Ipswich Regent’s pantomime spectacular, Sleeping Beauty, sold almost 20,000 tickets, theatre bosses announced today.
The show, which ran over the festive period to critical acclaim, had bigger audiences than last year and demonstrated that a Regent panto is part of the Ipswich Christmas experience for residents and visitors alike.
Sleeping Beauty starred soul legend Sheila Ferguson and a supporting cast of TV and comic talent that clearly attracted people from all over the region – one in six customers came from the Colchester area.
Bryony Rudkin, Deputy Leader of Ipswich Borough Council, which runs East Anglia’s biggest theatre, said: “We are very pleased that our latest panto was a big hit with customers. More people are coming to enjoy a top production without having to go to the West End or other more expensive theatres.”
Councillor Rudkin added: “We are already looking ahead to this year’s Christmas pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, and I look forward to announcing more details of the show in the coming months.”
Following customer demand, tickets for Jack & The Beanstalk are already selling like, well hot beans, and there is an early bird discount offer if you book by the end of January.
There are also some tickets still available for the Ipswich Easter pantomime, Robin Hood.
So, in the words of one of Sheila Ferguson’s biggest hits, “when will I see you again?” At the Regent Theatre, of course!
Panto stats: Sleeping Beauty sold 19,551 tickets. In 2014/2015 Cinderella had 16,908 customers and in 2015/16 the figure was 17,282 for Aladdin.
