Once upon a time – not in a deep, dark forest, but in the heart of the Dearne Valley – a band of spirited storytellers set out to stir up some theatrical magic.
Way, way back in 2012, a drama teacher from Barnsley, a social worker from Mexborough, and an illustrator from Rawmarsh put their creative heads together to bring the magic of panto to Wath.
Collectively, they set the stage for something wonderful, creating Tin Pot Theatre, a non-profit theatre company that has become a cornerstone of festive celebrations in their community.
Jamie Utley, Suzy Peterson, and Kevin Roper voluntarily give their time, energy, and endless enthusiasm to make Wath’s pantomime happen each year, fuelled mostly by magic beans, community spirit and a love of bringing people together.
Every December, their cast trades glass slippers for giggles and tiaras for tinsel as they bring a riotous panto to the stage at the Montgomery Hall Theatre.
And this year, they’re cooking up something just right.
With lumpy porridge, bears with boundary issues, and a girl who clearly missed the “don’t break into stranger’s homes” talk, Goldilocks and the Three Bears is getting the full Tin Pot treatment for 2025 – complete with a generous sprinkle of glitter and enough slapstick to make your sides ache.
When the Montgomery Hall curtain rises and the laughter begins to ripple through the audience, few will realise just how much hard work has gone into bringing this pantomime to life.
Jamie, Suzy and Kev are the heart and hilarious soul of Tin Pot Theatre, steering the ship with steadfastness, professionalism, and just enough panic to keep things interesting.
Having grown up around musical theatre and dancing, the trio first met at a local theatre group where they spotted something missing in amateur dramatics – a space where everyone in the community, regardless of ability, could shine.
So, like any good heroes in a panto tale, they set off on a new adventure of their own. With a shared vision and an iron-clad friendship, they launched Tin Pot Theatre to create a more inclusive, affordable, and joyful experience for audiences and performers alike.
Their very first production was Aladdin, filled with plenty of umph and spirit – and a whole new team of willing recruits.
Like the directors, all cast members are volunteers spanning a breadth of ages from kids to those reaching retirement age, with some who have learning disabilities.
Together, this ensemble proves that when it comes to theatre, it’s not about having West End budgets or Broadway egos, it’s a shared love of making people smile.
“We’re not just about performing arts, being all-singing all-dancing, or becoming famous. Being a Tin Potter is about wanting to do something different, build your confidence, and get more out of life. It’s about belonging, pure enjoyment, and feeling part of something bigger,” says Suzy.
There’s a joy in seeing someone step on stage who never thought they’d have the chance. But Tin Pot Theatre also know they have a responsibility to put on a good show every year for their audience’s sake.
“We called ourselves Tin Pot because we were thinking of something to do with mining and coal was too obvious. But tin pot also means a bit rubbish, so people might have low expectations,” says Suzy.
“We’re actually really big on quality and have high standards. We can’t expect an audience to pay for something that’s subpar. Often the feedback we get is that it’s such a good value night out and not what people expect at all.”
With just eleven performances on the calendar in the week leading up to Christmas, most nights are a sell-out because families know they’ll get 90-minutes full of laughter, music, and panto mischief, all at a price that’s affordable for everyone.
“It’s the closest we’ll ever be to Rolling Stones selling out Madison Square Gardens,” says Suzy. “I remember our first year we sold 18 tickets for one night and I thought it was amazing that 18 people we didn’t know had paid to watch us. Now we get over 300 people a show and I still can’t believe people pay to watch us be friends on stage. What an amazing way to live your life.”
In the early days, they did less well-known shows like Robinson Crusoe and Babes in the Wood. Taking inspiration from panto’s 16th century origins of Commedia dell’arte, they’ve always done traditional fairytales rather than Disney-fied performances.
“Our strength is in the acting and storytelling side. You will never find a romantic love scene in a Tin Pot show – mainly because we haven’t got the singers for it. But unless you’ve got Celine Dion in your cast then you shouldn’t be stopping the action to do a power ballad,” says Suzy.
However, their landmark moment came in 2015 when they decided to do the much-loved Jack and the Beanstalk.
“It really exploded for us after that because it’s such a popular panto, and the audience loved it,” says Jamie. “It’s mine and Suzy’s favourite and for our tenth anniversary we did it again, this time with a proper special effects giant rather than just a booming voice off-stage. We’re thinking it will now be one we do every five years.”
It was after that first Jack and the Beanstalk show that they started receiving messages from families to say the Wath panto had become their Christmas tradition.
One of their favourite stories involves a family who sent a tin of treacle backstage for the cast. They’d made a return visit after watching a previous show and were bemused by a running joke about treacle.
“We won’t go into it in case it spoils the surprise, but that to us was amazing,” says Suzy.
As much as the audience has their traditions, for Jamie, Suzy and Kev, pantomime and Christmas have become inseparable.
From September onwards, they spend every spare hour either together rehearsing and directing, or at home working on their own areas of expertise.
Jamie can usually be found managing the box office, sorting the accounts or coming up with special effects ideas, talented illustrator Kev hand-draws the programme cover and ropes his family in to sew costumes, and Suzy likes to be left in solitary confinement to write the script and design the lighting and sound.
