ODEON COMBINES TRADITIONAL PANTO WITH IMMERSIVE BIG SCREEN EXPERIENCE

●        In association with Curtis Productions, ODEON cinemas will launch brand new retelling of Cinderella in a live action pantomime with immersive big-screen backing this Christmas

• Liberty X star Michelle Heaton to don wand and wings as Fairy Godmother 
• Performances coming to Stoke, Manchester and London from 18th December – 3rd January
• ODEON’s Safer Cinema measures in place for all performances to ensure the wellbeing of guests, cast and staff

ODEON is ensuring Brits can still get their traditional panto magic, but in a bigger and more immersive way and the chain has announced it will be bringing the festive magic of pantomime to selected screens across the UK in a brand new retelling of the beloved classic, Cinderella. In association with Curtis Productions, the show will feature a blend of live action performances from the cast with scenic and interactive projections beamed onto ODEON’s cutting-edge screens to enhance the production and immerse audiences into the fairy tale. 

Taking centre stage as the iconic Fairy Godmother will be Liberty X star Michelle Heaton. Since her Brit award-winning popstar days, Michelle has become a best-selling author, TV presenter and Mum to two. As she steps into the wand-waving role, Michelle will be bewitching audiences with her renditions of famous tunes, assuring guests that despite a tough year, they shall go to the ball!

Michelle and cast will bring the well-known story and pantomime favourite of Cinderella to life through both live-action performances and animated on-screen scenery which adapts and animates as the plot unfolds, providing guests with the ultimate pantomime experience. The ageless tale will be brought into the modern day with plenty of references to recent cultural events and contemporary pop hits including Adore You by Harry Styles and 2002 by Anne-Marie which are sure to have families singing along. 

To further instil the festive spirit, ODEON is encouraging guests to attend in their Christmas best, whether this be loud jumpers and Santa hats, or fairy dresses and villain gowns – costumes of all kinds that are worn with a face covering will be welcomed to the show!

Fairy Godmother Michelle Heaton said: “I’m so excited to be able to appear in a very different Pantomime by partnering with ODEON cinemas and Curtis Productions to make the festive season extra special this year. 

“It’s been a difficult year for everyone, so to be able to play the Fairy Godmother to spread some magic will put a smile on my face – and hopefully the audiences too. Thanks to the measures in place at ODEON the show can go on in a safe and socially distant way that is still filled with fun!”

Cinderella will be showing in a limited run for three shows per day at ODEON Stoke (18th – 21st December), ODEON Manchester Great Northern (22nd – 24th December & 26th – 28th December), ODEON Wimbledon (29th December – 2nd January) finishing off for a grand finale at flagship site ODEON Luxe Leicester Square (3rd January) where four shows will take place with the cinema’s state-of-the-art Dolby Vision screen complete with Dolby Atmos surround sound technology to provide a breath-taking performance.

To ensure guests can enjoy the ODEON Safer Cinema experience in the most controlled environment, ODEON has worked with the UK Cinema Association and UK Government to introduce enhanced health and safety measures to each site. These safety measures include: 

Safer Buying

• Contactless experience, including booking online and contactless ticket checks in  cinema and contactless till and kiosk payments for purchasing food and drinks

A Safer Space:

• Limited seats on sale for each show and guaranteed unoccupied seats between guests to meet social distancing requirements, whilst enabling family groups and social bubbles to sit together
• Staggered show start times to reduce queues, with safe queuing measures in place such as floor markings and cinema host support
• Newly serviced air conditioning that ensures fresh air is delivered into all screens

Enhanced cleaning by well-trained teams

• More frequent cleaning routines on all high contact areas of the cinema guest journey
• Guest sanitiser stations offering complimentary sanitising gels and wipes
• Teams diligently trained on safety and hygiene measures, equipped with PPE, including face coverings and gloves

Tickets are now available to book. Please visit: X

ENDS

Notes to editors

For further questions, please contact the ODEON press office at ODEON@mischiefpr.com

About ODEON

With more than 120 cinemas, over 950 screens and 87 years of cinema experience, ODEON is the leading cinema exhibitor across the UK & Ireland.

ODEON prides itself in being the destination of choice for film lovers, with an ongoing commitment to investing in cutting edge technology and comfort which create the ultimate cinema experience – from luxury seats, to immersive IMAX and iSense screens with premium sight and sound, impeccable guest service and unique opportunities to watch screenings of 70mm prints at select sites.

With more than 5,700 colleagues employed across the UK & Ireland, ODEON has once again been placed number 25 in the Sunday Times Best Big Companies to Work For 2018 and named a Best Large Workplace in Ireland 2018.

ODEON is part of ODEON Cinemas Group, Europe’s largest cinema operator, which hosts over 115m guests each year in more than 360 cinemas across 13 European countries. In 2016, our Group was acquired by AMC Theatres, creating the largest movie exhibition company in the world with over 1,000 theatres and 11,000 screens globally.

For more information, visit: http://www.ODEON.co.uk/about-us/