West End stars in Lyric Theatre's Jack and the Beanstalk panto

Carmarthen’s Lyric Theatre has not hosted a pantomime for the last four years due to the covid-19 pandemic, however, will be returning with Jack and the Beanstalk for 2023!

Theatrau Sir Gâr/Carmarthenshire Theatres is producing the panto in-house in arrangement with Imagine Theatre and has revealed the cast to bring to life the enchanting tale of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Phillip Arran will play Dame Trott (Image: Theatrau Sir Gar)

Dame Trott will be played by West End star Phillip Arran. The Swansea native will steal the show with his quick wit and comedic flair as the matriarch of the Trott family.

Phillip has performed on the West End as well as in touring productions in the US and Australia and is currently on the 2023/24 UK tour of Sister Act.

Owain Williams will play Lazy Larry (Image: Theatrau Sir Gar)

Carmarthen-born Owain Williams will be starring as Lazy Larry. He has strong ties to the Lyric, with the first pantomime he ever saw being in the theatre in 1990 and he started his theatre career at the Lyric under the direction of Elizabeth Evans and the Carmarthen & District Youth Opera. He trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London and has starred in The Phantom of the Opera at His Majesty’s Theatre and Royal Albert Hall and Les Miserables on the 25th anniversary tour and at the O2 Arena.

Jack will be played by a familiar face in Gareth Elis. Gareth is a regular presenter on S4C’s Stwnsh and has a number of stage and screen credits including In My Skin on BBC Three as well as being seen on stage at Wales Millennium Centre.

Gareth Elis will play lead character Jack (Image: Theatrau Sir Gar)

Jill – Jack’s spirited love interest and partner in his adventure - will be played by Chantelle Morgan, another home-grown product. Chantelle trained in musical theatre at The Urdang and Emil Dale Academy and has performed alongside the likes of Gareth Malone at the opening of Soho House and Luke Evans on BBC’s Luke Evans Show Time. She has also appeared in Cinderella, as Maid Marion in Robin Hood, Kylar in Bring it On the Musical and Sister Mary Roberts in Sister Act.

Chantelle Morgan will be Jill (Image: Theatrau Sir Gar)

The villain of the show – Fleshcreep – will be played by actor Sion Tudor Owen. Sion has numerous TV and stage credits to his name, including appearing in Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Midsummer Murders, as well as on the West End in White Christmas. He also featured in iconic Welsh film Twin Town.

Sion Tudor Owen will play Fleshcreep (Image: Theatrau Sir Gar)

The panto will be directed by Pip Minnithorpe who has directed tours for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre on London’s West End.

Jack and the Beanstalk will be at the Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen between December 14 and 28. Tickets start from £13.50 and there are discounted rates for groups and school bookings. Tickets can be bought at www.theatrausirgar.co.uk or by calling 0345 2263510. If organising a group or school trip to the panto, contact theatres@carmarthenshire.gov.uk who will assist with the booking.