2021/22 Season
After a turbulent year for the Arts, The Pantomime Awards were back. Our team of judges were on the road travelling from Aberdeen to Aylesbury, Belfast to Bognor and Cardiff to Canterbury.
A team of 46 judges was recruited by the newly formed UK Pantomime Association which developed a set of criteria for the awards in collaboration with industry experts such as designer Terry Parsons, writer Joyce Branagh and performer Lisa D Phillip.
The short list of nominees were revealed during March 2022 with the awards ceremony to take place in April.
Award Categories
Best Dame
Best Comic
The Barbara Windsor Best Principal Boy
Best Principal Girl
The Carmen Silvera Best Mythical Being
Best Villain
Best Ugly Sisters
Best Supporting Artist
Best Ensemble
Best Script
Best Direction
Best Choreography
Best Musical Direction
Best Costume Design
Best Set Design
Best Lighting Design
Best Sound Design
Best Panto (Digital)
Best Panto (Small)
Best Panto (Medium)
Best Panto (Large)
Plus Special Awards TBA
2021/22 Awards Criteria is available via hello@pantomimeassociation.co.uk on request.
Venue Map
Between 13th November 2021 and 26th January 2022, 207 venues were visited to determine the winners of the awards including Best Dame, Best Villain, Best Supporting Artist and Best Script. In addition, three shows will be crowned Best Pantomime depending on the venue’s capacity.
Take a look at all of the venues we visited here:
How are the winners of the pantomime awards decided?
The UK Pantomime Association issues an open call and recruits judges with relevant experience such as pantomime professionals, journalists, reviewers and seasoned audience members. For the 2021/2022 season, 46 judges saw 207 pantomimes, each scoring the shows across awards categories in line with a marking criteria that has been developed in consultation with industry experts.
We aim to cover all professional shows over the winter season that agree to be part of the awards with a venue capacity of over 400 seats and a minimum run of 10 performances. Other shows may be included at our discretion and judge availability. This year judge attendance was restricted by Covid show cancellations, shortened runs and judge unavailability due to Covid or illness.
Once reviewed and submitted, the judges’ scores are then collated, reviewed, and, in line with UKPA principles, used to inform a long list created by the Awards Panel Chair and Vice Chair.
Judges are then invited to a conference to discuss the longlists, with those unable to attend invited to send any comments in via email. Judges’ feedback, along with their scores and UKPA principles is then considered by the Awards Panel comprising of a mix of UKPA Trustees and Judges. The Awards Panel decides the shortlists and winners.
The Awards Panel
Robert Marsden
Awards Panel Chair & UKPA Trustee
Susie McKenna
Awards Panel Vice Chair & UKPA Trustee
Simon Sladen
Chair of UKPA Trustees & Judge
Sam Munday-Webb
Vice Chair of UKPA Trustees & Judge
Linda Bradley
UKPA Trustee
Caroline Elsey
UKPA Judge
Roman Stefanski
UKPA Judge
Rebecca Vines
UKPA Judge
Sarah Pamphilion
UKPA Judge
Rosy May
UKPA Judge