First Family Entertainment is an entertainment group specialising in pantomime and other family theatre entertainment, announced the formation in January 2005 as a joint venture between the producers David Ian for Live Nation and Howard Panter for the Ambassador Theatre Group. First Family Entertainment is funded and supported by Live Nation and the Ambassador Theatre Group.[1]
Their pantomimes follow the traditional mould, but they claim to use only genuine star performers rather than the more usual B and C list pantomime stalwarts. They have criticised other companies for bringing the pantomime form into disrepute, but there is little evidence to support such an assertion. FFE produced eight of the 250 or so commercially produced pantomimes in the UK in the 2005-2006 season. Pantomime is an important source of revenue for provincial British theatres.
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12 Productions are now planned for the 2010/2011 season.
The planned production of Sleeping Beauty at the Sunderland Empire has now been cancelled. Replaced with the musical 'White Christmas, running from 19th November 2010 until 1st January 2011.
12 Productions were staged for the 2009/2010 season.
12 Productions were produced for the 2008/2009 season with the addition of the Hippodrome, Bristol and the Empire, Liverpool to the list of venues.
10 productions were staged for the 2007/2008 season with the addition of the Sunderland Empire, owned by Live Nation.
9 productions were staged for the 2006/2007 with the addition of the Manchester Opera House as a venue. Pantomimes at the Opera House have previously been produced by Effective Productions and more recently Qdos Entertainment.
2005
2006