After amazing previous productions of Elf, Cinderella and Peter Pan, Wizard Of Oz is the brand-new spectacular Christmas show set to lift the art of arena panto right over the rainbow to Aberdeen’s P&J Live on Friday, 17th December 2021.
It will be performed on the world’s biggest panto stage, (the equivalent of four London Palladiums), plus two mobile stages that travel around the arena as the yellow brick road unfolds in front of a 6,000 seat audience. Producer Jon Conway points out this is only half the normal arena capacity and with its vast foyers and high arena auditorium, he is confident it will be one of the safest covid aware performance spaces this Xmas.
‘Country File’ and ‘One Show’ star Matt Baker plays the Wizard. Matt says: “This Christmas I'm swapping the green fields of Our Farm in the Dales for the Emerald City! I'll be an acrobatic, laser wielding wizard and I might even bring the Children in Need Rickshaw along for the ride. It's a show packed with spectacular entertainment and fun with a brilliant script and cast to boot. I can't wait for my festive tour on the yellow brick road!“
Jenny Ryan is best known as ‘The Vixen’ on ITV’s hit show ‘The Chase’ but is also known for her fabulous voice on ‘Celebrity X Factor’. Jenny says: “The spectacular size of the show is breathtaking. There are giant video screens with animated computer graphic backgrounds and an ice-covered Emerald city skating scene that is magical. With a ten-metre tall roof there is plenty of flying, with cirque stars as the crows and the witch actually flies on a broomstick around the arena. What’s also fun is that I am known as one of telly’s top TV quizzers, yet I have to contend with a man with no brains at all.”
This refers to the Scarecrow played by the new comedy star Jordan Conway. Astonishingly, given the pandemic, Jordan has worked non-stop every week since May, headlining his own show at Butlins, Blackpool’s Viva cabaret and theatre tours. Jordan is the only cast member to have appeared in all four World’s Biggest Panto arena shows.
Jordan says: “I can’t wait to get started, nothing beats the sound of thousands of family members all laughing together.”
Charlie Quirke who is known for his role as Travis in the hugely popular TV Sit-Com Birds of a Feather will play the role of the Tin Man bringing an eccentric mechanical twist to the role. Charlie says: I'm excited to be performing again in another spectacular WBP production and touring to these great venues creating this wonderful character.
Louise Stewart, Head of Entertainment, Exhibitions & Marketing at P&J Live says: ”Everybody loves a panto at Christmas time and, with most of us having missed our regular Christmas visit to the theatre in 2020, we wanted to bring an extra special panto extravaganza to Aberdeen this year. With some fantastic famous faces and incredible sets, we can’t wait for the people of the North East to immerse themselves in the wonderful world of Oz.”
Wizard Of Oz The Arena Spectacular will visit 8 city arenas across the UK, Cardiff Sat 4 December, Sheffield Friday 10 December, Liverpool Sunday 12 December, Aberdeen, 17 December, Leeds, Monday 20 December, Birmingham Tue 21-Friday 24 December, Glasgow Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December, Wembley Thursday 30 December, and Nottingham Sunday 2 January.
P&J Live’s venue pre-sale starts at 9am on Thursday, September 30th 2021 and tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, October 1st 2021 at www.pandjlive.com
Full details on www.wizardofozuk.com
The Event Complex Aberdeen (TECA)
The Event Complex Aberdeen (TECA) is Scotland's brand new, state of the art events venue.
