There really is no place like The Woodville this Christmas, as audiences are invited to follow the Yellow Brick Road for a spectacular new pantomime production of The Wizard of Oz.
Running from Friday 4 December to Saturday 2 January at The Woodville, the production promises spectacular special effects, dazzling costumes, chart-topping songs, laugh-out-loud comedy, audience participation and plenty of festive fun for the whole family.
Leading this year’s cast is EastEnders favourite Dean Gaffney as the mysterious Wizard of Oz, alongside Gravesend favourite Rob Cummings, who celebrates an incredible 10 years of pantomime magic at The Woodville as Glinda the Good.
They are joined by Woodville favourites Jezo as Scarecrow, Byron Witchell as Tin Man and Georgia Rowland-Elliott as Lioness, while exciting local talent Christina Akinyelu makes her professional pantomime debut as Dorothy.
Produced by Wicked Productions, this fresh take on the much-loved story will combine everything audiences know and love about traditional British pantomime with an exciting journey through Oz.
Dorothy makes her professional debut
At the heart of the adventure is Christina Akinyelu as Dorothy, who described being cast in the production as an especially exciting moment in her career.
Christina said:
“Dorothy is the glue of the group. She keeps everyone together and keeps them pushing forward to reach the Wizard. I love that we get to see each character's story unfold and see how they grow along the journey.”
Making the occasion even more special, The Wizard of Oz marks Christina’s first professional role while she continues her studies.
“This is my first professional job, so I'm really excited. I've never had the experience of working professionally before, and I get to do it while I'm still in college. Plus, these guys are amazing, which definitely helps!”
And when asked why families should click their heels together and visit The Woodville this Christmas, her answer was simple:
“Because it's fun! It's exciting, there are lots of laughs and it brings everyone together.”
A bigger, bolder journey to Oz
Audiences can expect plenty of new surprises this Christmas, with Wicked Productions’ Tom Swift revealing that the team has invested in an ambitious new production complete with a new set, costumes, illusions, magic and music.
Tom said:
“It's another big show. We've made sure to splash out with a new set, loads of new costumes and magical effects that we can't talk about too much because it would give the surprises away!”
Wicked Productions last visited Oz in 2017, giving the creative team the opportunity to revisit the story with fresh eyes almost a decade later.
“To come back to Oz with a fresh pair of eyes, rewriting it with a new set, loads of new costumes, new illusions, new magic and new songs is really exciting. I've learnt a lot in nine years of writing pantomime and I think this is going to be a really good one. It's a great show and a great story.”
Asked to sum up exactly why audiences should book, Tom chose just three words:
“Best. Panto. Around.”
Dean Gaffney discovers there’s no place like The Woodville
Playing the mysterious Wizard himself is Dean Gaffney, who is preparing to make his journey to Gravesend for the festive season.
After seeing an early glimpse of what Wicked Productions has planned, Dean was particularly impressed by the scale and quality of the production.
“I think it's going to be beautiful and very elaborate. They've had a designer come in and design it from the ground up, and from what I've seen so far, the costumes alone are fantastic.”
Having appeared in around eight pantomimes during his career, Dean says returning to the stage gives him something very different from his television work.
“If you're an athlete, you're in the gym. If you're an actor, you should be on the stage. Pantomime is light, fun and it's for the children. Seeing their faces light up is always a great time.”
Dean has also already received a warm welcome from the Gravesend venue.
“The Woodville feels very homely. From the moment I came into the theatre, everyone made me feel welcome. It doesn't feel corporate, it feels personal, and everyone seems really nice. It's got a great feel to it.”
And why is there no place like The Woodville?
“It's the perfect family trip this Christmas.”
Hear her roar: Georgia Rowland-Elliott returns as Lioness
Offering a new twist on one of Oz's most famous characters, Georgia Rowland-Elliott takes on the role of Lioness, who embarks on a quest to find her courage.
For Georgia, courage is all about:
“Being your authentic self, no matter where you are or who you're with. Staying true to yourself whatever situation you're in, as well as showing up for yourself.”
The role gives Georgia an opportunity to embrace a larger-than-life side to her performance.
