dr. Frederick Chilton in Silence! The Musical (European Premiere); Friar Lawrence in Romeo & Juliet The Musical (UK tour); Polonius in Hamlet (UK & International tour); Gonzalo in The Tempest (UK & International tour); Quince/Egeus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (UK & International tour); Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland; Caspius in The Wizard of Oz ~ Beyond the Rainbow (UK Tour); Kaa the Snake in The Jungle Book; King Midas in Myth & Legend; Reverend Barker in The Retribution and Fagin in Oliver!.
Audio recordings include: Dr Who – ‘Cold Vengeance’ The Tenth Doctor Series (Big Finish).
Writing credits: Pantomime adaptations of Cinderella; Aladdin; Snow White; The Snow Queen; Treasure Island; Robin Hood; Rapunzel; Peter Pan; Dick Whittington; Sleeping Beauty; Alice in Wonderland; a dramatic adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles; world premiere production of Secret Santa: The Frost Files. Dramatic adaptations of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Romeo & Juliet; The Canterville Ghost; Pride & Prejudice and An Ideal Husband (International touring – English speaking) and J M Barrie’s Peter Pan (International tour).
Pantomime at Mercury Theatre: Maris Piper in Sleeping Beauty, Betty Bon Bon in Beauty and the Beast; Yootha Twankey in Aladdin; Kylie Hard-Up in Cinderella (Winner of 2020 Best Ugly Sisters – Great British Pantomime Awards); Dotty Trott in Jack & the Beanstalk; Nurse Nellie in Snow White (Nominated for Best Dame – Great British Pantomime Awards); Sarah the Cook in Dick Whittington and Widow Twankey in Aladdin.
Other Pantomime credits: Ugly Sister in Cinderella (Southport Arts Centre, Crosby Civic Hall, Rhyl Pavilion Theatre, Royal Court Liverpool, Victoria Theatre Halifax, Hazlitt Theatre Maidstone, The Cresset Peterborough, Camberley Arts Theatre, Central Theatre Chatham, Queen’s Theatre Barnstaple, Harlow Playhouse); Dolly Mixture in Snow White (Royal Court Liverpool, Central Theatre Chatham); Sarah the Cook in Dick Whittington (Royal Court Liverpool); Nurse in Sleeping Beauty (Queen’s Theatre Barnstaple) and Widow Twankey in Aladdin (Neptune Theatre Liverpool, Queen’s Theatre Barnstaple, The Palace Theatre, Newark).
Instagram: @antonystuarthicks
Dale Superville
Smee
Dale thinks he trained!
Theatre credits include: Fawlty Towers (West End), Spud in Sleeping Beauty, Almondé in Beauty and the Beast and Humphrey the Camel in Aladdin (Mercury Theatre); The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (The Minack Theatre, Cornwall); Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland (APL Theatre); Patsy in Spamalot, Idle Jack in Dick Whittington, Wishee Washee in Aladdin, Centipede in James and the Giant Peach, Toad in Wind in the Willows, Muddles in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Day-Z in Jack and the Beanstalk, Miley in Cinderella, Sir Percy Porter in Habeas Corpus, Buttons in Cinderella, Tony Lumpkin in She Stoops To Conquer, Oh What A Lovely War and Dick Whittington (Mercury Theatre Colchester); Scarecrow in OZ (APL Theatre); Forever Young and Grandpa In My Pocket (Nottingham Playhouse/UK tour); Absent Friends, Dick Whittington, Wishee Washee in Aladdin & Fruitella in Cinderella (Watford Palace Theatre); Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peter in Romeo and Juliet and Pinocchio (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Ariel in the UK tour of Return to the Forbidden Planet (Basingstoke Haymarket); George in The Knight Of The Burning Pestle (Mercury Theatre Colchester/Barbican Theatre); Toad in The Wind In The Willows (Oldham Coliseum); Simply Heavenly (Ambassador Theatre Group and Young Vic); Rumplestilskin (Unicorn Theatre); Epsom Downs (Nuffield Theatre); Doc Faust (Forest Forge); Mother Goose and Cinderella (Salisbury Playhouse); Tom’s Midnight Garden (London and New York); Big Nose (Coventry Belgrade Theatre); Having A Ball, Fings Ain’t What They Used T’be and Of Mice and Men (Queens Theatre Hornchurch); Jungle Book (Redgrave Theatre, Farnham); Aladdin (Salisbury Theatre); Alice in Wonderland, Puss-In-Boots, The Last Noo – Noo, Stardog, Charlotte’s Web and The Patchwork Quilt (Polka Theatre); Babies (Palace Theatre, Westcliff); You’re Thinking About Doughnuts (Nottingham Playhouse); A Song from the Sea (Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich) and A Lesson To Forgive (The Man in the Moon).
Television Credits: Way to Go (BBC3); Nuzzle and Scratch (CBBC); Tick Tock (Disney); The World at Their Feet (Disney Channel); Bill’s New Frock (CH4) and Rainbow Days (ITV).
Voice Over credits: Tony in Doctor Who – The Diary of River Song (BBC) and Sausage in Mimi’s World (CH5).
David Breeds
Peter Pan
Theatre Credits include: ‘Jack’ in JACK AND THE BEANSTALK (The Artrix Theatre); ‘Ben’ in REBECCA (Charing Cross Theatre); ‘Franz Klinenmann’ in ROCK OF AGES (National Tour);‘Robin’ in ROBIN HOOD (Greenwich Theatre); Lead role of ‘Christopher Boone’ in THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME for director Marianne Elliott (National Theatre Tour); ‘One Man Show’ DAVID BREEDS – OUT OF THE THUNDERDOME (Venues across London); ‘Cover Evan Hansen’ in DEAR EVAN HANSEN for director Michael Greif (Noel Coward Theatre, Original London Cast); ‘Cover Jared/Connor’ in DEAR EVAN HANSEN (Noel Coward Theatre, London); ‘Original Cast’ of Tim Frith’s THE GIRLS (National Tour)
David has also been involved in various rehearsed readings and development workshops on new productions, to include the leading role in GULLIVER’S TRAVELS and an upcoming play based on Lionel Bart’s life, written by Chris Bond.
