We're delighted to announce our full cast and creative team for this year’s family favourite panto Sleeping Beauty, written by and starring the award-winning Iain Lauchlan.
Sleeping Beauty will run from Wed 19 Nov 2025 until Sat 3 Jan 2026, with a press performance on Fri 21 Nov. There will also be a Relaxed Performance at 2pm on Fri 2 Jan.
When Princess Aurora pricks her finger on an enchanted spinning wheel, she is cursed to fall asleep for 100 years, unless she’s kissed by her one true love. Enter the dashing Prince (and his two rather calamitous sidekicks) who embark on a brave adventure to save the Princess from her terrible fate. But with the wicked Fairy Carabosse determined to ruin their plans, will our trusty trio be triumphant or is the Princess doomed to a century of snoozing? You’ll have to come along to find out!
Sleeping Beauty will be full to the brim with all the wonderful elements that make a trip to the Belgrade such a well-loved Christmas tradition for thousands of families every year.
Snap up your seats today and join us for fairy-tale sets, outlandish costumes, a breath-taking dragon, a hilarious Dame and enough rip-roaring laughter to wake up even the heaviest of sleepers!
Leading the cast of Sleeping Beauty is writer and director Iain Lauchlan (a veteran of numerous pantomimes in Coventry, including most recently Dick Whittington, Cinderella, and Jack and the Beanstalk) as ‘Nanny Fanny McWheeze’, Iain will once again appear alongside his co-winner from the 2024 Pantomime Association Winner Awards Andy Hockley in his 20th Belgrade pantomime (Wicked, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Phantom of the Opera) as ‘Grumbleweed’, appearing in his 14th Belgrade Pantomime will be Craig Hollingsworth (Dick Whittington, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast) as ‘Muddles the Jester’, playing ‘Carabosse’ will be winner of Best Villain at the 2024 UK Pantomime awards Wendi Harriott (An Officer and a Gentleman, UK Tour; Soul Sisters the Musical, UK Tour) with Mia King-Harmes (Elf the Musical, UK Tour; Dick Whittington, Belgrade Theatre), as Princess Belle/Queen Hyacinth; and Emily Rayner (The Crucible, Nottingham Playhouse; The Grumble Cat, Glastonbury Festival) as ‘Prince Valliant’. They will be joined by Arif Javid (The Ramayana, Birmingham Rep; Sweeney Todd, City Varieties Theatre Leeds) as ‘King Cuthbert’, making their 3rd appearance in the Belgrade’s pantomime Aonghas Ewen (Wind in the Willows, Guilford School of Acting, THE B@AIT, Channel 4) as ‘Azurial’. Making up the ensemble will be Lauren Steele (The Little Mermaid, UK Tour; Sleeping Beauty, The Courtyard, Hereford), Miriana Pavia (Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret, Charing Cross Theatre; Sondheim Review, Playground Theatre), and Alexander Rowles (Lord of the Flies, Theatre Royal Plymouth; Heartstopper, Netflix).
Alongside Writer and Director Iain Lauchlan, the creative team for Sleeping Beauty are Jenny Phillips (choreographer), Ian Westbrook (Set Designer), James MacIver (Costume Designer), Jason Taylor (Lighting Designer), Chris Murray (Sound Designer), Hayley Gibbs (Musical Director), Tim Spencer (Musical Arrangements), and Vicki Stevenson (Assistant Director/Choreographer).
Coventry based Imagine Theatre are once again associate producers on the panto.
As well as Sleeping Beauty, we will also be playing host to the stage adaptation of Chris Haughton’s much-loved classic Well Done, Mummy Penguin, brought to life by the team behind the award nominated Oh No, George!, which is appearing between Wednesday 3 December and Sat 3 Jan. The show features daring acrobatics, integrated sign language and heart-warming humour, and is a perfect wintery treat for everyone aged 3 and up. Tickets for Well Done, Mummy Penguin (3 Dec- 3 Jan) available here.