“It's totally different to anything I've done in panto before. I get to do more comedy, have that larger personality and be a bit sillier. Making the character female is also a really good twist. Everyone knows the classic story, but I'm hoping to bring even more personality to the character.”
Georgia believes that blend of familiar storytelling and fresh ideas will help make the production perfect for different generations.
“There's more silliness and lots of audience interaction, while still keeping the traditional story alive. It has something for the children to get involved with, but also those jokes for the grown-ups.”
No brain? No problem!
Returning Woodville favourite Jezo will step into the shoes of the lovable Scarecrow, although he jokes that the search for a brain might be closer to real life than audiences realise.
“I think the funniest thing is that because Scarecrow doesn't have a brain, I've got a complete excuse not to know how to dance, not know how to walk and not know my lines! I don't know what's going to happen because I don't have a brain!”
With Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lioness spending much of their adventure together, audiences can expect plenty of chemistry and comedy between the foursome.
“Every year we've ramped it up. We're going to be on stage together a lot, so we've got to keep that tempo going constantly.”
For Jezo, pantomime's enduring popularity comes back to what Christmas is all about.
“Christmas is about being with family and being together. It's great for the kids, they love it, and The Woodville is amazing.”
Byron Witchell puts his heart into the Tin Man
Byron Witchell returns to The Woodville as the Tin Man, bringing his trademark energy and humour to a character searching for a heart.
But Byron believes the Tin Man already has more heart than he realises.
“He actually has a lot of love to give. Out of all the characters, the Tin Man has the biggest heart. He just wants everyone to get along and for everyone to have a bit of fun.”
The production will see Byron bring his own personality to the iconic character:
“I'm bringing a bit of my own boyish charm to the Tin Man, alongside a little elegance. I'm going to take it, roll with it and come up with something fun and energetic. I'll inject a little bit of Byron into him!”
For Byron, it is the cast's genuine friendship that makes Christmas at The Woodville particularly special.
“You've got all your panto favourites in Gravesend. We've got Jezo, Rob Cummings and Georgia back again this year. It's an incredible cast. We're friends as well as colleagues and we love to have a laugh. I really think that comes across on stage.”
And if Tin Man could leave audiences with one message?
“Believe in yourself, but most importantly, believe in your friends. If you believe in them, you give strength to their belief in themselves.”
The Wicked Witch returns to where her panto story began
Of course, no visit to Oz would be complete without someone for audiences to boo and hiss.
This year's Wicked Witch, played by Kate, promises to be properly wicked, although perhaps with a little silliness added into the mix.
“She's really properly wicked, but she has a silly side too. There has to be something there so the children aren't too terrified! She likes to have fun, but maybe she takes the fun a little too far sometimes.”
For Kate, however, appearing at The Woodville has an added personal significance. 2026 marks 30 years since she performed in one of her first pantomimes at the venue.
“This is a really special one for me because I did one of my first ever pantomimes here at The Woodville 30 years ago. It's my 30th anniversary, so it's really exciting to come back to Gravesend.”
Her history with The Wizard of Oz makes the return even more fitting.
“I've always had fond memories of the theatre and I've performed here three times before. The last time I did The Wizard of Oz, I was Glinda, and now I've gone green! I love the idea of coming back somewhere that I started out all those years ago.”
Follow the Yellow Brick Road this Christmas
With a cast packed with familiar Woodville faces and exciting new talent, a completely new set, dazzling costumes, magical effects, plenty of comedy and surprises along the way, The Wizard of Oz is set to take families on an unforgettable festive adventure.
The production is presented as a traditional British pantomime, complete with audience participation, spectacular scenery, comedy, colourful costumes and a soundtrack featuring chart-topping songs. The production does not feature songs from the original MGM motion picture. [woodville.co.uk]
So gather the family, click your heels together and remember...
There’s no place like The Woodville this Christmas!
Booking information
Friday 4 December 2026 to Saturday 2 January 2027
The Woodville Auditorium, Gravesend
Book online: www.woodville.co.uk/events/christmas-panto-wizard-of-oz/
Box office: 01474 337 500