Joe McFadden and Hayley Gallivan join Swansea Grand Theatre panto cast

Swansea Grand Theatre have announced that Strictly glitter-ball winner and Casualty Favourite Joe McFadden and Swansea’s own West End leading lady Hayley Gallivan are to join this year’s panto cast.

They join the previously announced Kev Johns and Matt Edwards in this year’s spectacular Pantomime Beauty and the Beast, which runs from 14 December 2022 to 15 January 2023.

Joe McFadden is best known for his portrayal of trauma surgeon Raf DiLucca in BBC hospital drama Casualty and as twinkle-toed winner of the glitter-ball trophy on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.

Amongst many his extensive TV credits include Heartbeat, Cranford, The Crow Road, Sex Chips and Rock ‘n’ Roll, Judge John Deed. Joe is no stranger to the stage having appeared in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Rent, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and many more including most recent The Mirror Crack’d. 

He has played in pantomime across the UK for also appearing in the Old Vic’s Aladdin with Sir Ian Mckellan and says: “There is nothing better than panto to bring the community and family together – it unites people in the best possible way. This is just going to be the best night out out and I can’t wait to meet the audiences in Swansea”

Welsh Musical Theatre singer of the Year (2005) Hayley Gallivan will join Joe on stage in the title role of Belle. The West End leading lady has appeared in shows including Oliver,A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ragtime, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Grease, Spring Awakening and as standby Elphaba in Wicked.

Swansea born and bred Hayley is a big fan of panto and tells us her love of theatre and performance came from as a child watching the pantomime at Swansea Grand.

She said: “I love being in Swansea it’s my home, so to be back here at Christmas, doing what I love with such an amazing cast is going to be really special”

This year marks a new partnership between Imagine Pantomimes and the Swansea Grand Theatre who will be bringing a brand-new production which, alongside all your favourite panto ingredients, will include spectacular LED screens and animation.

Swansea Grand Theatre Manager Grant McFarlane says of the show: “What a Christmas cracker of a cast. This year’s panto is going to be a fabulous festive treat with its dynamic digital effects, animation and oodles of fun and frivolity. Don’t have a beastly Christmas; book your tickets today.”

When an arrogant Prince is cursed to live as a beast, his only hope of salvation is to find love before the last petal falls from a magic rose. When pretty village girl, Beauty, comes into his life, is this the chance he has been waiting for?

Beauty and the Beast will be sure to make you laugh, cry and fall in love with a host of hilarious and hairy characters; so, book your tickets now and discover if Beauty can see beyond appearances and learn to love a beast!

Tickets are on sale now at swanseagrand.co.uk.

(Lead image: Swansea Grand Theatre)