The Winchester pantomime is back at the end of the year with the cast returning for their third show in a row.

Aladdin is coming to Theatre Royal Winchester, starring Julian Eardley, Ed Thorpe, and Libby Gore who performed in last year’s socially distanced panto inspired Christmas show, Four Dames in Search of a Panto and Dick Whittington in 2019.

This year Julian plays Widow Twankey in his 12th year in Winchester playing a Dame.

Ed Thorpe returns to play Wishee Washee. Ed first performed in panto in Winchester as Smee in Peter Pan for which he was nominated in the Great British Pantomime Awards for Best Songsheet performance.

He then went on to play Wally in Beauty and the Beast, the title role in Dick Whittington and one of the Dames in Four Dames in Search of a Panto.

Libby Gore will be returning this Christmas to play the title role in Aladdin. Libby’s first pantomime in Winchester was Dick Whittington in 2019 where she played Fairy Bow Bells and last year Libby played one of the Dames in Four Dames in Search of a Panto.

The pantomime will once again be produced by the same creative team with writer, lyricist and director James Barry and composer Simon Slater.

This successful partnership were nominated for their original musical score for Beauty and the Beast at the Great British Pantomime Awards.

James Barry was also nominated for Best Script for Dick Whittington.

Aladdin at Theatre Royal Winchester runs from December 4 2021 to January 2 2022.

Tickets are available from theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk or call 01962 840 440.