There's a real buzz at Oxford Playhouse, with the start of November marking our favourite time of year... panto season!

Rehearsals for our glittering pantomime Sleeping Beauty start in less than a week, our biggest home-produced production of the year. But before the first table read of Toby Hulse's original pantomime, we had the chance to meet the cast and treat them to a delightful, if somewhat early, Christmas dinner at The Store, Oxford.

Sashaying through Oxford's newest hotel - the site formally home to Boswells of Oxford - our Sleeping Beauty cast, adorned in original costumes by Immy Howard, gathered in its Treadwell dining room. It was a sight that might have seemed out of place for Oxford, perhaps more fitting for a party at The Blitz, with many of Howard's costumes reminiscent of the New Romantics. But embodying the attitude of 80s icons, the silliness of panto took hold!

With such a dreamy pantomime title like ours, it would have been a missed opportunity to leave The Store without capturing Princess Aurora and her friends amongst the dreaming spires of our city. After climbing to new heights, like we did last year with our gigantic Jack and the Beanstalk, the cast returned to The Playhouse where they will be performing to audiences of all ages for 6 weeks of fun and laughter.

Join us from Friday 22 November to Sunday 5 January for our much-loved pantomime. Never mind goodnight, this is sure to be the BEST night.

Though we all think we might know the story of Sleeping Beauty, there's a twist to this tale: Our teenage princess pricks her finger on a spindle and... time travels 1000 years to 1985.

As Oxland is met with a new villain this year, some may recognise our Walter the Wicked, played by Robin Hemmings who returns for a second year as The Playhouse baddie. Causing as much chaos as he did last year, our Aurora must summon all of her fairy-given gifts - true friendship, intelligence, bravery and a good night’s sleep (along with a teddy bear and a mysterious 1985 Smash Hits Yearbook) to put things right, stop Walter, and regain her rightful place in the kingdom of Oxland.

This year, alongside our villain, we welcome Daisy Ann Fletcher as Ursula the Unsure, Elliott Wooster as Mark-O, Fintan Hayeck as John Rind, Lucy Frederick as Nelly the Nurse, Max Guest as Billy the Silly, Sophia Lewis as Princess Aurora the Awesome, Tats Nyazika as Roderick the Rigid, and Zoe Antoniou as Janice Short in a toe-tapping extravaganza with a generous sprinkling of 80s nostalgia.

Combining the magic of panto with all the energy of an 80s school disco, Sleeping Beauty guarantees an uplifting and fun-filled time for all ages. So brush off your deely-boppers and come along and CHOOSE PANTO this festive season. We'll see you in Oxland!