Trafalgar Entertainment and Imagine Theatre join forces, oh yes they have!
Posted on 7 August 2023
Christmas has come early, as leading global live entertainment company, Trafalgar Entertainment (TE) has today announced a majority strategic investment in Imagine Theatre, one of the UK’s biggest pantomime providers. Oh yes, they have!
The multi-award-winning Imagine Theatre are more than just a one trick (pantomime) pony. Established 25 years ago, Imagine supports productions in more than 50 venues across the UK, and be found hiring dazzling sets and props, through to staging and producing entire productions. This year, the company will produce and co-produce 19 pantomimes across the UK including (deep breath now) six productions of Cinderella, four productions of Beauty and the Beast, three productions of Jack and the Beanstalk, two productions of Sleeping Beauty, a Peter Pan, a Snow White, alongside new productions of The Little Mermaid and Treasure Island (there’s no sign of a partridge in a pear tree yet, but give it time!)
About Imagine
Imagine received twelve nominations at this year’s UK Pantomime Awards, taking home three titles including Best Pantomime over 900 seats and Best Set. The investment from Trafalgar will help build Imagine’s legacy of family entertainment and unlock future growth opportunities for both businesses.
The pantomime group have recently been confirmed as this year’s producing partners for Trafalgar’s new venue, the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow. Pavilion Theatre and Imagine argh thrilled to co-produce a swash-buckling new production of Treasure Island, featuring many returning Glaswegian favourites.
About the Partnership
CEO Trafalgar Theatres, Helen Enright, said: “As bold visionaries with big imaginations, Sarah and Steve have created one of the UK’s most successful and respected pantomime companies. With fun-filled family values at the heart of everything they do, Imagine has always led from the front, whether in the development of new technologies or through building relationships with producers and theatre owners. There’s great synergy and many common values between our two companies, and as we both look to expand our regional portfolios, this new investment will help to secure an even brighter future for Imagine.”
Steve Boden, Joint CEO and Managing Director, Imagine Theatre said: “With the exponential growth of Imagine in recent years, this exciting new partnership with Trafalgar is a natural step forward in our continuing journey to deliver exceptional family pantomime. Having worked with Trafalgar over the past few years, producing pantomimes in many of their wonderful venues, we are very excited about the future and what this investment means, supporting us to continue to create world-class, innovative theatre for families across the UK.”
It may only be August, but with this exciting new partnership we can’t wait to leave summer BEHIND US! and let the panto season begin.
