£18,500 tickets go for 2011 panto

EAGER panto-lovers bought 1,500 tickets for next year’s Coliseum panto on the first day of “Sleeping Beauty” at the weekend.

The show, a year away, took over £18,500 on Saturday, which was the opening day of this year’s panto and the first day of sales for next year’s show, “Dick Whittington”.

Some keen buyers queued for Dick Whittington tickets from 8.30am for a box office that didn’t open until 10am — and found out the title of the 2011 panto only when they got to the counter to hand over their money.

“I’m always amazed that people love the show so much they start queueing long before the counter opens on the first day of sales. That’s a whole year before the show they are buying for,” said artistic director Kevin Shaw.

“The queues are becoming as much of a Coliseum tradition as the pantomime itself.”

Tickets for this year’s show continue to sell at record levels.

“Dick Whittington” will run from November 26, 2011, to January 14, 2012. Box office 0161-624 2829 or buy tickets online at www.coliseum.org.uk .