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Imagine Theatre

Imagine Theatre Ltd. is a British theatre production company specialising in pantomime, family entertainment and theatrical hire services. Based in Coventry, England, the company is one of the largest producers of professional pantomime in the United Kingdom, producing and co-producing productions across dozens of venues annually.

Founded by husband-and-wife team Steve and Sarah Boden, the company traces its origins back to the 1990s through earlier businesses Tell-Tale and WISH Theatre, before rebranding as Imagine Theatre in 2009. The company later became part of the Trafalgar Entertainment group.

In addition to producing pantomimes and children’s theatre, Imagine Theatre operates a large theatrical hire division supplying costumes, scenery, props and special effects to productions across the UK. The company also produces the Just Imagine podcast and runs community and charitable initiatives through its Imagine Cares programme.

History

Early years

The origins of Imagine Theatre date back to 1994 with the formation of Tell-Tale, a theatre company focused on family entertainment and pantomime. In 2005, the business evolved into WISH Theatre, continuing to expand its seasonal pantomime operations and touring productions.

In 2009, the company was rebranded as Imagine Theatre. Under the leadership of Steve and Sarah Boden, the organisation expanded significantly during the 2010s and 2020s, becoming one of the UK’s busiest pantomime producers.

The company later joined the Trafalgar Entertainment group, alongside organisations including Trafalgar Theatres, Trafalgar Releasing, Stagecoach Performing Arts and London Theatre Direct.

Expansion

By the mid-2020s, Imagine Theatre had produced more than 250 professional pantomimes and was working across more than 50 venues nationwide. The company also developed one of the UK’s largest independent theatrical hire operations, supplying scenery, costumes, props and effects to theatres and producers around the country.

Imagine Theatre operates from a purpose-built headquarters in Coventry, which houses offices, workshops, storage facilities and costume departments containing tens of thousands of costume items.

The company’s productions have received numerous nominations at the UK Pantomime Association Awards, including awards for Best Set and Best Pantomime over 900 seats.

Productions

Imagine Theatre is best known for producing large-scale traditional pantomimes throughout the United Kingdom. Productions typically feature celebrity casting, elaborate scenic design, original comedy routines and audience participation elements associated with British pantomime tradition. Alongside pantomime, the company also produces children’s theatre, Santa shows and touring family productions

Imagine Theatre has also produced and supported touring productions connected to children’s television personalities, including Justin Live – Justin Time to Rock featuring Justin Fletcher in 2025/26.

In Autumn 2026, Imagine Theatre is co-producing a tour of Hen Night Horror in association with Five Brick May Productions. Hen Night Horror is an original muscial comedy by Fraser Boyle and Ali Cleland.

2026/2027 Pantomimes:


City	Venue	Title	Dates	Casting
Bromley	Churchill Theatre	Sleeping Beauty	Sat 5 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	To be announced
Cardiff	New Theatre	Beauty and the Beast	Sat 5 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	To be announced
Carmarthen	Lyric Theatre	Dick Whittington	Thu 10 Dec - Mon 28 Dec 2026	To be announced
Coventry	Belgrade Theatre	Beauty and the Beast	Wed 18 Nov 2026 - Sat 2 Jan 2027	To be announced
Crewe	Lyceum Theatre	Sleeping Beauty	Fri 11 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	Malcolm Lord, Ste Johnston
Dartford	Orchard Theatre	Cinderella	Sat 12 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	Joe Pasquale, Keith Jack, Ben Goffe, Gareth Mitchell, Garnon Davies, Vanessa Dumatey
Fareham	Fareham Live	Jack and the Beanstalk	Fri 11 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	Anne Hegerty, Josiah Eloi
Glasgow	Glasgow Pavilion	Goldilocks and the Three Bonnie Bears	Thu 26 Nov 2026 - Sun 10 Jan 2027	Liam Dolan, Grado, Stephen Purdon, Scott Fletcher, Jack Jester, Jennifer Neil, Valissa Scott, Craig Glover, Louise McCarthy
Halifax	Victoria Theatre	Aladdin	Fri 11 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	Andrew Pollard, Matthew Allen
Hertford	BEAM	Jack and the Beanstalk	Wed 9 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	To be announced
High Wycombe	Wycombe Swan	Peter Pan	Fri 11 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	La Voix
Inverness	Eden Court Theatre	Cinderella	Wed 2 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	To be announced
Kilmarnock	Galleon Centre	Beauty and the Beastie	Fri 27 Nov - Sun 27 Dec 2026	To be announced
Kirkcaldy	The Adam Smith Theatre	Beauty and the Beast	Thu 3 Dec - Wed 30 Dec 2026	To be announced
Leamington Spa	Royal Spa Centre	Cinderella	Fri 4 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	AJ Pritchard, Curtis Pritchard
Leicester	De Montfort Hall	Beauty and the Beast	Sat 12 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	Jenny Ryan, Jarred Christmas, Jack Ballard
Llandudno	Venue Cymru	Sleeping Beauty	Sat 12 Dec 2026 - Sat 2 Jan 2027	To be announced
Reading	The Hexagon	Aladdin	Sat 5 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	Justin Fletcher, Paul Morse
Stafford	Stafford Gatehouse	Aladdin	Fri 4 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	To be announced
Swansea	Swansea Grand Theatre	Snow White	Sat 5 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	To be announced
Swindon	Wyvern Theatre	Jack and the Beanstalk	Sat 5 Dec 2026 - Sun 3 Jan 2027	To be announced

