Su Pollard brings a touch of panto magic to Crewe ahead of Sleeping Beauty

Actress and panto favourite Su Pollard brought a touch of Sleeping Beauty magic to Crewe during a whistle-stop tour of the town ahead of her starring role in this year’s festive pantomime.

Su, best known for her role as Peggy Ollerenshaw in the BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi, who will star in Sleeping Beauty at Crewe Lyceum from 11 December to 3 January 2027, travelled to Crewe with support from Avanti West Coast and spent the night at Crewe Hall before setting off on a packed day of visits celebrating creativity and local connections.

Her first stop was Cheshire College South & West, where Su met fashion and design students to deliver a live brief for an exciting creative project.

The students will design a bespoke pantomime costume especially for Su, with the finished creation set to be displayed at the theatre during its Christmas run.

She then visited the Supported Adults Service at The Wishing Well Charity, where she met members of the team and learned more about the charity and the support it provides to local people with additional needs.

The visit also gave Su the opportunity to hear first-hand about the impact of sponsorship from Baywater Healthcare, which has supported members of the service to attend the pantomime’s Relaxed Performances in Crewe over the past few years and designed to provide a more accessible theatre experience for audiences with additional needs.

Su’s tour continued with visits to Nantwich Bookshop and Waterstones in Crewe, where she met fans and signed copies of her new book, Fully Charged.

She then headed to Crewe Lyceum itself, where she met members of the theatre team and helped launch the venue’s brand-new seasonal brochure, marking the start of the countdown to its packed programme of autumn, winter and New Year’s entertainment.

Graham McKnight, Theatre Director at Crewe Lyceum, said: “It was fantastic to welcome Su to Crewe and give her the chance to experience some of the people, organisations and communities that make our town so special. Her visit really brought the excitement of Sleeping Beauty to life well ahead of opening night.

“From working with the talented students at the college, to meeting the wonderful team at The Wishing Well, it was a brilliant opportunity to show Su just how much of a community theatre can be.”

Su’s visit marks the start of the build-up to Sleeping Beauty, which promises audiences at Crewe Lyceum plenty of laughter, sparkle and traditional festive fun.

Sleeping Beauty runs at Crewe Lyceum Theatre from 11 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.