Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes today announces further casting for The London Palladium Pantomime confirming that Louis Gaunt will return to the world-famous venue to play Peter Pan in this year’s production and Frances Mayli McCann will join the cast as Wendy. They join the previously announced Jennifer Saunders, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot and Rob Madge. Performances begin on Saturday 9 December for a strictly limited five-week run.
Louis Gaunt (Peter Pan) performed the titular role in Jack and the Beanstalk in last year’s Palladium Pantomime. This summer he performs at the venue as The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz which opens on Friday 23rd June. Other theatre credits include Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends – A Celebration at the Sondheim Theatre, a West End run of Mary Poppins, Piaf at Nottingham Playhouse, Gypsy at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Grease – National Tour, Standing At The Sky’s Edge and Kiss Me, Kate at Sheffield Crucible, Sweet Charity at Nottingham Playhouse, Dick Whittington at the London Palladium, and Oklahoma! at Grange Park Opera, for which he won The Stage Debut Award for Best Actor In A Musical. His television credits include Lord Lumley in series 2 of Bridgerton for Netflix and Eddie in ITV’s The Larkins.
Frances Mayli McCann is a leading actress whose credits include the titular role of Bonnie in Bonnie & Clyde in London’s West End, following its sell-out concert at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Olivier nominated for her portrayal of Kayla in Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, Frances’ extensive list of stage credits includes Chess at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Heather McNamara in Heathers: The Musical at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, Eponine in Les Misérables, Evita at Regents Park, and Macbeth, The Great Wave and Here Loves Love all for The National Theatre. On screen, Frances can currently be seen as series regular Charlotte in Silverpoint for BBC / ABC and credits include Shetland (BBC), River City (BBC), Lip Service (BBC) and A Tale To Tell (Amazon).
Once again directed by Michael Harrison, Peter Pan will run from Saturday 9 December 2023 – Sunday 14 January 2024. Tickets are on sale now at www.palladiumpantomime.com
On the casting, Michael Harrison said, “I’m so thrilled Louis is joining our cast for Peter Pan this Christmas… following Jack and the Beanstalk last year, he is a firm favourite of both the audience and the regular Palladium company. Louis is a proper leading man who is also brilliant in the Palladium production of The Wizard of Oz. And following her starring performance in Bonnie & Clyde, we all can’t wait to welcome Frances for her Palladium panto debut.”
Julian Clary, Nigel Havers and Paul Zerdin have starred in pantomimes at The London Palladium since the 2016 production of Cinderella. Gary Wilmot joined the cast in 2017, with Rob Madge making a triumphant Palladium Panto debut in last year’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk. Louis Gaunt made his West End stage debut in the Ensemble in Dick Whittington at the Palladium in 2017. Frances Mayli McCann makes her Palladium debut this Christmas.
Harrison’s production has set designs by Mark Walters and costume designs by Hugh Durrant created especially for The London Palladium, choreography by Karen Bruce, lighting designs by Ben Cracknell, sound designs by Gareth Owen and composition and orchestrations by Gary Hind.
