Wales’s Biggest Panto has returned to New Theatre Cardiff, and this year’s festive favourite is Sleeping Beauty, running until Sunday 4 January 2026.
One of the things that makes panto so special is how relaxed it feels. For many younger audience members, this will be their first ever theatre visit, and there really is no better introduction. Cheering, booing, singing along and getting involved is not only allowed, it’s encouraged. A quick look around the auditorium shows just how well that works, with smiles on faces of all ages.
Now that our children are getting older, with one already in high school, we were keen to see whether panto still holds its appeal beyond the early years. The short answer is yes, absolutely.
This year’s fairy tale is Sleeping Beauty, brought to life by a cast packed with familiar faces and local favourites.
Returning to the New Theatre stage are Gethin Jones as Prince Gethin, Owain Wyn Evans as the Spirit of Pantomime, and Cardiff favourite Mike Doyle as Nurse Nellie. They are joined by Jack Ryan as the endlessly likeable Muddles, Jalisa Phoenix Roberts as the wicked Carabosse, and Welsh musical theatre star Emma Kirk as Princess Aurora.
Produced by Crossroads Pantomimes, the world’s biggest pantomime producer and the team behind last year’s record breaking Cinderella, this production feels polished from the moment you arrive.
For us, the magic always starts at the theatre doors. The New Theatre Cardiff has a charm that instantly transports you to another time, when theatre trips felt like a real occasion. At Christmas especially, there is a buzz. Families gathering for festive outings, ice creams in hand, hot popcorn filling the air, and the familiar rush to get seated before the curtain rises.
If you know panto, you know the ritual. Checking rows, double checking seat numbers, and settling in for the next couple of hours. It is all part of the experience.
The story itself follows the familiar Sleeping Beauty tale, simplified perfectly for younger audience members. Princess Aurora receives a cursed birthday gift from her evil aunt Carabosse, sending her into a deep sleep for 100 years after pricking her finger on an enchanted spinning wheel. The question, of course, is whether true love will win and Prince Gethin can break the spell with a little help from the Spirit of Pantomime.
You do not really come to panto for the plot. You come for the laughs, the interaction, and the shared experience, and this production delivers on all fronts. There is plenty of comedy, lots of audience involvement, and even a small live band led by Musical Director Michael Morwood, adding extra energy throughout.
What stands out is how well balanced it all feels. There are clear moments for younger children, plenty to keep older kids engaged, and a steady stream of jokes that land squarely with the adults. As our own children have grown, it has been fun watching them start to catch the subtler humour that once went straight over their heads. There is clearly a well tested formula at work here, and it is used with confidence.
Local references are woven throughout, with Cardiff pride on full display, familiar landmarks like Cardiff Castle popping up, and the usual playful jabs aimed west towards Swansea. It gives the show a warmth and personality that feels very much at home in this theatre.
Performances across the board are strong. Jack Ryan’s Muddles is warm, funny, and effortlessly engaging. There is an easy confidence to his delivery, the kind you would expect from someone used to entertaining audiences far beyond the panto stage. He keeps the comedy moving and does so with genuine charm.
Jalisa Phoenix Roberts is a real standout as Carabosse. Her vocals are powerful and precise, cutting through the theatre with ease, and she brings real presence to the role. There is a sense of experience in the way she balances menace with humour, never leaning too far in either direction, and it makes her villain a joy to watch.
Emma Kirk brings warmth, polish, and poise to Princess Aurora. Her performance feels assured and grounded, and her vocals sit beautifully within the musical numbers. There is a calm confidence about her that anchors the story and gives the character real heart.
Mike Doyle remains a panto legend, commanding the stage with ease and knowing exactly how to work the audience. The ensemble are equally impressive, slick, energetic, and clearly loving every moment.
For our daughter, who loves to sing and dance, flicking through the programme and spotting where cast members trained and how they began their careers added an extra layer of inspiration.
There are also some welcome changes this year. A few overused songs have been quietly dropped, some familiar gags have been refreshed, and the production feels tighter as a result. The special effects in particular feel more refined, especially in scenes involving the Spirit of Pantomime, offering a few moments that genuinely surprise.
A lovely final touch comes from Owain Wyn Evans and the drums, a clear nod to his 24 hour drumming challenge for BBC Children in Need, which earned a big reaction from the audience.
For younger audience members, the programme itself is packed with games and puzzles, proper old school fun that might just tempt them away from their screens for a while.
Overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable trip to the panto, packed with laughter, colour, music, and festive cheer. It works just as well for first timers as it does for families who return year after year, and it proves that panto still has plenty of magic, even as audiences grow older.
Sleeping Beauty is now showing at New Theatre Cardiff until Sunday 4 January 2026. The runtime is 1 hour 45 minutes including an interval.
For tickets and more information, visit newtheatrecardiff.co.uk. Don’t get caught snoozing, book your tickets now.
