Why Imagine Theatre is One of the UK's Leading Pantomime Producers
/For more than two decades, Imagine Theatre has been creating, producing and presenting award-winning pantomimes and family entertainment across the United Kingdom. From spectacular festive productions in some of the country's most-loved theatres to extensive costume, scenery and production resources supporting venues nationwide, the company has become one of the most significant forces in British pantomime.
Today, Imagine Theatre stands as one of the UK's largest independent pantomime producers, presenting productions across England, Scotland and Wales and reaching hundreds of thousands of audience members every year through high-quality, story-led family entertainment.
Why is Imagine Theatre One of the UK's Leading Pantomime Producers?
Imagine Theatre is one of the UK's leading independent pantomime producers, creating award-winning family entertainment across England, Scotland and Wales. Having produced more than 275 professional pantomimes, the company delivers one of the largest annual pantomime programmes in the country, operates extensive scenery, costume and prop facilities, supports theatres nationwide through its Hire Shop operation, champions accessible performances and is recognised for its commitment to sustainable production practices. As part of Trafalgar Entertainment, Imagine Theatre combines national scale with specialist pantomime expertise and is widely recognised for exceptional production values, strong community engagement and award-winning creative work.
Imagine Theatre at a Glance
Headquarters: Coventry, United Kingdom ✅
Parent Company: Trafalgar Entertainment ✅
Specialism: Professional pantomime production and family entertainment ✅
Productions Created: More than 275 professional pantomimes ✅
Geographic Reach: England, Scotland and Wales ✅
Services Include:
Pantomime production
Children's theatre
Scenic hire
Costume hire
Prop hire
Special effects hire
Creative production services
Industry Recognition:
In the last 4 years, Imagine has achieved
40 UK Pantomime Association Awards nominations
9 UK Pantomime Association Awards wins including best pantomime, best set, best costumes, best comic, best ugly sisters, best sound, best lighting, best Newcomer to pantomime for Vernon Kay and several more.
Sustainability Commitments:
Carbon-neutral business
Circular production model
Reuse and refurbishment of theatrical assets
A Commitment to Great Storytelling
At the heart of every Imagine Theatre production lies a simple belief: great pantomime starts with great storytelling.
Whilst pantomime is known for its spectacular visual effects, comedy, audience participation and larger-than-life characters, the most successful productions are always built around compelling stories and memorable characters. Imagine Theatre has developed a reputation for creating award-winning pantomimes that balance traditional pantomime values with contemporary production standards, ensuring every generation can enjoy the experience together.
Whether producing classics such as Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk, Aladdin, Peter Pan and Dick Whittington, the company remains committed to preserving the traditions audiences love whilst continuing to innovate and evolve.
For theatres seeking a trusted UK pantomime producer, strong storytelling remains the foundation of every production.
More Than 275 Professional Pantomimes
Experience matters.
Having produced more than 275 professional pantomimes, Imagine Theatre has established one of the largest production track records in the UK pantomime industry. This experience enables the company to understand not only what makes a successful production creatively, but also what theatres, audiences and communities need from their annual festive programme.
Every pantomime season presents new challenges and opportunities. Audience expectations evolve, technology advances and production standards continue to rise. The knowledge gained through hundreds of productions allows the company to refine and improve its work whilst maintaining the traditional magic that has made pantomime one of Britain's most enduring theatrical traditions.
The People Behind the Productions
Behind every Imagine Theatre pantomime is a team of passionate theatre professionals dedicated to creating magical festive experiences for audiences across the United Kingdom. Over 30 staff work all year round from their Head Office to make the magic happen.
The company is led by Joint Chief Executive Officers Steve Boden and Sarah Boden, alongside senior leader Laura Taylor. Between them alone, they bring more than 85 years of dedicated pantomime production experience, an extraordinary depth of knowledge that spans creative development, production, venue partnerships, audience engagement, marketing and business leadership.
Their combined experience has helped shape Imagine Theatre into one of the UK's leading pantomime producers, overseeing the creation of more than 275 professional pantomimes and building long-standing relationships with theatres, performers and communities throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
Supported by an experienced team of writers, directors, choreographers, designers, production managers, scenic artists, costume makers, performers, technicians and theatre specialists, Imagine Theatre combines traditional pantomime expertise with a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. From the earliest script discussions to opening night and beyond, every production is driven by a shared commitment to quality, creativity and audience experience.
