More than 200 employees from PwC have swapped their desks for the stage as they hit the West End for performances of Hansel & Gretel for the firm’s annual charity panto production, now in its 31st year
Over 8,500 children will see the show this year thanks to a free ticket scheme funded by the firm and distributed through inner city schools and charities.
This year’s panto is Hansel & Gretel, led by a very talented cast of PwC staff and alumni, who work on all aspects of the production in their spare time from acting, singing, dancing and directing to costume design, make-up, lighting, sound, backstage crew and playing in the band.
The cast includes staff from right across the firm and at all levels with some stunning performances from Stephanie Howel, senior reputation and communications manager, as wicked witch Hellebore, and forensic accountant Caroline Marley as the scheming stepmother Belladonna.
Zain O’Sullivan, client account executive, put on a great performance as the hilarious Miss Snockers, surely drawing inspiration from David Walliams’ Little Britain sketch, We are Ladies. Hansel and Gretel were played by Kate Beckwith, an associate in the banking and capital markets team, and Rebecca Tossell, who joined the firm as part of its higher apprentice scheme and is a junior consulting associate. Their easily duped father, Sam, was played by Luke Ellerton, who away from the spotlight is a corporation tax consultant.
From our own parish, Julia Bowyer, a PwC alumni and former senior manager in the accounting consulting services team, and now head of audit and accounting content at CCH, is a member of the musical arrangement team.
Stephanie Hyde, PwC’s head of regions and executive board sponsor for the PwC panto, said: ‘This longstanding event is central to our community affairs programme and its main aim is to give a magical theatre experience to children from inner city schools and charities. This year over 8,500 children are welcomed to watch our first ever production of Hansel & Gretel for free.’
This year’s chosen charity to benefit from the panto is Gingerbread, a national charity that supports single parents to meet their family needs.
Since its inception over 31 years ago as three shows at the Chaucer Theatre, the PwC panto has expanded to a full scale theatrical event that runs for eight shows in London’s Peacock Theatre and a regional tour that is taking place in Swansea this year.
The show runs in London until 28 January at the Peacock Theatre, and then the panto will go on tour to Swansea from 9-11 February for four performances.
@PwCPanto