Birmingham Hippodrome have announced an exciting cast who will be joining Jason Donavon in his panto debut and panto favourite Matt Slack who celebrates seven consecutive seasons in Birmingham.

The UK’s biggest regional panto follows Dame Betty Barnum and her daughter Goldilocks’, who are battling to save their Big Top circus from the Evil Ringmaster who is intent on stealing their three loveable bears and leave them in ruin.

Alongside Jason – who will be playing the Evil Ringmaster – and Matt as Ringmaster will be Doreen Tipton as Doreen the Lion Tamer, Andrew Ryan as Dame Betty Barnum, Alexia McIntosh as Candy Floss and Samantha Dorrance as Goldilocks. Chief Executive of Crossroads Pantomimes, Michael Harrison, said:

“I am really delighted to be announcing so many returning cast today alongside the addition of local Midlands’s talent in the form of Alexia and Samantha. The audiences are going to truly love Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the first circus-themed pantomime at the Hippodrome for 24 years!

"The show will incorporate the very best of the production I created for the sell-out London Palladium panto in 2019, alongside lots of new material created especially for our Birmingham cast and audience.”

This will be the first pantomime back in the Hippodrome since the venue recently reopened after almost 18 months of closure. Birmingham Hippodrome Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Fiona Allan added:

“We are delighted to be preparing to welcome back our much anticipated pantomime this December. We really felt the absence of pantomime in the 2020 festive season, and we know our audiences did as well.

"With such a wonderful cast on board I am sure Goldilocks and the Three Bears will more than make up for a missed year.”

Alongside the headline cast, the Hippodrome have also revealed a spectacular line-up of circus acts including the magnificent magician Phil Hitchcock, awe-inspiring motorcycle act Peter Pavlov and The Globe of Speed, the Death-Defying Gemini Sisters and international circus artist Pierre Marchand.