Local children to star in pantomime – register to audition now

The hunt is on for local children to star in our 2024 pantomime, Cinderella, co-produced with Exeter-based theatre company, Le Navet Bete. A team of just five 7 – 11 year-olds will share the role of Quackers the Duck, each appearing in 12 performances during the run.

Cinderella will build on our year-on-year record-breaking success with annual pantomimes created with Le Navet Bete. Last year’s collaboration, Dick Whittington, was nominated for Best Pantomime (Under 500 Seats) at the Pantomime Awards. Ticket revenue for Cinderella has already surpassed that for Dick Whittington at the same time last year by 101%.

Martin Berry, our Creative Director & Joint Chief Executive said:

“We are so excited to be offering this wonderful opportunity for children in and around Exeter. I remember those magical moments as a youngster so well: rehearsing with professionals, learning the moves and songs, standing on stage as the lights come up and then the thrill of hearing the applause at the end. These experiences created a life-long love of theatre.

Young people are at the heart of our plans at the Northcott, plans which include creating opportunities like this, but to be honest, I am also certain the talent of the children will make our iconic pantomime even better than it already is.”

Exeter Northcott Theatre and Le Navet Bete's Dick Whittington artwork. Background: a foggy panorama photo of the city of London, with iconic buildings such as Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and St Paul's Cathedral. The cityscape is washed over with a burgundy haze. Foreground: A black and white cat (black body, white neck collar, white paws) looks towards the cityscape and we see them in near silhouette. They are stood on a yellow-brick path, with green grassy hills either side of them. On the hills, grey rats with large red eyes. On the left hand side of the cat, a rat holds a stereotypical hobo sack on a stick. At the top of the artwork, gold text reads: 'Exeter Northcott Theatre and Le Navet Bete present Dick Whittington.' Another group of rats with large red eyes are playing around the letters in 'Dick Whittington'. A cat paw icon replaces the dot on top of the letter 'I' in 'Dick', and a block of cheese replaces the dot on top of the second letter 'I' in 'Whittington.

Dick Whittington Production Photo: 4 characters in a colourful shop; Sarah Suet (Matt Freeman) is leaning against the counter in a dress decorated with cheese triangles; Jack (Al Dunn) is sitting on the counter in an orange and yellow outfit; Alice (Sophia Lewis) is leaning on the other side of the counter in a green dress, with one hand on her hip; they are all watching Alderman Fitzwarren (Nick Bunt) who stands in the foreground in fine gold-trimmed clothes, gesturing with one hand and clutching a red sack in the other.

Photo by Craig Fuller

Al Dunn, Co-Artistic Director of Le Navet Bete said:

“Our young performers will be stepping into a number of different roles. As well as our cheeky duck, Quackers, they will play a townsperson, paper-round kid, courtier, referee and last but not least, Graham the Manager! The best part of all is the chance to poke lots of fun at our dame, Matt Freeman!

We are lucky enough to be working on Cinderella with an incredible team of professionals across all aspects of theatre. As members of this team, each young performer will enjoy a memorable and brilliant learning experience.”

This opportunity is the latest in a series of open call-outs driving forward the Northcott’s mission to open up creative opportunities for local people, following Martin Berry’s public commitment to offer at least one open call-out per Northcott production.

Fun, workshop-style auditions will take place at the Barnfield Theatre on Sat 27 July. The closing date for registrations is Wed 24 July.

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