There’s no backstage crew to help so the trusty trio manage every aspect – as well as any off-stage calamities that happen.
One year, there was a last-minute hitch with the costumes for Cinderella’s ugly stepsisters that Jamie and Kevin were playing. Before the clock struck opening night, they managed to source a second-hand designer silver gown by Suzanne Neville that fit Kev like a glove – and then raided the prop store to throw something together for Jamie.
“By hook or by crook we get there every year and we’ve never cancelled a show, except for the Covid year. There was one year where I was in hospital and discharged myself before the show,” says Jamie.
“It’s a big responsibility but it’s made us resilient. It works well as a trio as there’s always one of us we can lean on when issues crop up,” says Suzy.
They’re also part of the cast each year, each having become known for a specific role. Jamie is usually the dame, Kev plays the baddie, and Suzy is the principal girl or boy.
“Kev is an amazing baddie because he’s so funny and has such a distinctive look. One year we did Snow White and Jamie played the silly boy character, but it just didn’t feel right. People love him as the dame. I prefer to be the girl but I’m really aware that I’m getting on a bit now, but we do play on that.
“This year, my character Goldilocks and the silly boy character are meant to be twins celebrating their 18th birthday but Dave, who’s playing my brother, is in his 50s. We never take ourselves seriously which is what I think the audience like, and we play on how they react to the gags.”
Audiences respond with warmth and loyalty, appreciating the inclusivity and interaction they get with a Tin Pot show.
Whether it’s catching a flying Yorkshire pudding, looking out for a random yeti that makes an appearance every other year, or taking part in Jamie’s famous 12 days of Christmas interval song, you can guarantee that no two shows are ever the same.
Aside from the slapstick and storytelling, there’s social value in everything they do at Tin Pot Theatre.
Social worker Suzy has a master’s degree in arts regeneration of communities, and Jamie teaches drama at a large secondary school in Barnsley. They both also run their own low-cost theatre groups for children and young people in the Dearne Valley.
So, their brains are always thinking about how they can leave a positive impact on the community.
They do a charity collection each year and have raised tens of thousands of pounds over the last 12 years.
Their panto is also by far the most affordable in the area, with a family ticket costing just over £40. It’s been challenging in recent years due to rising costs, but they’ve managed to keep ticket prices low due to the nature of how they work.
None of the cast members or directors get paid and all money generated from ticket sales goes back into the following year’s show to pay for set designs or hiring costumes from the likes of York Theatre Royal.
Beyond the stage, the company has become a hub of connection that has opened doors for so many people.
Last year’s Sleeping Beauty, Mary, has landed a paid role in a professional pantomime after being encouraged to step into the limelight last Christmas. Mary was originally part of the dance chorus but the trio saw how talented she was and offered her the lead role, giving her the experience to apply for a professional show.
Silly boy character Dave is one of the original cast members who’s been involved from the beginning, often sharing the stage with his own kids who’ve been inspired by their dad.
Their principal boy Emily made her Tin Pot debut as a year nine student and is now a 27-year-old teacher but still comes back to do panto every year.
Gemma, who has learning disabilities, has been involved for many years and now has a speaking role after building up her confidence on stage.
And even Jamie’s wife is now a cast member – well, he’d probably never see her before Christmas if not!
“We love having such an inclusive cast and think it’s a real privilege that people want to be involved,” says Suzy. “Most of the adult cast all work other jobs so it’s an intense week in the build-up to Christmas but we treat them like stars.
“It’s become a family. At Jamie’s wedding a few years ago, I was talking to his mum and she said, ‘we’re all Tin Potters aren’t we?’ I lost my mum a few years ago and I had people from the audience coming up to me to offer their condolences.”
So, what keeps them going after more than a decade?
“It’s the community,” says Jamie simply. “The cast, the volunteers, the audience – it’s so important to what we’ve built up here and we feel a responsibility to provide it. It’s not about money, it’s about investing time in each other. This is Christmas for us and we’re in it together.”
Looking to the future, all three directors hope to continue growing, inspiring, and creating. Their relationship with the venue has never been better and Montgomery Theatre factor them in as one of their big events to finish off the year.
“We’ve been asked by other places if we can do a panto run at their venue but for now we’re here and it’s the Wath panto. Maybe when our mortgages are paid off and we’re thinking about retiring then it could be something we do a bit more of,” says Jamie.
Suzy shares the same sentiment. “That’s why we need to do the hard work now to create a legacy where, if we can’t do it anymore, someone else can take the reins and run with it. I would hate to think it stops when we do.”
Because Tin Pot is more than theatre. It’s a gift to the community, a celebration of talent in all its forms, and a shining reminder of what Christmas is truly about.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears is running at Wath’s Montgomery Hall Theatre from Tuesday 16th until Wednesday 24th December with limited tickets available.
Tickets are £12.50 for adults, £11.50 for children or £42 for a family ticket and can be purchased online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/tinpottheatre or by calling the theatre on 01709 513160
