Mother Goose wins Pantomime Award
Published: 25 June 2024
Ben Tanner as the goose Shelley Bassey. Image: Robert Day
Derby LIVE and Little Wolf Entertainment’s 2023 smash hit pantomime’s golden egg-laying Goose has won an award.
Ben Tanner was named as Best Supporting Artist at the UK Pantomime Association's Pantomime Awards 2024, for his much-loved performance as the magical goose, Shelley Bassey.
The glittering spectacle also secured nominations in two other categories; Best Costume Design, for the colourful costumes designed by Morgan Brind and brought to life by a talented wardrobe team; and Best Pantomime for a venue with over 900 seats.
Ben is a Derby favourite, having also starred as Marmaduke the Monkey in the 2022 Derby Arena pantomime, Aladdin. The highly-trained gymnast has appeared in successful productions around the country, including Laurel & Chaplin – The Feud in the West End.
Ben Tanner was named as Best Supporting Artist
The national Pantomime Awards see hundreds of productions judged each year, vying to win awards in twenty-two different categories.
Mother Goose starred the city’s own Morgan Brind as the slightly quackers but ever so lovable Mother Goose and Coronation Street’s Todd Boyce as baddie, Demon Vanity.
They were joined by Kristian Cunningham as Benedict Goose, Nicola Martinus-Smith as Rosemary and Roddy Peters as Baron Wasteland, as well as the award-winning Ben Tanner.
Robbie Kerr, Head of Leisure, Culture and Tourism at Derby City Council, said:
We’re very proud of Ben for winning the Best Supporting Artist Award, which is very well-deserved. For Mother Goose to receive three nominations shows how high our standards are, which is thanks to our wonderful working relationship with our perfect partners in panto, Little Wolf Entertainment.
We’re already working hard to make sure this year’s production is as spectacular as ever and we can’t wait to welcome everyone this December.
Alan Bowles and Morgan Brind, of Little Wolf Entertainment, said:
We’re thrilled that Ben’s wonderful performance has been recognised with a Pantomime Award. It continues a long run of award success for our spectacular Derby productions, with five wins in the last six years.
Plans are already in place for our new production of Cinderella and there’s lots of exciting news coming soon, so watch this space!
Tickets for this year’s panto Cinderella are already selling fast so don’t miss out on your ticket to the ball. Book online now or call 01332 255800. Cinderella will be at Derby Arena from Friday 6 to Tuesday 31 December.