Rehearsals are well underway at the Palace Theatre for their spectacular family pantomime Aladdin. The cast have been spending two weeks rehearsing the show before it opens on Saturday 22nd November.

Steve Boden, Managing Director of Imagine Theatre, who are the producer’s of the show says “Rehearsals are not when the work starts on the show, but when it all comes together. We start work on each of our pantomimes early on in the year, casting, deciding on the set and costumes, creating the music, etc and it is when we go in to rehearsal that all the different strands are pulled together.” River City’s Keira Lucceshi is taking a break from the screen to play the title role of Aladdin. “I am really excited to be playing a boy as it is always fun to play a role that is completely different. The cast all seem great and the script is brilliant so I am sure I am going to have a great time.” Craig Glover, who is playing Dame for the fourth time at the Palace says “It had been a lifetime ambition for me to give my Twankey as they say! Widow Twankey is a great character – she is a single mum bringing up two boys as well as running the local steamie.” Liam Dolan once again directs the show as well as playing the loveable Wishee Washee. “Wishee Washee is a bit hopeless. His heart is in the right place but he never gets anything right and Widow Twankey gets very frustrated with him.” With this being Liam’s tenth year in panto he is a very familiar face to Kilmarnock audiences. “I live in Kilmarnock and people often recognise me when I am shopping but they get very confused if they see me before November and say ‘you shouldn’t be here yet!’ as they don’t realise I live in Kilmarnock all year round.” Alongside Keira, Liam and Craig are David Haydn as Abanazar, Aaron Romano as the Genie, Storm-Skyler McClure as the Princess and Stephanie Falls as So-Shi and Spirit of the Ring.

The show runs from Saturday 22nd November until Sunday 28th December 2014.