Panto comes to children’s wards

There were many smiles on faces and lots of laughter on our children’s wards before Christmas, as they cheered, booed and hissed their way through Starlight’s Christmas Panto.

The interactive theatre group, The Panto Company, treated children, relatives and staff to a performance of Robinson Crusoe, as part of an eight week tour of the country’s hospitals and hospices.

The pantomime was staged in the Activity Centre on level 12, Derriford Hospital, exclusively for the Starlight Children’s Foundation, a national charity that provides entertainment to over half a million children every year in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK, granting wishes for seriously and terminally ill children.

Nicole Newman, who plays Sarah the cook in Robinson Crusoe, said: “Starlight’s Christmas Panto is designed to be really interactive with the children. We love performing to them over Christmas, it’s an extremely rewarding thing to do, especially when you see everyone smiling and happy.”

Sam Cartwright, Play Specialist at Derriford, added: “Yet again, another wonderful performance! Every year we look forward to the Panto and both the children and the parents loved it. They never fail to bring a smile to the children’s faces.”

For more information on the Starlight Children’s Foundation visit www.starlight.org.uk