The streets of Ilkley were filled with theatrical magic last Sunday as the cast of Upstagers' 2025 production of "Dick Whittington" made their first public appearance at the town's popular Real Markets Ilkley.
The preview event marked the official launch of ticket sales for the group's highly anticipated pantomime season.
Celebrating their 38th year of bringing pantomime to Ilkley, Upstagers will present ten performances of this timeless tale at The King's Hall Theatre between the 24th January and 1st February 2025. The production promises to continue the group's tradition of delivering professional-quality family entertainment that has become a cherished highlight of Ilkley's winter calendar.
Market-goers on Sunday were treated to an unexpected spectacle as the colourfully costumed principal cast members mingled with shoppers and stallholders, offering a glimpse of the entertainment to come. Dick Whittington himself was spotted examining local produce, while his faithful feline companion delighted younger visitors. Dame Sarah Suet and her son Idle Jack brought panto chaos to proceedings and the evil Queen Rat was also seen lurking among the market stalls. She’s definitely up to something! Fortunately, the magical Fairy Bowbells was on hand to make sure nothing untoward occurred.
(Upstagers Dick Whittington cast on The Grove at Real Markets Ilkley)
Co Director, John Clark said:
“We choose to perform Dick Whittington as not only is it one of the traditional pantomime stories, it has themes that are timeless. We’ve added contemporary elements and twists and plenty of Upstagers magic to give us a tale that audiences of all ages will enjoy and find relevant.”
The pantomime tells the rags-to-riches story of Dick Whittington, who travels from Ilkley to London seeking his fortune with nothing but his trusty cat for company. Through magical adventures, musical numbers, and with a little help from his gang of misfits, Dick must overcome a plethora of challenges on his journey to become Lord Mayor of London. Add in an adversary with a penchant for spreading fake news and a beautiful coding genius, Dick’s path is not an easy one! As with all Upstagers pantomimes, audiences can expect slapstick comedy, stunning costumes, live music, terrible puns and the essential audience participation that makes British pantomime such a unique theatrical experience.
Alex Wright who plays Idle Jack said:
“I’ve been taking part in Upstagers productions for a long time and each year the shows keep getting better. The cast are really excited to jump in to these fabulous characters and bring this amazingly funny script to life on the King’s Hall stage”.
Upstagers has been entertaining Ilkley audiences since 1987, building a reputation for high-quality productions that combine community spirit with professional production values. The group's pantomimes have become a local institution, with many audience members who first attended as children now bringing their own families to enjoy the show.
Each year Upstagers support a local charity during their pantomime run and this year’s cause is Yorkshire Cancer Research www.yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk, who help the people of Yorkshire survive and cope with cancer.
Tickets for "Dick Whittington" are now available from only £12 and can be purchased through their online box office www.upstagers.org.uk/boxoffice, by calling 0333 666 3366 or by emailing the local box office on boxoffice@upstagers.org.uk.
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