All-star casting announced for festive favourite
Cardiff’s New Theatre has confirmed the return of its festive pantomime with a high-profile cast for Beauty and the Beast. Broadcaster Gethin Jones and actor Steve Speirs join the line-up alongside Mike Doyle, Jack Ryan and Jo Osmond, signalling a crowd-pleasing production aimed squarely at Cardiff’s family audiences.
Jones, a familiar face to viewers of BBC One’s Morning Live, Strictly: It Takes Two and The One Show, returns to the New Theatre following what he described as a memorable appearance last year. He will play the handsome yet conceited Filipe De Boeuf. Speirs, one of Wales’s best-known screen performers through The Tuckers, After Life, Stella and Inside No.9, features as Belle’s father, Monsieur Marzipan. Cardiff pantomime mainstay Mike Doyle once again joins the company, with fellow performers Jack Ryan and Jo Osmond completing the announced cast.
Local ties and returning talent
As a returning cast member, Jones emphasised the distinct atmosphere of playing to a Cardiff crowd and the energy of live performance. In his own words:
“Coming back to New Theatre Cardiff for another Christmas honestly felt like an easy decision. Last year was such an incredible experience and the welcome from Cardiff audiences was something I'll never forget. Working in live theatre is completely different to television. Every performance has its own energy and there's nothing quite like hearing the audience laughing, singing along and joining in. That's what makes panto so special. Being able to do all of that in my hometown, surrounded by friends and family over Christmas, makes it even more meaningful. I'm so proud to be returning and I can't wait for everyone to see what we've got in store with Beauty and the Beast. It's going to be another unforgettable festive adventure!”
Speirs’s involvement adds further Welsh star power to a production that typically anchors the theatre’s busiest period of the year. The announcement also notes his ongoing television work in South Wales, underscoring the crossover between the region’s screen sector and its live stages.
Cast at a glance
| Performer | Role |
|---|---|
| Gethin Jones | Filipe De Boeuf |
| Steve Speirs | Monsieur Marzipan |
| Mike Doyle | Cast member (role not announced) |
| Jack Ryan | Cast member (role not announced) |
| Jo Osmond | Cast member (role not announced) |
Why it matters for Cardiff
The New Theatre’s pantomime is a longstanding feature of the city’s festive season, drawing multi-generational audiences and providing vital work for performers and backstage teams. For city centre businesses, a strong panto run typically supports footfall across hospitality and retail. This year’s line-up, with recognisable Welsh talent and proven crowd appeal, is likely to sustain that momentum.
Cardiff’s performing arts ecology benefits from this kind of marquee production, which often introduces younger audiences to theatre while sustaining returning theatregoers with familiar names. The mixture of broadcast personalities and stage regulars is designed to attract broad demographics, from families to loyal fans of specific performers.
What audiences can expect
- Family-focused entertainment: A traditional pantomime format built around the Beauty and the Beast story.
- High-profile cast: Television and stage names intended to boost appeal across age groups.
- Seasonal fixture: The production forms part of Cardiff’s wider festive offer, complementing other city centre attractions.
While further production details have yet to be set out publicly, today’s casting confirmation indicates a confident return for a show that has become part of many Cardiff families’ year-end routines. The combination of a familiar title and a prominent Welsh-led cast suggests the New Theatre is betting on a tried-and-tested formula aimed at keeping the auditorium full through the holiday period.
Prospective theatregoers are advised to monitor official New Theatre channels for performance schedules and booking information as the festive season approaches.
