ROBIN HOOD at Lichfield Garrick to Star Ben Thornton and Ben Stock

The Lichfield Garrick will transform into Sherwood Forest from 20 November to 10 January for its first in-house-produced pantomime in over a decade, and with a truly close-knit cast and crew, this year is direct from the Garrick family to yours.

2026 marked a significant year for the Garrick: the theatre produced its first-ever in-house musical, Disenchanted!, which went on to achieve riotous success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival; Lichfield District Council extended the Garrick's lease, securing the theatre's future for years to come; and the Garrick continued to invest in its outreach efforts with the official launch of its Arts Council-backed project, Creative Burntwood. What was once just an arts venue is now a bustling hub for creativity.

But what does this mean for its 2026 pantomime?

"Lichfield is an incredible, incredible city to spend Christmas," says Garrick veteran Ben Thornton, who will take on the titular role in this year's pantomime adventure, Robin Hood. "My favourite thing about Lichfield is the Garrick and its audiences."

And there's no doubt he'll spot some familiar faces. Last year's offering increased audience retention by nearly a quarter, meaning more families are returning to the Garrick than ever before. This year, Thornton is keen to make the Garrick feel like home again for thousands of returning families and schoolchildren across the festive period.

"I love the people of Lichfield," says Ben with a cheeky grin, "especially if they get involved!"

And with the warm familiarity of Thornton, there's no reason not to shout out, laugh out loud and boo to your heart's content!

What's better than one Ben? Two! This year, the Garrick offers double the laughter, double the fun and double the Ben. The shoes of a pantomime dame are almost too large to fill, but this year the Garrick brings in a Great British Pantomime Award winner, a veteran singer and actor who can hold his own in front of 25,000 people, and an undeniable talent with countless professional credits to his name: the wonderfully enigmatic Ben Stock.

"I've heard that the audiences at the Lichfield Garrick are the best in the country, so I'm really looking forward to playing for them, and possibly seeing them in Tesco on the way home."

For Stock, his favourite thing about panto-land is the "joy on people's faces" as he watches from the wings while the cast and crew bring the magic to life. Stock has performed for crowds in the middle of Trafalgar Square, released two full albums, including Ben Stock Sings Noel Coward, and has even been a regular showbiz reporter on BBC Radio Bristol, where he grew up. There's no doubt he'll delight audiences at the Garrick as he steps into Nurse Nellie's infamous frock.

And this year's homegrown panto relies on the crew really rallying together behind the scenes. The Garrick welcomes back Barry Smith who lends his eye for detail on lighting design. What could a pantomime be without music? Taking the reins directing the score (full of traditional and fresh hits alike), Gary Jerry returns to his residency in the upper box... Following her widely celebrated work on this year's in-house produced musical Disenchanted!, Kayleigh Dettmer cements her long-standing links with the Garrick as choreographer. Daniel Buckroyd, Garrick CEO and Artistic Director, finds himself at the helm of this year's extravaganza, while the effervescent John Brooking leads on design and costume - much of the latter being tirelessly hand-stitched by a wonderful and talented team who call the Garrick home each Christmas.

"With pantomime, the brakes are off a bit," says Brooking. "You can actually go a bit mad."

Rosie Napper's Morgana dons a devilishly triumphant headpiece that swishes and swirls with every wicked entrance and exit; Stock's Nurse Nellie sports a red fringed gown adorned with more polka dots than the Dorothy Perkins summer sale; Eliza Waters is picture-perfect in a more muted floral gown for her Maid Marian; Ashley Cavender's Merlin sports a gloriously loud costume with just as many stars as the Hollywood Walk of Fame; Joe Feeney returns ready for battle as the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham; while Thornton's Robin Hood and Anna Soden's Bluebell (Robin Hood's sister, if you didn't know) blend into the forest with complementary greens.

Though this year promises to offer fresh new faces alongside the familiarity of Thornton and Feeney, Rosie Napper and Eliza Waters are no strangers to the Garrick. Waters once worked at the Garrick as a deputy stage manager before graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in 2019.

"It feels so crazy to be stood here now," says Eliza as she steps out of the wings and onto the Garrick stage.

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