Follow the yellow-brick road for family fun at the Corn Exchange

Published: 18 December 2020

Tickets are still available for Exeter Corn Exchange’s Christmas pantomime, The Wizard of Oz.

This year’s show runs from 19 December to 3 January, serving up a much needed portion of Christmas cheer but with extra precautions because of Covid-19.

Exeter Corn Exchange is proud to prove that the spirit of live theatre cannot be defeated.

A spokesman for the Exeter City Council-run venue said: “Our hearts go out to all those companies that have struggled over the past weeks and months to prepare Christmas shows, only to be thwarted at the last minute, but we are relieved and delighted that our traditional family pantomime can continue the tradition now in its 11th year at the Exeter Corn Exchange.”

Apart from a recent socially-distanced Comedy Club, the last entertainment event staged at the Corn Exchange was back in mid-March, so the return to live performance is a big boost for the Corn Exchange team. 

This year’s pantomime isn’t one of the traditional titles but it is a story which has become strongly associated with the Christmas period. 

This year’s cast includes West End regulars Daniele Coombe as the Wizard and Daniel Page as Glinda the Glamorous Good Witch.

“Last year, Snow White was our most popular panto ever” said Director Ian Berry. “Let’s face it, when you think of Oz, you think of classic Christmas TV, so it’s the perfect story to be given that special panto make-over!”  

This year’s performance is 75 minutes long with no interval.  Expect a slightly different experience to previous years as the venue team puts precautions in place to ensure that the pantomime follows the rules introduced by the government to allow safe theatre performances to go ahead. But also expect all of the fun you would usually find at a top quality pantomime production.

Further details can be found on the Corn Exchange website: www.exetercornexchange.co.uk/whats-on/wizard-of-oz/