The Hospitality Industry’s Pantomime was a fantastic success, enchanting the audience with their take on the mystical world of Aladdin.
The Springboard Charity put the magic back into hospitality, with their adaptation of the classic Eastern tale. Set within ‘The Great Arabian Nights Hotel’ – it starred all your favourite characters including Aladdin, Jasmine and Widow Twankey. The show ran for three nights – January 31st until February 2nd.
The pantomime also introduced some new faces to the tale – including that of Mrs. Spankey (Widow Twankey’s sister), Mrs. Imperial (the hotel’s General Manager) and a sparkling array of other fun-filled characters – all crucial in stopping the evil Abanazar, who sought to rid the world of motivation and career-opportunities.
Gracing the stage of the Arts Theatre, West End, the evening was a fantastic night out for everyone – with plenty of not-so-subtle winks to the industry. There were plenty of hit-musical numbers on the night too, with Springboard interpretations of Dolly Parton’s ‘Nine to Five’, Christina Aguilera’s ‘Dirty’ and B.o.B’s ‘Magic’.
The star-studded cast included Liam Wood of Byron Burger as Aladdin, Amy Stopher of Blanchette Soho as Jasmine, and Martin Dibben of Searcy’s Abanazar. It also included Charlotte Horler of Red Carnation Hotels as Mrs. Imperial, Barcley’s Bob Silk as Mrs. Spankey, and David Cowderys of the Cavalry and Guards’ Club – as well as Becky Lown of Marussia Beverages as Wishee Washee, Chris Penn as The Genie and David Armitage as the Spirit of the Ring.
The evening was made possible by the grit and determination of the Springboard team, and the other cast members plucked straight from the industry itself. All proceeds from the night went towards the Springboard Charity’s work, helping people with barriers to employment to gain work within hospitality.
In addition, such a magical night would never had happened without our generous sponsors – Meiko, Casna Group, Stalbridge Linen, CORE Recruitment, and Mr. Lee’s Noodles. Other great sponsors include Shard, OSO Local, James Hallam, Bidfood, Collins King and William Murray.