PANTOMIME audiences at Theatre Royal Bath raised more than £12,600 over the festive season during 14 post-performance charity collections between Thursday 18th and Friday 26th December, after matinee and evening performances of The Further Adventures of Peter Pan.
Audience favourite Jon Monie – who wrote the script and starred as pirate Smee – made an announcement from the stage on behalf of the charities involved before each of the charity fundraising bucket collections for nine days during the pantomime run.
Well-known for his roles in Casualty and Coronation Street, Tristan Gemmill, who was a magnificent Captain Hook, said: “We would like to say a massive thank you to each and every one of the extremely generous theatregoers for this amazing total raised. Bath’s pantomime audiences have dug deep for these fantastic charities, who will be able to continue their incredible work in 2026.”
The money raised during the theatre’s Charities Week totalled £9,525.48 to be divided equally between four charities: Parkinsons UK, 2 Wish, CCS Adoption and Guide Dogs. Bucket collections the following week raised an additional £3,170.15 for the Theatre Royal’s new community theatre, Venue 4.
Jon Monie and Tristan Gemmill were joined on stage by Holly Atterton (Tinker Bell), Sarah Jane Buckley (Mrs Darling/Ethel Mermaid), Marcus J Foreman (Peter Pan), Bobbie Chambers (Emily Darling), The Nitwits and dancers from The Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance, with Sam and Lola from the Theatre Royal’s front of house team to celebrate the donations given by theatregoers.
* Parkinson’s UK is driven by the mission to improve life with Parkinson’s. The charity supports those with Parkinson’s, from searching for a cure and campaigning for better health and care, to funding research into new treatments and running life-changing support services.
* 2 Wish works to ensure that all those affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a child or young adult aged 25 or under, receive bereavement support. The charity provides immediate and ongoing support, such as memory boxes, bereavement rooms within hospitals, counselling, play therapy and complementary therapy.
* CCS Adoption is a voluntary adoption agency and a children’s charity, that finds – and supports – loving families for children who need them when they can no longer safely live with their birth family. Based in Bristol and serving families across the South West, with more than 100 years of experience, the agency offers lifelong support to adoptive families, helping children heal, grow and thrive in their new homes and improving their long-term life chances.
* Guide Dogs supports children and adults with sight loss, providing life-changing mobility services and dogs, to help people live active, independent and fulfilled lives.
Pictured: Jon Monie and Tristan Gemmill with front of house staff Sam and Lola.