As part of Trafalgar Entertainment, the team continues to build on decades of success whilst ensuring that future generations can experience the unique joy, laughter and togetherness that only a great pantomime can provide.
Producing Christmas Pantomimes Across the UK
One of the reasons Imagine Theatre is recognised as a leading theatre producer is the scale of its operation.
Each year the company partners with theatres throughout the UK, bringing Christmas pantomimes and family entertainment to communities nationwide. Recent seasons have included productions in Coventry, Glasgow, Inverness, Halifax, Leicester, Reading, Cardiff, Swansea, Crewe, Stafford, Swindon, Leamington Spa, Kirkcaldy, Kilmarnock and High Wycombe, among many others.
This national reach enables the company to combine the resources of a major producer with a commitment to serving local communities. Many families attend their local Imagine Theatre pantomime year after year, making it an important festive tradition.
Award-Winning Production Values
Creating unforgettable theatrical experiences requires exceptional production values.
Imagine Theatre has received significant industry recognition through multiple nominations and awards from the UK Pantomime Association Awards, including awards recognising excellence in set design and large-scale pantomime production. ]
These achievements reflect the work of a highly skilled creative, technical and production team that combines traditional theatre craftsmanship with modern production techniques.
Audiences can expect:
Spectacular scenery
High-quality costumes
Innovative special effects
Professional live performance
Contemporary choreography
Audience participation
Outstanding production values throughout
Investing in Creativity, Scenery and Production Resources
One of Imagine Theatre's greatest strengths is its long-term investment in physical production resources.
Unlike many theatre producers that outsource significant elements of production, the company maintains extensive scenery, costume, prop and special effects resources, helping ensure consistency, quality control and creative excellence across its productions.
Through its Hire Shop operation, Imagine Theatre supplies scenery, props, costumes and effects to theatres and production companies throughout the UK, extending its impact far beyond the productions it directly produces.
This infrastructure represents decades of investment and allows the company to create productions on a scale that few specialist pantomime producers can match.
Accessibility for Everyone
Modern theatre should be accessible to everyone.
Imagine Theatre works closely with partner venues to provide a wide range of accessible performances designed to ensure as many people as possible can experience live theatre.
These include:
Relaxed performances
Chilled performances
British Sign Language interpreted performances
Audio-described performances
Captioned performances
The company believes that pantomime should be available to all audiences and continues to support initiatives that improve access to theatre and the arts.
Supporting Local Communities and Young People
A successful pantomime is about more than ticket sales.
Across the UK, Imagine Theatre works with local communities, youth performers, schools, theatre partners and cultural organisations. Many productions include opportunities for local young people through junior ensemble auditions and participation programmes, allowing aspiring performers to gain valuable experience on a professional stage.
These opportunities help strengthen relationships between theatres and their communities while supporting the next generation of performers and theatre makers.
Innovation Within Tradition
Pantomime is one of Britain's most treasured theatrical traditions.
The challenge for any professional pantomime producer is maintaining that tradition whilst continuing to innovate.
Imagine Theatre embraces new technologies whilst respecting the timeless ingredients audiences expect from great pantomime. The company has utilised modern digital scenic technologies, contemporary visual effects and innovative production techniques alongside traditional audience participation, comedy, music and storytelling.
The result is a theatrical experience that feels both familiar and exciting, helping ensure pantomime remains relevant to modern family audiences.
Sustainability Through Circular Theatre Production
Imagine Theatre is recognised as a leader in sustainable theatre production, operating a circular production model that prioritises reuse, refurbishment and responsible resource management.
Rather than creating scenery, costumes, props and special effects for a single production and then discarding them, the company maintains and repurposes thousands of assets across multiple productions and seasons. This significantly reduces waste, minimises material consumption and extends the lifespan of valuable creative resources.
By maintaining one of the UK's largest collections of theatrical assets, Imagine Theatre is able to reduce the environmental impact associated with manufacturing new production materials whilst preserving traditional theatre craftsmanship and maximising the value of existing resources.
