Cast announced for the first Theatre Royal panto without Berwick as the dame

The show will go on…

And that show is Sleeping Beauty. It will be the first York Theatre Royal pantomime in decades which won’t star Berwick Kaler as the dame, producers confirmed today (Monday 11 March).

However Berwick will have a big role to play – he is writing the script.

And the rest of the gang are back. Martin Barrass, Suzy Cooper, A.J Powell and David Leonard will reunite for Sleeping Beauty from 7 December to 25 January.

Tickets soon on sale

Pantomime legend Berwick stepped down in February as the theatre’s long-serving dame after 40 years.

Executive director Tom Bird said:

• We are delighted that Martin, Suzy, David and AJ will return to York Theatre Royal for Sleeping Beauty this Christmas.

  The pantomime ‘family’ mean a huge amount to our community and have provided so much joy to the people of York for so many years.

  We are also thrilled that Berwick will continue his association with the theatre by writing the script. Here’s to a wonderful winter at YTR.
  

Too questions remain. Who will step into Berwick’s colourful shoes as the new dame? And who will direct? The man who had done that job for many years, Damian Cruden, announced he was moving on from the Theatre Royal this summer.

Tickets for Sleeping Beauty go on sale on Friday (15 March). Pantomime stars David, Martin, AJ and Berwick will be at the theatre to meet and greet the early bookers.