Showing at The Grove Theatre…
Don’t miss our hilarious, fun-filled 2025 panto, The All New Adventures Of Peter Pan, starring Eastenders’ RITA SIMONS as Captain Hook, CBBC & CBeebies star RHYS STEPHENSON, Dunstable favourite WILL KENNING as Mrs Smee & SIX THE MUSICAL’S Aoife Haakenson.
Once again, the show will be written by Paul Hendy, and produced by the award-winning Evolution Productions, the same team behind 2024’s box office smash-hit, Beauty and the Beast, and 2023’s brilliant Jack and the Beanstalk.
It’s never too early to book, with lavish sets, hilarious jokes and fun for the whole family, HOOK your tickets now!
Signed Performance: Monday 29 December, 2pm.
Relaxed Performance: Friday 2 January, 2pm.
Audio Described Performance: Sunday 4 January, 1pm (with a touch tour prior to the show)
Show Trailer
The Cast
Captain Hook – Rita Simons
Rita is one of Britain’s most loved TV actresses, best known for playing Roxy Mitchell in BBC’s EastEnders, and currently playing Marie Fielding in Hollyoaks. As well as her celebrated and award winning roles in television, she also has extensive theatre credits, including West End productions of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Hairspray.
Charlie – Rhys Stephenson
Rhys Stephenson is a television presenter and actor, best known for his antics on CBBC alongside fan favourite Hacker T dog. Rhys has appeared on many shows throughout his career, including Blue Peter, Saturday Mashup and has even tested his limited knowledge on Richard Osman’s House of Games.
In 2021 Rhys joined the cast of Strictly Come Dancing where he reached the semi-final. He is delighted to be on stage at the Grove Theatre this year for a Christmas full of fun.
Mrs Sweet – Will Kenning
Will is an award winning director & actor based in Leighton Buzzard, training at Leeds University and Webber Douglas. From 2018 to 2020 he was a series regular in ‘Penny on M.A.R.S’ (Disney Channel) playing the role of Roberto Piccolo.
Recent theatre credits include Opera Della Luna’s ‘Sweeney Todd’ (Lowry & Bath Theatre Royal) and Trunchbull / Sergei in the RSC’s ‘Matilda’ (West End).
Will has appeared in 18 pantomimes to date and has been the resident Dame & Director at the Grove Theatre Dunstable since 2017. He’s thrilled to be returning for his eighth year in a dress!
Peter Pan – Alexander Kranz
Alexander trained at the Urdang Academy.
Theatre credits include: Shadow & U/S Michael Darling in Wendy & Peter Pan (RSC at the Barbican), U/S May & U/S Romeo in & Juliet (UK Tour) and many more.
Tink – Aoife Haakenson
Aoife is Taiwanese Norwegian and trained in Musical Theatre at Mountview.
Her credits include: Mother in Pop Off Michelangelo (Soho Underbelly Boulevard and Edinburgh Fringe), Catherine Parr in Six The Musical (UK/International Tour), The Crucible (National Theatre), Sam in Flip the Musical (EP cast recording), Fantine in Les Misérables (Mountview), and Pepper in Annie (2010 Asia Tour).
Aoife is thrilled to be in her first pantomime at the Grove Theatre this festive season!
Miss Doodle/Myrtle – Natasha Hoeberigs
Natasha originally hails from Auckland, New Zealand, and spent her teenage years in Sydney, Australia, prior to making London, UK her home.
Training: Musical Theatre – Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and Full Time Performing Arts – Brent Street (Australia).
Poppy Sunshine – Imogen Craig
Training: The Arts Educational School, from where she graduated in 2025. Theatre whilst training includes: The Witch in Into the Woods; Ensemble in Sister Act. Most recently, Imogen made her professional debut in the leading role of Alice in Starter
for Ten (Bristol Old Vic & Birmingham Rep).
Reviews
‘A fabulous show’
‘A spectacular production… excellent’
’Loads of laugh-out-loud moments’
‘The most talented singers I’ve ever seen in my life’
‘A must see this holiday season!’
'It was a total fun fest from start to finish'