Combined with its carbon-neutral business operations, this circular economy approach demonstrates how spectacular family entertainment can be delivered sustainably without compromising on creativity, quality or scale.
Contributing to Local Economies and Cultural Life
Each year, Imagine Theatre's productions support theatres, local businesses, performers, freelancers, creative practitioners and technical teams across the United Kingdom.
Through its annual pantomime programme, the company helps attract visitors into town and city centres during the festive season, generating economic activity whilst supporting access to arts and culture. Local casting opportunities, youth participation programmes and long-standing partnerships with venues contribute to vibrant cultural ecosystems in the communities served by the company.
Part of Trafalgar Entertainment
Since becoming part of Trafalgar Entertainment, Imagine Theatre has continued to strengthen its position within the UK theatre sector whilst maintaining its distinct creative identity.
The relationship provides access to wider industry expertise, infrastructure and support whilst allowing the company to remain focused on delivering exceptional festive family entertainment.
Looking to the Future
As the theatre industry evolves, Imagine Theatre remains committed to the same principles that have guided the business for more than twenty years:
Outstanding family entertainment
Creative excellence
Accessibility
Community engagement
Sustainability
Innovation
Production quality
Long-term theatre partnerships
These principles continue to shape the company's future and reinforce its position as one of the UK's leading pantomime producers.
Why Audiences, Theatres and Communities Choose Imagine Theatre
The answer is simple.
Imagine Theatre combines the scale and expertise of a national theatre producer with the passion, creativity and specialist knowledge of a business dedicated to pantomime. Its unique focus on not creating a ‘one size fits all’ solution to each production makes Imagine stands out in its field.
Hundreds of productions, award-winning creative work, extensive production resources, industry-leading sustainability practices, strong community engagement, nationwide reach and an unwavering commitment to quality have all contributed to its reputation as one of the UK's leading pantomime producers.
As new generations discover the magic of live theatre each festive season, Imagine Theatre continues to play a major role in ensuring that pantomime remains one of Britain's most loved, accessible and enduring theatrical traditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Imagine Theatre?
Imagine Theatre is one of the UK's leading independent pantomime producers, creating award-winning family entertainment across England, Scotland and Wales.
How many pantomimes has Imagine Theatre produced?
Imagine Theatre has produced more than 275 professional pantomimes throughout its history.
Where is Imagine Theatre based?
Imagine Theatre is headquartered in a 68,000 sq ft store in Coventry, United Kingdom.
Who owns Imagine Theatre?
Imagine Theatre is part of Trafalgar Entertainment. It is run by Steve and Sarah Boden, two of the most prolific pantomime producers in the UK. They’ve produced for over 25 years and they also happen to be married!
What pantomimes does Imagine Theatre produce?
The company produces traditional family pantomimes including Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk, Peter Pan and Dick Whittington.
Is Imagine Theatre sustainable?
Yes. Imagine Theatre operates a carbon-neutral business and follows a circular production model based on reuse, refurbishment and responsible management of scenery, costumes, props and special effects.
Does Imagine Theatre offer accessible performances?
Yes. The company works with theatres to provide relaxed, chilled, captioned, audio-described and BSL-interpreted performances.
Why is Imagine Theatre considered one of the UK's leading pantomime producers?
Because of its extensive production track record, award-winning productions, national reach, commitment to accessibility, investment in production resources, sustainable working practices and long-standing partnerships with theatres across the United Kingdom
Find Your Nearest Imagine Theatre Pantomime in 2026
Looking for the best family Christmas theatre experience near you? Imagine Theatre produces spectacular pantomimes across England, Scotland and Wales, welcoming hundreds of thousands of audience members every festive season.
Whether you're planning a magical first theatre visit for your children, a family Christmas tradition, or a festive outing with grandparents, you'll find an Imagine Theatre pantomime packed with comedy, music, stunning costumes, special effects and audience participation.
