Scottish producer and entrepreneur Reece Donnelly will take Patter Productions onto the international stage this Christmas as the company co-produces a new production of Cinderella in Dubai.
Running from 4 to 24 December 2026 at New Covent Garden Theatre in the Mall of the Emirates, the festive family pantomime is presented by Live Nation Middle East in partnership with New Covent Garden Theatre and Patter Productions.
Donnelly will serve as Co-Producer and Director on the production, which marks a significant milestone for the company as it expands beyond the UK. The show promises all the hallmarks of a traditional British pantomime, including comedy, music, larger-than-life characters and even snow falling inside the theatre.
The newly announced cast features Brooke Thomson as Cinderella, Melad Hamidi as Prince Charming, Ollie Chapman as Buttons, Gemma Lockley as Baroness Vindicta, Conor Hinds as Baron Hardup, Amy Turner as Fairy Godmother, Megan McGuire as Whitney, Olivia Ringrose as Britney and Rami Farah as Dandini.
The production team is bringing together performers from across the UK and the UAE, combining West End talent with emerging regional performers to create a fresh take on the classic fairy tale.
Reece Donnelly said: “I’m incredibly excited to be working alongside the New Covent Garden Theatre team as Co-Producer and Director of Cinderella. Lisa, Johnny and I are so excited to bring something fresh, exciting and full of energy to Dubai, while celebrating everything audiences know and love about a great British pantomime.”
He continued: “Panto is such a staple of the festive calendar in the UK, and we want to create that same sense of excitement, tradition and Christmas magic here in the UAE. Cinderella is the perfect place to start — a classic fairytale that everyone knows and loves, reimagined with our own fresh and modern take.”
“We’re bringing together an incredible national and international cast, featuring stars of London’s West End alongside some of the UAE’s most exciting local performers. We can’t wait to bring the show to life and create something really special for Dubai audiences this Christmas.”
Donnelly first found success as a child performer, appearing in programmes including Waterloo Road, CBBC and Nickelodeon productions, before moving into producing, directing and entrepreneurship. He later became known to television audiences through BBC One’s The Apprentice and has since expanded his portfolio through the Theatre School of Scotland, Theatre College of Scotland and Patter Productions.
The Dubai engagement represents a major new chapter for Patter Productions, introducing its contemporary style of British pantomime to international audiences and expanding the company’s creative reach beyond Scotland and the wider UK.
More information can be found here.