Production ethos

Imagine Theatre describes its productions as “story-based pantomimes”, with a focus on family accessibility, traditional storytelling and large-scale visual spectacle.

The company is known for integrating:

Bespoke scenery
Large costume inventories
Practical special effects
Audience interaction
Contemporary music
Comedy routines tailored to regional audiences

The organisation places emphasis on maintaining traditional pantomime conventions while modernising productions for contemporary family audiences.

Theatrical hire division

A major part of Imagine Theatre’s business is its theatrical hire operation, commonly referred to as the “Hire Shop”.

The division supplies:

Full pantomime sets
Scenic elements
Costumes
Props
Puppets
Special effects
Transport and logistics support

The company hires equipment and production assets to theatres, schools, amateur dramatic societies and independent producers throughout the UK.

Imagine Theatre also maintains extensive costume and props warehouses and provides support for productions ranging from small-scale amateur theatre to major professional pantomimes.

Just Imagine podcast

In 2021, Imagine Theatre launched Just Imagine, a performing arts podcast hosted by broadcaster and actor Martin Ballard.

The podcast focuses on the world of pantomime and theatre production, featuring interviews with performers, directors, writers, designers, comedians and industry professionals. Episodes explore both the creative and technical aspects of staging pantomime productions.

The series has featured guests from across British theatre and entertainment and has released more than 100 episodes.

Topics discussed on the podcast include:

Pantomime history
Set design
Costume production
Comedy performance
Casting
Touring theatre
Backstage operations
Theatre careers

The podcast is distributed on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Imagine Cares

Imagine Cares is the company’s community and outreach initiative, focusing on charitable work, sustainability and support for local communities.

The programme has included:

Charity fundraising
Community partnerships
Educational outreach
Support for local initiatives
Environmental and sustainability projects

The company has also highlighted its commitment to accessibility and inclusive theatre experiences through relaxed performances and adapted productions.

Sustainability

Imagine Theatre has stated that it is a carbon neutral company. Sustainability initiatives have included the reuse and refurbishment of scenic materials, costume recycling and environmentally focused production practices.

The company has also supported the Theatre Green Book initiative and has promoted sustainable theatre-making practices across its productions and operations.

Charitable partnerships

Imagine Theatre has supported a number of charitable organisations and fundraising campaigns through its productions and corporate initiatives.

Among the organisations publicly supported by the company is Lend With Care, a microfinance initiative supported by CARE International UK. The company has participated in long-term lending and reinvestment schemes to support entrepreneurs and small businesses internationally.

The company has also supported local theatre, arts and community-based fundraising initiatives connected to venues and regional productions.

Facilities

Imagine Theatre operates from Trafalgar House in Coventry. The site includes:

Administrative offices
Scenic workshops
Costume departments
Prop stores
Rehearsal areas
Transport and logistics facilities

The company’s wardrobe department manages a collection of more than 40,000 costume items.

Recognition

Imagine Theatre productions have received multiple nominations and awards from the UK Pantomime Association Awards.

The company has become recognised within the UK theatre industry as a major producer of regional pantomime and family entertainment.

