Pantomime rooted in East Lothian receives critical acclaim
The Brunton and Wonder Fools’ 2024 hit pantomime A Christmas Carol, has been nominated for a prestigious award. The Critics' Award for Theatre in Scotland have announced that A Christmas Carol has been nominated for Best Pantomime, a new category for 2025.
We are delighted that we have been nominated in the Best Pantomime category!
The Brunton panto is a key part of the cultural calendar in East Lothian and is treasured by both the team and the local community. The opportunity to work in collaboration with Wonder Fools was an exciting chance to bring a fresh perspective to the panto format, work with a brilliant array of local artists, and bring the panto to our new venues in Haddington and Musselburgh.
We are excited to be able to build on the relationship again for 2025 with our new panto (more details to be announced soon), which will once again be written by Jack Nurse and Robbie Gordon - so make sure to join us this December!
Kirsty Somerville
General Manager, The Brunton
The Brunton has a long history of producing professional, family friendly pantomimes set in East Lothian with local references and a local supporting young chorus. This highly treasured festive tradition continued in 2024 at The Brunton’s venues, the Corn Exchange in Haddington and Loretto Theatre in Musselburgh, for an innovative and fresh panto collaboration with Wonder Fools.
"We're absolutely thrilled to be nominated. It was a real privilege to create a pantomime in the region I grew up in, with regular collaborators - panto legends like Graham Crammond - and at the very theatre where I first attended youth theatre. It felt like bringing everything full circle.
It was a joy to bring my favourite stories to young people and families in the region with a Scottish panto twist."
Robbie Gordon
Co-Artistic Director of Wonder Fools
Co-Artistic Directors of Wonder Fools, Robbie Gordon and Jack Nurse, are highly regarded writers and theatre makers, winning Best Debut at the Edinburgh Festival from the Skinny and Fest Magazine’s Bestie Awards. They are also the writers of the Traverse Theatre’s five-star Same Team, the much-loved 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War and the creators of Positive Stories for Negative Times an international project for young people engaging over 10,000 people in 22 different countries.
Credit for this nomination also goes to set and costume designer, Jenny Booth, choreographer Amy Robinson, much-loved panto Dame, Graham Crammond, and the whole talented team of creatives, professional actors and young chorus.
The 2025 CATS winners will be announced at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh on Sunday 8 June.
The Brunton will soon be announcing this year’s exciting pantomime for Haddington and Musselburgh, once again rooted in the East Lothian community and delivered with high professional standards and theatrical innovation.
A Christmas Carol credits
Creative Team:
Writer & Director – Robbie Gordon & Jack Nurse (Wonder Fools) Choreographer – Amy Robinson (The Brunton’s Dance & Drama Development Officer) Set & Costume Design - Jenny Booth Lighting Design – Benny Goodman Musical Director – VanIves
Stage Manager - Gary Morgan Deputy Stage Manager - Indi Kilbride
Costumes made by students from Queen Margaret University BA (Hons) Costume Design & Construction course.
Cast:
Graham Crammond - Scrooge Michael Dylan – Fred Robbie Gordon – Tiny Tim Laura Lovemore – Ghost of Christmas Present Rebekah Lumsden – Ms Cratchitt Chloe-Ann Tylor – McGuffin
Young Chorus:
Erin Benson McGinley Olivia Cruickshank Ziara Franklin Rosa Malone Grace McNeill Gracie Smith
Niamh Fulton Kiersten Rae Greig Tegan Taylor Daisy Dougan Orla Burns Natalie Gray
Lexie Blance Lucia Maria Di Giorgio Maggie Else Eva Purves Amelia Swann Zara Uher
Enya Highett Matilda Kingstree Oran Patience Freya Russell Lily Mary Wallis Mirren Egan
