Since December 1973, the Arkenstall Centre has produced a variety of pantomimes – some traditional, some rarely performed, and others that are more quirky in their story and presentation. Every pantomime is written and directed by a resident of Haddenham or Aldreth – something of which we are very proud.
All of our cast and production team are volunteers, gathering together to put on a show – partly to have fun and enjoy the theatrical arts, but also to raise money for the Arkenstall Village Centre.
The most popular pantomime stories are Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin and Cinderella, all of which have been performed at the Arkenstall Centre four times since 1973. Some, such as The White Cat, are rarely performed, even professionally, and are a throwback to an earlier age of pantomime which is, unfortunately, lost. The 1978 pantomime was performed in January 1979, setting the precedent for all subsequent shows to be performed in the New Year, rather than at Christmas.
Most Popular Pantos in Haddenham:
Sleeping Beauty (1973, 1977, 1999, 2014); Aladdin (1974, 1984, 2002, 2015); Cinderella (1975, 1987, 2008, 2020); Snow White (1983, 2003, 2017); Jack & the Beanstalk (1981, 1994, 2011); Dick Whittington (1976, 1996, 2019); Peter Pan (1985, 2005); Puss in Boots (1980, 1990); Robin Hood (1982, 2012); The Snow Queen (1992, 2018); The Wizard of Oz (1979, 2004).
One Performance Wonders:
Humpty Dumpty (1986); Quest for a Princess (1988); Robinson Crusoe (1989); King Arthur (1991); Tinder Box (1993); Once Upon a Panto (1995); The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (1997); Two Weddings and a Friar (1998); The Adventures of Pinocchio (2000); Hansel and Gretel (2001); The White Cat (2006); The Pied Piper of Haddenham (2007); The Princess and the Peas (2009); Beauty and the Beast (2010); Calamity Dame (2013); Quasimodo, or Three Pantos for the Price of One (2016), The Little Mermaid (2023), Treasure Island (2024)