Ben Nickless and Myra Dubois return for another year of panto at Manchester Opera House

Manchester Opera House has announced that Manchester panto favourite Ben Nickless will return for another year of antics in the magical family pantomime, Cinderella, alongside multi-award-winning star of stage and screen Myra DuBois, who returns for a second season.

Britain’s Got Talent finalist Ben Nickless returns for his sixth consecutive year in the Opera House panto, playing the role of Cinderella’s best friend, the lovable Buttons. Rochdale-born Nickless started his working life playing the comedy clubs in the North-West and his career took off in 2006 when he performed his own style of comedy and impressions on the BBC television series Let Me Entertain You alongside Brian Conley and Christine Bleakley, winning his episode. Ben returns to the Manchester Opera House panto by popular demand, having played Silly Simon in Jack and the Beanstalk, Smee in The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan, Wishee Washee in Aladdin, Muddles in Snow White and Buttons in Cinderella.

Commenting on his sixth consecutive year at the Opera House, Ben said: “I am absolutely over the moon to spend another Christmas at the Opera House with the best audiences in the world. Cinderella will be my 20th year in pantomime, and I couldn’t have wished for a better production to appear in and Buttons is without doubt, my favourite role to play. I can’t wait to see you all again in the most magical pantomime of them all.”

Joining Nickless and back by popular demand is the self-declared ‘Siren from South Yorkshire’, the larger-than-life Myra DuBois. Myra became a household name in 2020 making the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent. Alongside entertaining the nation on BGT, Myra has been seen performing across London and the UK. Myra’s solo show Dead Funny played at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and made its international debut at the Sydney Opera House. Myra returns after a successful 2023 pantomime season where she played Mrs. Blunderbore in Jack and the Beanstalk.

On her return to Manchester for another panto season, Myra said: “How gorgeous to be back at the Opera House for the MOTHER of all pantos! I adored joining Ben and the Mancunian audiences last year who embraced me wholly. I can’t wait to see what magic we make this Christmas!”

Cinderella will be produced by the world’s biggest pantomime producer and the team behind the 2023 production of Jack and the Beanstalk, Crossroads Pantomimes. The production will be packed full of the magical ingredients Manchester audiences have come to expect from their annual festive production – Cinderella will feature laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses.

Join Cinders as she goes from rags to riches, outwits her very wicked sisters and meets her Prince Charming. The clock is ticking, so book your tickets now! Available here.

Further star casting will be announced later in the year.