During lockdown, for 100 days straight, David created, wrote, directed, filmed and edited a daily online comedy series, with himself playing multiple roles. Titled “100 Days in Quarantine”, it gained over 2 million likes and 50,000 followers on social media platforms, additionally, he was commissioned by Southend County Council to write, film, and edit a Covid-19 at Christmas awareness advertisement. Outside of acting, David is a keen footballer and used to play at a semi-professional level.
Alexandra Barredo
Wendy
Training: Emile Dale Academy
Theatre includes: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Factory Playhouse Theatre); Beauty and the Beast (Repertory Philippines); Romeo and Juliet (Chelmsford Civic); Beauty and the Beast (Mercury theatre); Sleeping Beauty (Mercury Theatre) and Witness for the Prosecution (London County Hall)
Television and Film includes: Sex Education (Netflix) and Romeo and Juliet (S4K international).
Alex is so excited to be back at the Mercury this Christmas!
Sasha Latoya
Tinkerbell
she/her
Sasha Latoya studied at Bath Spa University and The New York Film Academy, graduating from her BA(Hons) in Musical Theatre in 2012.
Stage credits include: Yesterday – A Tribute to the Beatles (European tour, 2012); RENT (Greenwich Theatre/Tabard, London, 2012/2013); Page to Stage (Landor Theatre, London, 2014); Accidental Song (Canal Café Theatre, London); Fairy Queen in Claus The Musical (Landor Theatre, London, 2014); Voices&Lyrics (Octagon Theatre, Manchester, 2014); National tour with The HoneyBuns (Spirit Productions, Britain’s Got Talent – Semi-finalist, 2015); Fairy Honeybun in Sleeping Beauty (South Wales tour, 2015/2016); Little Shop of Horrors (UK tour); Flashdance (UK/International tour); Buddy – The Story of Buddy Holly (2019); Aladdin (Mercury Theatre, 2021/2022); Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (UK tour, 2022), Beauty and the Beast (Mercury Theatre, 2022/2023) and Sleeping Beauty (Mercury Theatre, 2023/2024).
TV & Film credits include: Unbreakable (2021); Stop The Show (2021); Banglatown (2021); Peter Pan (2021); Highways (2022); The B@it seasons 2-5 (2019-2022); Wet Look (2022); Get Pulped (2023) and Chase The Musical(2023), American Road Trip (2024) and DOCTORS (BBC, 2024)
Sasha is absolutely thrilled to be back at the Mercury Theatre this Christmas!
X/Instagram – @TheSashaLatoya
Jazz Evans
Captain Hook
Jazz graduated with a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre from the Arts Educational Schools London.
Theatre credits include: King Awgwa in Claus The Musical (The Lowry) Dick Dead Eye in All Male HMS Pinafore (Wiltons) Lars/Zelda/Mason in Madagascar (UK Tour) Prince Herbert/Not Dead Fred/Historian in Spamalot (UK tour) Harry in LMTO’s State Fair (Cadogan Hall), Prince Bertie in musical comedy H.R.Haitch (The Actors Church, Covent Garden), Ensemble in Rumpy Pumpy the Musical (Landor Theatre & Kings Head), Richard in Victor Victoria (Southwark Playhouse).
Workshops include: Ruben Dupon in Marie Curie The Musical, Dean Martin in The Big Three
Instagram: @jazzevansactor
Shelby Speed
Ensemble/Understudy
Training: Laine Theatre Arts.
Theatre credits include: Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour (West End/Middle East/UK Tour), Puss in Boots (The Spotlight, Hoddesdon), Sleeping Beauty & Beauty & the Beast (Mercury Theatre, Colchester), Here Comes Santa Claus (New Wimbledon Theatre Studio), Aladdin (Towngate Theatre, Basildon), Gigi & Fantastic Mr Fox (Open Air Theatre, Regents Park), Grease (Goodwood) and Singin’ in the Rain (Adelphi Theatre/Showtime Challenge).
Cruise credits include: P&O Cruise Liners, Australia (Grayboy Entertainment).
TV credits include: The X Factor (ITV).
Nick Brittain
Ensemble/Understudy
Training: London School of Musical Theatre.
Theatre credits include: Sleeping Beauty & Beauty & the Beast (Mercury Theatre, Colchester), Rapunzel (South Mill Arts/UK Tour), Me and My Girl (Frinton Summer Season), The Crumple Zone (The King’s Head), Cat in the Hat (Turbine Theatre/Edinburgh Pleasance), Skin Deep (Edinburgh Gilded Balloon/UK Tour), Aladdin (Lowestoft, PHA), The Hired Man (Union Theatre) and the UK premiere of Hotel for Criminals (New Wimbledon Theatre Studio).
Film credits include: Elegancia (DisAuthority).
Nick also performs as a guest entertainer with The Jersey Knights and West End Misfits.
Creatives
Writer David Phipps-Davis
Director Antony Stuart-Hicks
Designer Jasmine Swan
Lighting Designer Matt Ladkin
Associate Lighting Designer & Programmer Alex Forey
Sound Designer Wesley Laing
Musical Director Joshua Tarrier
Choreographer/Staging Rosie Mather
Fight Director Cree Raynor
Intimacy Director Jordan Langford
Casting Director Marc Frankum
Assistant Director Fiona Munro