Renowned choreographer Arlene Phillips will be making her pantomime debut as Fairy Bowbells in New Wimbledon Theatre’s Christmas pantomime, Dick Whittington, from 9 December 2016 to 15 January 2017, with First Family Entertainment. Dick Whittington tell the classic tale of a poor boy who travels to London with his cat to seek fame and fortune. Alongside seasoned pantomime performers Matthew Kelly and Tim Vine, it seems this is a dream casting combination for the show.
Phillips is known the world over, with previous theatre credits including The Wizard of Oz, Flashdance, The Sound of Music, Starlight Express, Grease, Saturday Night Fever, We Will Rock You and Jackie. Phillips has also achieved fame as a judge on television talent shows including BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing and So You Think You Can Dance?. Joining the cast as Fairy Bowbells will see her tread the pantomime boards over the festive season for the first time.
Award-winning actor Kelly returns to New Wimbledon Theatre to play Sarah the Cook. His television credits include Dickens' Bleak House, ITV’s Benidorm and the crime thriller series Cold Blood, whilst his stage credits range widely from Shakespeare to musicals - Lend Me A Tenor, Spamalot, Legally Blonde, Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida, Waiting for Godot, Pride and Prejudice and Of Mice and Men, for which he won an Olivier Award.
Vine joins the cast as Idle Jack. The award-winning comedian has had many of his own sell-out national tours and won many awards, including the Perrier Newcomer Award in 1995, and is the former world record-holder for most jokes told in an hour (499). Vine is also star of his radio show, named Tim Vine’s Chat Show on Radio 4. He returns to Wimbledon after playing Buttons alongside Linda Gray and Matthew Kelly in Cinderella in 2014.