Islington’s own Jeremy Corbyn is set to make a magical appearance this festive season, trading Parliament for pantomime in Wicked Witches – A Popular Panto! at the Pleasance Theatre.
The former Labour leader will appear in a special on-screen cameo as the Wizard of Oz-lington, adding a local twist to this gloriously camp, Wicked-inspired Christmas spectacular.
Presented by Pleasance in association with The Vaults, Wicked Witches – A Popular Panto! runs from 21st November to 31st December for all ages, with an adults-only version from 18th November to 28th December.
Audiences will follow the Yellow Brick (Caledonian) Road to the Borough of Oz-lington, where Dorothy (Dor) reunites with Scarecrow, Tin 2.0, and more in a glittering adventure packed with cabaret, pop parodies, and festive fun.
Jeremy Corbyn MP said: “The Pleasance has been at the heart of our community for 30 years, and local theatre like this deserves our support. Panto brings people together – it’s fun, inclusive and a brilliant celebration of creativity. It’s a pleasure to conjure up a little festive magic with the Pleasance in their 30th year. Local theatre is where the real wizardry happens – sparking imagination and spreading a bit of joy.”
The cast features drag sensation Gigi Zahir/Crayola The Queen (Cinderella, Theatre Royal Stratford East; Frankie Goes to Bollywood, UK Tour/Southbank Centre) as the Wicked Witch ‘Adelphaba’.
Eleanor Burke/Apple Derrieres (Death Drop, West End; Cinderella, Wyvern Theatre) stars as the Good Witch ‘Kelly Oz-Born’, with Ro Suppa (Count Dykula, Soho Theatre) as Dor and Lew Ray (QUEENZ, UK tour) as Tin 2.0.
Nick MacDuff (Beauty and the Feast, The Vaults) plays Scarecrow and also serves as on-stage Assistant Stage Manager.
The production is written and directed by Shane ShayShay Konno (Mulan Rouge, The Vaults), co-founder of The Bitten Peach, the UK’s leading Pan-Asian queer artist collective.
Ellie Simpson, Head of Theatre at Pleasance London, said: “Jeremy’s as much a part of Islington as the Yellow Brick Road is of Oz – so who better to play the Wizard of Oz-lington? His cameo adds a touch of local sparkle to our wickedly funny festive panto, which marks Pleasance’s first in over twenty years and raises the curtain on our 30th anniversary celebrations.”
This collaboration marks Pleasance’s most ambitious Christmas production to date, combining The Vaults’ anarchic pantomime style with the Pleasance’s community-driven cabaret space.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
