THE Alhambra panto has two more weeks to go - but what goes on behind the scenes at Yorkshire’s biggest family pantomime?

Sleeping Beauty, starring Billy Pearce and TV's Dr Ranj Singh, features spectacular special effects and traditional panto fun.

Here’s a peek behind the scenes to see what goes into the twice daily performances:

* A team of 18 Alhambra crew built the panto set and lighting in three days, taking 531 working hours to do it;

* Ten crew members work on the panto each day. They had just three days of rehearsals before opening night, in December, rehearsing for 330 hours between them;

* 170 lights were rigged to light the production, and 54 flying bars are used to hang all the set pieces, which weigh between 50kg and 450kg;

* To control all the effects on stage there are 7,171 channels used on the control desk. This doesn't include the lighting - a standard theatre light uses one channel;

* A total of 31 pyros (stage fireworks) are used in each show - that’s 1,953 over the entire run;

* A cloth called the Forest Gauze is flown 12 times during each performance. By the end of the run it will have been flown 732 times, not including rehearsals;

* The Deputy Stage Manager says “Go” 334 times in each show, giving lighting, pyros, sound, flying system and crew their cues;

* This year the stage floor has been printed and not painted, giving it a different look. A special liquid called 'Slip No More' is used to wash the stage;

* There are three secret cast members in the panto, who play the two snowmen and the ‘old hag’ - and they never take a curtain call;

* The dancers wear 552 costume items with nearly 400 poppers - all hand sewn in - to facilitate the 89 quick changes they make;

* A total of 102 tickets for the panto were sold on Christmas Day;

* So far, the Alhambra kiosk has sold 5,555 bags of confectionary (1,299 were fruit pastilles) and 2,090 bottles of water. That’s approximately 694kg of chocolate and sweets altogether!

* 3,796 items of merchandise have been sold. The most popular item, the swivel fan, is now out of stock;

* The two reindeer used to pull Santa’s sleigh in the show eat a special diet of Yorkshire puddings and parkin, which helps them fly safely above the audience...

* The Alhambra panto brings together the work of over 30 technical and production staff, 20 performers and musicians. And there are up to an additional 160 venue staff, including food and beverage, box office, cleaning, front of house and stage-door teams.

Read our review of Sleeping Beauty here: https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/19786754.review-alhambra-panto-sleeping-beauty/

* Sleeping Beauty runs until Sunday, January 16. There will be a Relaxed Performance on Tuesday, January 11 at 6pm.

Call (01274) 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk