This Christmas will be welcoming a new family pantomime to Pembrokeshire. The classic story of Jack and the Beanstalk will be retold by reality TV star, James Argent, and a cast of both professional and local performers.

Set in the De Valence Pavilion in Tenby, James will be playing Silly Simon in the production. Although generally known for his appearances in the reality TV series, 'The Only Way Is Essex', James is also known for his performing talents, and has appeared in other pantomimes such as, Cinderella and Aladdin.

James says he has always loved singing, and has been compared to Frank Sinatra. When talking about his new pantomime venture he said:

"I absolutely love pantomime especially interacting with the audiences, there is nothing like a good panto to really get you into the festive season. I love Wales and can’t wait to come to Tenby for the first time"

Other performers in the production include,West End leading lady Emma Norman as The Woodland Fairy, Alan Wilson, a 2021 graduate of London Studio Centre as the hero Jack, James Schouten (Tony in West Side Story and Marcello in La Bohѐme) as the evil Fleshcreep, and Woodrow Young who trained at Arts Educational, London as Ensemble/Dancer. Emma Norman has a lot of experience in panto, and has worked alongside famous names such as Michael Ball and Il Divo.

Dave Jones, general manager of The De Valence in Tenby said:

“For many years the De Valence has strived to bring a varied diary of entertainment and we are so proud to be working with Drew and the team at Vision Arts to give the county another top-class show on their doorstep. This is going to be a great boost for the future development of the arts in Pembrokeshire and we are so excited to be a part of it”

Nobody has been cast for one of the main roles of 'Princess Jill', the production are looking for someone in Pembrokeshire to play the role. Soon they will launch their ‘Search for a Princess’ scheme, and have told the public to keep an eye on social media for more details.

Auditions will take place in the summer, and the company is also looking for 60 youngsters from the age of 6-12 to perform along with four local senior dancers.

Cast member, creator and director of the show, Drew Baker said:

“I could not be happier to be producing the pantomime at the De Valence Pavilion. The space is amazing, and I promise the biggest pantomime the county has ever seen featuring a quality star cast, fantastic scenery and costumes, an amazing live band, and magical special effects. Jack and the Beanstalk is a wonderful story that everyone knows and loves so make sure you book your tickets nice and early to secure the best seats, this will truly be an amazing spectacle for all the people of Pembrokeshire and beyond especially after the year we have all had.”

Vision Arts will also be giving away 400 free tickets to Welsh NHS staff as a small token of thanks for the incredible work they do daily, but even more so during the pandemic. The ‘NHS Free Ticket’ performances will take place on Sunday 12, Monday 20, Thursday 23 and Wednesday 29 December. More information will be available on the website.

Jack and the Beanstalk runs at De Valence Pavilion, Tenby from Thursday December 9 to Friday December 31. Tickets can be booked via www.bigpembspanto.com

For group rates, and the NHS Free Ticket offer contact tickets@visionartswales.com