UK Pantomime Association Awards:


Year	Nominated	Won
2026	BEST SISTERS: Hannah Roberts and Fran Cottington aka Han and Fran: Cinderella, Venue Cymru, Llandudno BEST COSTUMES: James MacIver: Sleeping Beauty, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry BEST LIGHTING: Matt Ladkin: Sleeping Beauty, Wyvern Theatre, Swindon BEST SECONDARY LEAD: Finlay McKillop: Sleeping Beauty, Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford BEST DAME: Steve Elias: Snow White, Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen BEST CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC: Steve Clark and Shaun Critten: Cinderella, Venue Cymru, Llandudno BEST NEWCOMER TO PANTOMIME: Jack ‘Hobbit’ Hobbs: Dick Whittington, De Montfort Hall, Leicester BEST PANTOMIME (550 to 950 Seats): Snow White, Eden Court, Inverness (Imagine Theatre and Eden Court)	BEST SISTERS: Hannah Roberts and Fran Cottington aka Han and Fran: Cinderella, Venue Cymru, Llandudno BEST COSTUMES: James MacIver: Sleeping Beauty, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
2025	BEST ENSEMBLE: Nikki Schofield, Alanna Panditaratne, James Everest, Ariel Nyandoro, Jacob Stebbings: Peter Pan, Victoria Theatre, Halifax BEST SOUND: Kate Harvey: Jack and the Beanstalk, Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Lauren Stroud: Aladdin, Beck Theatre, Hayes BEST LIGHTING: Jamie Corbidge: Aladdin, Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe BEST SCRIPT: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Big Top at Ayrshire Athletics Arena, Kilmarnock BEST COMIC: Ben Goffe: Cinderella, Wyvern Theatre, Swindon BEST SISTERS: Eleanor Burke and Sophie Hirst: Cinderella, Wyvern Theatre, Swindon BEST SISTERS: Gareth Mitchell and Garnon Davies: Cinderella, Fareham Live BEST NEWCOMER TO PANTOMIME: Colum Findlay: Jack and the Beanstalk, Eden Court, Inverness BEST NEWCOMER TO INDUSTRY: Lois Brook: Dick Whittington, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry BEST PANTOMIME (Over 900 seats): Aladdin, Wycombe Swan Theatre, High Wycombe	BEST ENSEMBLE: Nikki Schofield, Alanna Panditaratne, James Everest, Ariel Nyandoro, Jacob Stebbings: Peter Pan, Victoria Theatre, Halifax BEST SOUND: Kate Harvey: Jack and the Beanstalk, Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford
2024	BEST LIGHTING DESIGN: Jamie Corbidge: Cinderella, Swansea Grand Theatre BEST SISTERS: Iain Lauchlan and Andy Hockley: Cinderella, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry BEST COMIC: John Evans: Peter Pan, Venue Cymru, Llandudno BEST DIRECTION: Steve Boden: Sleeping Beauty, The Hexagon, Reading BEST SCRIPT: Sleeping Beauty, Eden Court, Inverness BEST SOUND DESIGN: Stephen Rickard: Cinderella, Rotherham Civic Theatre BEST PANTOMIME (500 – 900 seats): Cinderella, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry BEST PANTOMIME (over 900 seats): Sleeping Beauty, The Hexagon, Reading	BEST LIGHTING DESIGN: Jamie Corbidge: Cinderella, Swansea Grand Theatre BEST SISTERS: Iain Lauchlan and Andy Hockley: Cinderella, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
2023	BEST SET DESIGN: Mark Walters, Nina Dunn and Matt Brown – Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre BEST PANTOMIME (Over 900 seats): Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre BEST PANTOMIME (Over 900 seats): Cinderella, Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Eddie Slattery – Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre, Swansea BEST DAME: JP McCue – Cinderella, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa BEST ENSEMBLE: Kieran Lynch, Caitlin Mae and Charlotte Jean Moore – Snow White, Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock BEST LIGHTHING DESIGN: Jamie Corbidge – Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre, Swansea BEST CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC: Miles Russell – Jack and the Beanstalk, The Hexagon, Reading BEST EARLY CAREER NEWCOMER: Katsie Fong Frydenberg – Jack and the Beanstalk, The Hexagon, Reading BEST NEWCOMER TO PANTOMIME: Vernon Kay – Cinderella, Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe BEST SOUND DESIGN: Mike Thacker – Jack and the Beanstalk, The Hexagon, Reading BEST PANTOMIME (500 – 900 seats): Snow White, Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock	BEST SET DESIGN: Mark Walters, Nina Dunn and Matt Brown – Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre BEST PANTOMIME (Over 900 seats): Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre
2022	BEST COMIC: Tam Ryan – Cinderella, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre	BEST COMIC: Tam Ryan – Cinderella, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

External links

References

Draft:Imagine Theatre

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