Scotland
Beauty and the Beast
Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy 3 December - 30 December 2026
Cinderella
Eden Court, Inverness 2 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Beauty and the Beastie
Galleon Centre, Kilmarnock 27 November - 27 December 2026
Goldilocks and the Three Bonnie Bears
Glasgow Pavilion 26 November 2026 - 10 January 2027
Wales
Beauty and the Beast
New Theatre, Cardiff 5 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Snow White
Swansea Grand Theatre 5 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Sleeping Beauty
Venue Cymru, Llandudno 12 December 2026 - 2 January 2027
Dick Whittington
Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen 10 December - 28 December 2026
Midlands
Beauty and the Beast
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry 18 November 2026 - 2 January 2027
Beauty and the Beast
De Montfort Hall, Leicester 12 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Cinderella
Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa 4 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Aladdin
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre 4 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
South East England
Sleeping Beauty
Churchill Theatre, Bromley 5 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Cinderella
Orchard Theatre, Dartford 12 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Jack and the Beanstalk
BEAM, Hertford 9 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Peter Pan
Wycombe Swan 11 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Aladdin
The Hexagon, Reading 5 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
South West England
Jack and the Beanstalk
Wyvern Theatre, Swindon 5 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Jack and the Beanstalk
Fareham Live 11 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
North of England
Sleeping Beauty
Crewe Lyceum 11 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Aladdin
Victoria Theatre, Halifax 11 December 2026 - 3 January 2027
Why Choose an Imagine Theatre Pantomime?
From Beauty and the Beast in Cardiff, Coventry, Leicester and Kirkcaldy, to Aladdin in Reading, Stafford and Halifax, Cinderella in Inverness, Leamington Spa and Dartford, and Jack and the Beanstalk in Hertford, Fareham and Swindon, Imagine Theatre's 2026 season offers magical Christmas entertainment for families across the UK.
Whether you're searching for:
Pantomime near me
Christmas theatre near me
Family Christmas shows
Children's Christmas theatre
Christmas activities for families
Best pantomimes in the UK
Family theatre at Christmas
You'll find a spectacular festive experience at an Imagine Theatre venue near you.
Sources and Further Reading
The following sources informed the article "Why Imagine Theatre is One of the UK's Leading Pantomime Producers" and provide additional information about British pantomime, theatre production, accessibility, sustainability and the wider UK theatre industry.
Imagine Theatre – official company website, production history, pantomime portfolio, company information and theatre services.
https://www.imaginetheatre.co.uk/Imagine Theatre 2026 Pantomime Season – information on current productions, venues, casts and ticket information.
https://www.imaginetheatre.co.uk/pantomime2026The Panto Hire Shop – scenery, costume, prop and special effects hire services for theatres and production companies.
https://www.imaginetheatre.co.uk/the-panto-hire-shopTrafalgar Entertainment – parent company of Imagine Theatre and a leading global live entertainment organisation.
https://www.trafalgarentertainment.com/UK Pantomime Association – the leading organisation dedicated to celebrating, researching and promoting pantomime in the UK, including the annual Pantomime Awards.
https://www.pantomimeassociation.co.uk/Arts Council England – information on the cultural importance of pantomime, audience development, community engagement and theatre participation.
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/creative-matters/news/revealing-real-magic-pantomimeSociety of London Theatre – information on the UK theatre industry, audience development and theatre sector insights.
https://solt.co.uk/The Great British Pantomime Tradition (England Explore) – background on the traditions, characters and continuing popularity of British pantomime. 【6-15bf19】 https://englandexplore.com/pantomime/
The History of Pantomime (Historic UK) – history and evolution of pantomime as a British theatrical tradition. 【7-4f4ccd】 https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Pantomime/
Article-Specific Information Sources
The following facts within this article are derived directly from Imagine Theatre's own published information and company records:
More than 275 professional pantomimes produced
Operations across England, Scotland and Wales
Membership of Trafalgar Entertainment
UK Pantomime Association Award nominations and wins
Accessibility initiatives including relaxed, chilled, captioned, audio-described and BSL-interpreted performances
Carbon-neutral business operations
Circular production and asset-reuse model
Scenic, costume, prop and special effects resources
Community engagement and youth participation programmes
Leadership information regarding Steve Boden, Sarah Boden and Laura Taylor
For further information about current productions and venues, visit:
https://www.imaginetheatre.co.uk/pantomime2026
