Panto star Shane Richie is welcomed by Samuel Holmes and members of the Dick Whittington ensemble to Plymouth

16th October 2025

Theatre Royal Plymouth (TRP) and Crossroads Pantomimes are gearing up for another spectacular festive season as Dick Whittington prepares to venture to TRP from Friday 12 December 2025 to Saturday 10 January 2026. On Friday 10 October, two of the pantomime’s stars voyaged to Plymouth to seek their festive fortune, joined by members of the ensemble posing as the rodent army!

Beloved entertainer and well-known star of prime-time television, Shane Richie, will lead the cast as the quick-witted Dick Whittington. Acclaimed for his charismatic on-screen presence, Shane is no stranger to pantomime, having delighted Plymouth audiences back in 2022 in the hugely successful production of Sleeping Beauty.

Joining Shane on his visit was Plymouth’s own Samuel Holmes, who returns to TRP for his third pantomime season, bringing his trademark humour to the Lyric stage once again. Samuel was most recently seen at TRP in the hit touring production of Calamity Jane, and audiences will remember him fondly from previous TRP pantomimes, Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

This year’s pantomime will also celebrate local talent, with two company members hailing from Plymouth. Alongside Samuel, Emily Beth Harrington returns to her hometown for the first time in five years, having previously performed at TRP in Robinson Crusoe in 2020. Emily, who reprises her role as Alice Fitzwarren after delighting audiences at Theatre Royal Nottingham last year, brings a wealth of pantomime experience, including roles in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Aladdin and Dick Whittington.

The cast also features Anne Smith, whose impressive stage credits include Evita, Chess, Mamma Mia!, Annie, and Sister Act. Her stage work also includes Piaf, Amadeus, Cabaret, and Company, and she has been seen on television in EastEnders and Taggart.

Panto dame Iain Stuart Robertson has appeared in more than 100 productions, including The Hobbit, Amadeus, King Lear and Tom’s Midnight Garden. His screen credits include Endeavour, The Bletchley Circle and Bel Ami, and he is also a prolific voice artist. Iain has performed in panto for over 30 years.

Completing the company is Kira McPherson, who has appeared in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Matilda The Musical, Bring It On and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Her work also includes stage, film and dance performances.

Dick Whittington is staged by Crossroads Pantomimes, the world’s biggest pantomime producer, led by Michael Harrison and the team behind recent Theatre Royal Plymouth Christmas successes including last year’s production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

James Mackenzie-Blackman, Chief Executive and Artistic Director at Theatre Royal Plymouth, said:

“We were thrilled to welcome Shane Richie and Samuel Holmes to Plymouth ahead of this year’s pantomime. Shane is one of the UK’s most loved entertainers and we’re absolutely delighted that he’ll be bringing his energy, humour, and warmth to the Theatre Royal stage, and we can’t wait for Plymouth audiences to experience his take on the legendary Dick Whittington.

“It’s always a joy to have Sam back with us too - he’s become a firm favourite here in Plymouth, and his return adds another special touch to what promises to be a brilliant festive season.

“With such an outstanding cast, Dick Whittington will be packed with laughter, adventure, and festive sparkle. It’s going to be a show to remember.”

Join Dick Whittington as he seeks fame, fortune and happiness, journeying to become Lord Mayor.

Packed with all the traditional pantomime ingredients audiences know to expect from Theatre Royal Plymouth, don’t miss the action-packed pantomime that promises to be full of laugh-out-loud comedy, plenty of boos and hisses and lavish sets and costumes from The London Palladium.

Tickets are on sale now for Dick Whittington, which runs from Friday 12 December 2025 to Saturday 10 January 2026 at Theatre Royal Plymouth.