Mayflower Theatre has released behind the scenes images from their panto press launch, celebrating this year’s magical pantomime adventure, The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan.
Leading the cast will be in this high-flying pantomime will be Alexandra Burke and Dr Ranj as Captain Hook and The Magical Merman, alongside comedian and ventriloquist Max Fulham who will play Smee.
The cast will be completed by Rhiannon Chesterman who will play Wendy Darling, Noah Harrison, who will play Peter Pan and Carly Joan Furlong as Tink.
Alexandra Burke iis truly one of the UK’s most distinguishable powerhouse voices, having sold over 5 million records. Her no. 1 chart-toppers include Bad Boys, Start Without You and Hallelujah. Her double platinum debut album Overcome has sold over 850,000 copies in the UK alone. Alexandra has established herself as one of the UK’s most sought-after West End leading ladies having starred in The Bodyguard, Sister Act, Chess, Chicago and Michael Harrison’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium. The multi-platinum recording artist and actress first rose to fame 15 years ago, winning the fifth series of The X Factor, while duetting with Beyoncé. Alexandra received a BIFA nomination for her debut movie role in Pretty Red Dress and she has recently finished filming for the brand-new crime-drama series Curfew, which is out now on Paramount+.
Alexandra’s Mayflower Theatre panto appearance follows her successful panto season last Christmas at New Wimbledon Theatre. Alexandra made her pantomime debut in 2021 at Manchester Opera House and then performed in 2022 in The London Palladium Pantomime.
Dr Ranj will play The Magical Merman for the first time, following panto roles such as Spirit of the Bells (Birmingham Hippodrome, Theatre Royal Nottingham), Man in the Mirror (Churchill Theatre Bromley), and The Royal Physician (Bradford Alhambra). Alongside his work as a practicing doctor working in the NHS, Dr Ranj appears on BBC’s Morning Live, is a columnist and writer, and proved his needle skills in the 2020 Christmas Special of The Great British Sewing Bee. He has appeared as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, fronted ITV1’s Dr Ranj: On Call, Save Money: Good Health, Save Money: Lose Weight, and his new series, Extreme Food Phobics. Ranj has recently toured with &Juliet, where he performed at Mayflower Theatre in November 2024.
Max Fulham returns to the role of Smee after playing the role last Christmas in Milton Keynes. Max is a comedian and ventriloquist, who in addition to gaining popularity on both TV and in theatre, has become a social media sensation where he has amassed over 2 million likes on TikTok. Brining a fresh and contemporary twist to a classic art, Max has wowed audiences with his one man show, entertaining thousands of people in theatres across the UK and internationally. Highlights include appearing in The Good Old Days at Leeds City Varieties and performing on the Blackpool Opera House stage as part of the world-famous Blackpool Magic Convention. Max has also had the unique pleasure of headlining at the prestigious Venthaven Ventriloquist Convention in the USA. With TV appearances including ITV’s Saturday night show Game of Talents, Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable on Dave and the revival of the classic Crackerjack!, Max’s comedic talents are in high demand. He is also a regular on the stand-up comedy circuit.
Rhiannon Chesterman has most recently played Susie in Lady Be Good (Teatro Massimo), Scaramouche in We Will Rock You (Royal Caribbean) and Sherrie in Rock of Ages (UK Tour). Her other theatre credits include Wendy in Peter Pan (Birmingham Hippodrome), Standby Gwyneth and Kristen in I Wish You Well (Criterion Theatre), Snow White in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Aylesbury Waterside and Tunbridge Wells), Julia in The Wedding Singer (Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre), Wendy in Peter Pan (Lyric Theatre Belfast), Regina in Rock of Ages (UK and Ireland tour), Frenchy / cover Sandy and Rizzo in Grease (UK and Ireland tour), Millerette / cover Maureen in Mrs Henderson Presents (Theatre Royal, Bath and Noël Coward Theatre), Cinderella in Cinderella (Richmond Theatre and Bristol Hippodrome), Louise in The Fox on the Fairway, Maggie in Lend Me a Tenor (Vienna’s English Theatre), Pookie in Tinseltown (Theatre at the Mill), Princess Beauty in Sleeping Beauty (Grand Opera House, Belfast), Shelley/cover Tracy in Hairspray (UK and Ireland tour), Julie in Teenage Kicks (Millennium Forum), and Onstage Swing in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Kensington Gardens). This Autumn, Rhiannon will be playing the role of Elizabeth Benning in Young Frankenstein at The Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester.
Noah Harrison most recently played Anthony Hope in Sweeny Todd (Opera national du Rhin, Strasbourg) and Giulo in Pretty Woman the Musical which performed to sold out Southampton audiences in 2024 as part of its UK and Ireland tour. The production also toured to Theatre 11, Zurich. His other theatre credits include Mark/Hard Harry in Pump Up The Volume (Turbine Theatre),42nd Street (Théâtre du Châtelet) directed by Stephen Mear, and Roger in Grease (Dominion Theatre, West End debut).
Carly Joan Furlong most recently played Tinker Bell in Bristol Hippodrome’s pantomime, Peter Pan. Carly’s credits whilst training include Flo Evans in Kipps: The Half A Sixpence Musical and Luisa Contini in Nine.
The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan is staged by Crossroads Pantomimes, the world’s biggest pantomime producer, led by Michael Harrison and the team behind recent Mayflower Theatre Christmas successes including last year’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk.
For three weeks only, The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan will bring all the laughter, spectacle, special effects and glittering festive magic audiences have come to expect each year from Mayflower Theatre’s spectacular Christmas panto.
So be part of the panto magic – hook your tickets today!
Tickets for The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan (Saturday 13 December 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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