Clacton’s Princes Theatre is celebrating a hugely successful end to the festive season, with The Magical Adventures of Peter Pan becoming the venue’s highest grossing pantomime ever and attracting more than 13,000 audience members.

This year’s panto at the Tendring District Council-run (TDC) theatre — complete with dazzling 3D effects, breath-taking flying sequences, circus performers and laugh out loud comedy — captivated audiences throughout December and has now closed as a runaway success.

Audiences took to TripAdvisor numbers to praise this year’s show, describing it as “excellent”, “fantastic”, and “a colourful Christmas panto full of laughter”.

The professional show by Shone Productions starred Jack Daniels as Peter Pan, Georgina Newton as Tink, Daniel Hanton as Mrs Smee, Ben Coles as Smee, Nancy Edgeler Ash as the Island Chief, and pantomime favourite Nigel Peever as the villainous Captain Hook.

Councillor Gary Scott, TDC’s Cabinet Member for Arts, Culture and Heritage, said the success of the pantomime marked a significant moment for the theatre.

He said: “This year’s pantomime has not only brought the magic of the festive season to Clacton – it has helped strengthen the Princes Theatre’s position as a leading cultural venue in the region.

“Breaking box office records is a testament to the creativity on stage, the dedication of our cast, crew and production partners, and the unwavering support of our audiences.

“We are delighted to see more families than ever choosing to celebrate Christmas with us, and incredibly proud to finish the year on such a high.

“The theatre continues to expand its programme, enhance the visitor experience and invest in the long term sustainability of this much loved community venue.

“Our heartfelt thanks go to all our visitors, reviewers and supporters, and to the remarkable team whose work behind the scenes keeps the on stage magic alive.”

The record breaking season also comes at a time of wider growth for the Princes Theatre, with the Restoration Fee helping to preserve and enhance the historic venue, ensuring it stays safe, welcoming and well looked after for generations to come.

The theatre also paid tribute to customers who donated to its Access Fund, whose generosity enabled several local schools to attend the pantomime completely free of charge.

“For many children, this was their first ever experience of live theatre, creating moments of wonder that will be remembered for years,” added Councillor Scott.

The Princes Theatre continues to be recognised for its excellent customer experience, retaining its position as the number one entertainment venue on TripAdvisor locally and ranking within the top 10 percent of venues worldwide for customer excellence.

To find out more about what’s on at the Princes Theatre, visit www.princestheatre.co.uk.

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