Christmas may be a distant memory and theatres start to see their 2023/24 pantomimes close but this year it appears box office records in numerous venues are being smashed. 

Panto is a particular passion for one Cumbrian theatre director has just celebrated directing his 20th professional pantomime.

David McNeill who is well known for directing musicals such as Phantom, Les Mis and Chitty, fell in love with panto when, aged 10, he went, to see Carlisle Green Room Club’s production of Sinbad the Sailor in what was, the portable Centurian Theatre on Devonshire Walk carpark. 

Three years later, David joined the Green Room and appeared as a chorus member in Cinderella which was performed at the former Stanwix Arts Theatre.

After that, it was panto every year, starting rehearsals in September and culminating in 14 performances leading up to Christmas.

Having develop the art as a performer, David became hungry to create his own productions and, aged only 24, persuaded the Green Room committee to let him direct their 1988 production of Aladdin.

Such was the shows success, he was asked to direct further pantomimes for the club and this time, writing his own scripts. David went on to write and direct Dick Whittington, Robin Hood and Cinderella before being invited out for an unexpected lunch.

David explained “I was asked by the entertainment manager at The Sands to go for lunch and she spent the entire time asking me about how I put the Green Room panto together and why the amateur show sold out every year.

"In the late 1990s ticket sales for The Sands panto had become so low that panto was pulled and replaced by a touring children’s show.

"The companies the Sands had been using simply charged too much and production values were questionable.

"A few weeks later I was invited to meet with The Sands Centre general manager who asked similar questions and then, out of the blue, asked if I would write, direct and co-produce their panto for 2000.

"It was an offer I couldn’t refuse as, for several years, I had been applying, without success, to various production companies asking to work on their pantomimes.

"The panto was to be Cinderella and part of my new role was to cast the show. It was the first time I had ever contacted agents and made ‘offers’ for star names and actors to play the various roles.

"It was a great cast and as ticket sales went up, the budget for costumes, scenery and special effects increased. The target was to sell 8,000 tickets but we ended up selling 12,000.

"It was a huge learning curve and a production I will always be immensely proud of. We had a great team and everyone pulled in the same direction creating magic and delivering a panto that exceeded expectations”.

David went on to write and direct ten pantomimes for The Sands Centre with ticket sales reaching 23,000 but in 2010 the venue felt the time had come to change the entire creative and production teams and style.

“It wasn’t totally unexpected” said David “and to be honest, I think the time was right for a change so, as a family, we spent the festive season abroad.

"For the next few years, my wife and I put a brand-new show together called the Carlisle Christmas Spectacular.

"It was light entertainment for all the family with a simple story, appearance by Father Christmas and each year ended with live animals from Walby Farm Park as we created a living nativity”.

The panto bug never went away and a chance phone call with a top producer ended with an offer to direct Snow White in Leeds which was then followed by Aladdin and Cinderella.

David always had ambitions to work for the UK’s biggest panto producer Qdos Entertainment and whilst in London, was invited for coffee with their casting director.

By the time David left the office, he had been offered the chance to direct Peter Pan to celebrate the opening of the multi million-pound refurbishment of Hull New Theatre.

“The production values were insane,” said David. “We had spectacular flying, the most amazing stage set and costumes that wouldn’t have been out of place in Vegas.

"It was yet another learning curve as dealing with major TV personalities can have its own challenges”.

David directed a further two productions for Qdos both starring, amongst others, TV legend Anita Dobson and comedy icon Bernie Clifton but everything suddenly stopped for Covid!

David has just returned from Yorkshire having directed his 20th professional pantomime, and his sixth Cinderella! The show ran for 72 performances playing to 25,000 people.

As director, David has only six days to work with the cast before two days of technical rehearsals, two dress rehearsals, one preview for invited guests and then opening to sell out school audiences.

“It’s a tough two weeks for everyone as the actors need to learn a script, dance routines, musical numbers and all the comedy business that goes into panto," said David.

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"Once the show is open, I watch three performances to gauge the audience reaction to various things and make changes if needed.

"Sometimes a joke, dialogue or even a song needs tweaking or even cut to hit the running times stipulated by the venue. My job is then done but It is always a joy to go back, mid run, to see how the show is going” .

David is directing StageRight's upcoming production of BARNUM which begins on July 12.