Local Stars Bringing Panto Cheer to Southport Theatre and Convention Centre This Christmas

Southport Theatre is delighted to announce that local stars David Lonsdale and Claire Simmo will be starring in Southport’s spectacular family panto Aladdin this Christmas.

David will be donning a dress as Widow Twankey, while Claire will be casting her spell as the Spirit of the Ring.

David is best known to television fans all over the world as lovable buffoon David Stockwell in Heartbeat, a role he played between 1993 and 2010.

David made his television debut in Brideshead Revisited back when he was just 16 years old. He also appeared as Peter Barlow in Coronation Street in 1986, and then appeared in the soap again as Edwin Soames in 2012. David has also recently filmed the returning guest role of Mr Philpot in Hollyoaks for Channel 4.

In addition David has also appeared on television in All Star Family Fortunes, The Bill, Casualty, Doctors, The Royal and Inspector Morse.

David is a well-known and popular figure in his home town of Southport and very active within the community. He is one of the driving forces behind the Southport Festival and is currently working to bring a major event to the town in 2016. He was for many months the presenter of Mighty FM’s Southport Arts Show on Sunday mornings.

As a writer he has had his work published in numerous magazines and newspapers and for 14 months wrote the popular David Does column for the Southport Champion. A collection of his articles was published last year called David Does…The Book. He is presently working on his first commissioned play which will be toured nationally next year.

As well as being a television performer, radio presenter and writer, David is a well respected stage actor who has recently toured in The Titfield Thunderbolt and You’re Only Young Twice. He is also an accomplished singer and has made several guest appearances in Frank Renton’s Carols With the Stars at the Royal Albert Hall and A Night of Stars at the Palace Theatre, Manchester.

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This will be David’s second pantomime with producers Imagine Theatre having appeared in Sleeping Beauty at the Lyceum Theatre Crewe back in 2009 as King Bumble and he is delighted to be working with them once again.

“I am very excited to be playing Dame for Imagine Theatre this year. They produce truly wonderful pantomimes and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them at Crewe; so I am delighted to have the opportunity to do so again in my home town,” says David.

“I have played Dame once before, many years ago in my very first panto, and I was absolutely terrified. I’ve had a lot more panto experience since then and I am really looking forward to it. The Southport Theatre and Convention Centre is a fabulous venue and I can’t wait to start throwing custard pies around its stage!”

Claire has been part of Radio City in Liverpool at various intervals since 1998 having done long stints on the breakfast show with Kev Seed (1998-2002) and then part of the Rossie and Co breakfast show from March 2010 until May 2014.  Claire is now co presenter on the Home Run with Scott Hughes each weekday 3-7pm on Radio City 96.7.  Claire also hosts her own show on the digital online station heat radio in conjunction with heat magazine on a Sunday afternoon 12-4pm!

Claire trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has appeared in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Liverpool Empire, the brand new musical Heart and Soul and was a member of the group Tight Fit when they reformed and toured for 18 months.

Claire is no stranger to pantomime having appeared many times in St Helens Theatre Royal pantomimes as well at Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre.

“I am over the moon to be appearing in panto in my home town” says Claire. “I love pantomime and having producers Imagine Theatre ask me to work with them at Southport Theatre in Aladdin is a dream come true.”

Don’t miss out on seeing David and Claire in Aladdin this Christmas.The show runs from Friday 11^th December 2015 to Saturday 2^nd January 2016 and tickets are on sale now.

For more information or to book tickets call 0844 871 3021 or visit www.atgtickets.com/southport

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