Britain's tallest man set to star in Bradford's panto (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Neil Fingleton will play Little John in Alhambra show

10:48am Friday 2nd December 2011 in News

It’s going to be a tall order to beat this year’s Alhambra pantomime.

The cast of Robin Hood, which opens this month, includes Britain’s tallest man Neil Fingleton – who is playing Little John.

Standing at 7ft 7in, he will be head and shoulders above Alhambra stalwart Billy Pearce, starring in the title role, and Bradford actor Andrew Ryan who plays the Dame, Nurse Kelly.

Mr Fingleton, who wears size 15 shoes and has a 54-inch inside leg, has had his costumes designed to fit his towering frame. He went into acting after a back injury halted his basketball career, and recently completed filming a movie called 47 with Keanu Reeves.

More than 61,000 tickets have so far been booked for the show.

An array of special effects will include an animatronic smoke-breathing dragon with a five-metre wing-span, which will fly over the audience, and an on-stage rainfall and enchanted waterfall which will answer questions by spelling out words.

Executive producer Michael Harrison said: “Children still love panto but they can just as easily go and see a West End show like Shrek. Panto has to stand up to those shows, so it needs an extra glisten.

“The Alhambra panto has had great 3D effects in recent years but there’s only so often you can do that. You have to surprise audiences.”

Last year’s Alhambra panto, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, made more than £1 million, despite drawing in 5,200 fewer people than the 2009/2010 panto, Jack and the Beanstalk.

A total of 71,000 tickets were sold for Snow White before it started in December, 2010. l Robin Hood – The Pantomime Adventure runs from Saturday, December 17, until Sunday, February 5, 2012. Tickets are available on (01274) 432000 or at bradford-theatres.co.uk.

e-mail: emma.clayton @telegraphandargus.co.uk