Cirencester’s pantomime company, The Phoenix Revue Company, have the spectacular opening of this year’s show, Alice In Wonderland, at the Bingham Hall on Thursday night.

The show is set to be bigger, more exciting and more magical than ever, with two new talented young people running the company, Amy-May Knowles and Kieran Powell.

The show is a hilarious panto version of the classic story Alice In Wonderland, with a couple of characters added in, to fulfil the panto rostra, Jack Diamond (Alice’s love interest), and Mabel (Alice’s mum, and the inevitable pantomime dame).

Making the story a bit more 21st century is the Essex Cat, replacing the Cheshire Cat, as well as contemporary dances and songs.

The Phoenix Revue Company is an established pantomime company, having put on shows for the last 25 years. Jan Woodrough has been responsible for keeping people laughing throughout that time, although last year she passed the baton to Amy-May.

In 2013 Amy-May won vInspired’s Best Young Volunteer of England award, recognising all the hard work she put in to the first ever Phoenix Festival, running youth clubs, and being a member of Cirencester’s Youth Town Council. This year she has focussed her efforts on producing the “best panto Ciren has ever seen!”

She has enlisted the help of one of the UK’s top variety entertainers, Nailsworth's Kieran Powell. Kieran’s day job is now travelling the world performing his ventriloquist act to thousands of people a night on some of the world's biggest cruise ships.

Kieran has, however, has taken time to help produce this show, as well as playing Jack.

Also featuring in this year’s show is Cirencester Creative Dance Academy. They have been involved with The Phoenix Revue Company for a few years now, being responsible for the dance-breaks in the show, choreographing some fantastic dances to help bring the show even more energy and excitement.

This year’s show, at Bingham Hall has a bigger cast, more songs, more dances, more laughs and a lot more fun.

Shows are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, January 22, 23 and 24, at 7.30pm each day and a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday only.

Doors open half an hour before the show. Tickets will be available on the door, or available online until two hours before the show begins from www.phoenixrevue.co.uk, by visiting the Cirencester Visitor Information Centre, or calling 01285 654180.