PACE annual panto celebrates with bumper year for attendance

PACE Theatre Company is celebrating a bumper year for its annual panto, which saw nearly 10,000 people attend a performance of Beauty and the Beast in PACE’s pop-up theatre in The Art Department, on the top floor of The Paisley Centre; its temporary home for the last two years.

Altogether more than 91 per cent of tickets were sold with more than a quarter of performances sold out and many more packed to the gunnels, making it one of the company’s most successful pantos ever.

This year’s production featured all the traditional elements that sees families return year after year. Beauty and the Beast was written and directed by Andy McGregor, who has previously written several pantos for PACE including The Snow Queen, Lost in Pantoland and 2022’s Cinderella, set and costume design by Fraser Lappin and featured original music by Alan Orr and David Ramsay.

It was performed by a brilliant professional cast of five; PACE’s regular panto dame Chris Alexander and comedy partner Alan Orr; Dani Heron, Tommy McGowan and Katie Weir. They were supported on stage by 4 teams of young actors handpicked from PACE’s core youth theatre groups, offering them a unique chance to take part in a professional performance.

• Lauren Grace: the prodigiously talented actor talks to Mill Magazine
• Grand Fusion Restaurant Paisley dinner review
• Barnhill Farm: a unique slice of rural life in Renfrewshire

Grant Mason, Chief executive said; “As panto season closes for another year, we’re delighted to be celebrating another hugely successful run for the PACE panto. I’m incredibly proud of the team at PACE, both on and off stage, because delivering nearly 60 performances and bringing such high energy to each and every show, and joy to our audiences, is no mean feat.

“At PACE we are committed to creating quality arts experiences for audiences and making them as accessible as possible, and this is never more the case than at Christmas when a local panto offers an entertaining and affordable way for families and friends to celebrate the festivities together.

“We couldn’t have wished for a better response from everyone who has seen it. The production earned 4 star reviews in the press and was described as “a masterclass in how to do small-scale panto” in one and “ everything you’d want from a pantomime” in another, but most importantly the audience feedback received has been better than ever before and we’re thrilled to have brought some festive cheer to everyone who joined us!”

For more information on the PACE annual panto and their youth theatre, visit their website.