Posted in: Pop Culture | Tagged: jeremy corbyn, Pantomime, wizard of oz

Jeremy Corbyn To Play The Wizard Of Oz In Pantomime This Christmas

Jeremy Corbyn to play the Wizard Of Oz in pantomime this Christmas at Islington's Pleasance Theatre in London

Your Party MP for Islington North, former Leader Of The Opposition, and Alan Moore-backed Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is to tread the boards this Christmas in pantomime at the Pleasance theatre in Islington. Corbyn will be playing the role of the Wizard of Oz-lington in Wicked Witches. Sadly, he won't be live twice a night like the others, but will be appearing in his role on the screen.

Pantomime is a British family theatre tradition for the winter months, in which classic fairy tales are rewritten as satirical, camp, broad comedies, with songs, innuendo, audience interaction, puns, wordplay and cross-dressing. But this production seems to be making things a little bit more on the nose. Drag artist Gigi Zahir will play the wicked witch Adelphaba, Eleanor Burke who will play The Good Witch Kelly Oz-Born, Ro Suppa as Dor, Nick MacDuff as The Scarecrow and Lew Ray as Tin 2.0.

Corbyn said: "The Pleasance has been at the heart of our community for 30 years, and local theatre like this deserves our support. Local theatre is where the real wizardry happens, sparking imagination and spreading a bit of joy." And unusually, there are two types of performances, with one version deemed family-friendly and the other for adults only. Wicked Witches will run from the 21st of November to the 31st of December for all-ages performances and from the 18th of November to the 28th of December for the adults-only performances. Here are the descriptions for both versions.

Wicked Witches: A Popular Panto
Grab your friends and family and follow the Yellow Brick (Caledonian) Road this Christmas for an unforgettable panto mash-up of Wicked and The Wizard of Oz! Twenty years after Dor first tumbled over the rainbow, a surprise snowstorm drags her back to the Borough of Oz-lington, where Christmas is on thin ice. Teaming up once more with Scarecrow, Lion and the shiny new Tin 2.0, Dor sets out on a feel-good adventure full of courage, individuality and acceptance. It's the classic characters you know and love, reunited for a brand new festive quest! Expect high-energy fun – whether you're seven, seventeen or seventy-something – packed with pop song parodies and panto magic. Plus a special on-screen appearance at every performance from Jeremy Corbyn as the Wizard of Oz-lington! The MP for Islington North is swapping Parliament for panto as he joins us in celebrating 30 years of theatre-making within the local community. So come along to Pleasance this Christmas and you can see a politician promising magic – and, actually delivering it! Under-2s go free. Written and Directed by Shane ShayShay Konno. Produced by Pleasance, in association with The Vaults

Wicked Witches Panto – For Adults!
Follow the Yellow Brick (Caledonian) Road for a wickedly naughty night out! Gather your friends and frenemies for an outrageous drag-cabaret mash-up of Wicked and The Wizard of Oz. It's our traditional panto, with one big twist: this version is strictly for grown-ups! Twenty years after that fateful trip over the rainbow, Dor is dragged back to the Borough of Oz-lington by a surprise snowstorm, where she reunites with her OG squad (featuring a glow-up Tin 2.0) to try and save Christmas. It's the classic characters you know and love… but like you've never seen them before! Expect a high-energy panto bursting with pop song parodies and festive filth. Plus a special on-screen appearance at every performance from Jeremy Corbyn as the Wizard of Oz-lington! The MP for Islington North is swapping Parliament for panto as he joins us in celebrating 30 years of theatre-making within the local community. So come along to Pleasance this Christmas and you can see a politician promising magic – and, actually delivering it!  Over 18s only. Written and Directed by Shane ShayShay Konno Produced by Pleasance, in association with The Vaults

Head of Theatre at Pleasance London, Ellie Simpson, said: "Jeremy's as much a part of Islington as the Yellow Brick Road is of Oz, so who better to play the Wizard of Oz-lington His cameo adds a touch of local sparkle to our wickedly funny festive panto, which marks Pleasance's first in over twenty years and raises the curtain on our 30th anniversary celebrations. This special collaboration combines The Vaults' reputation for anarchic, subversive pantomimes with The Pleasance's unique cabaret-style space and community focus. Wicked Witches is the theatre's most ambitious Christmas offering to date, launching the build-up to Pleasance London's 30th anniversary in 2026."

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