Blackpool 30 Years

UK Productions Ltd proudly marked a landmark moment in its history this past Christmas, celebrating 30 years of pantomime at Blackpool Grand Theatre – the venue where its pantomime journey first began. Since launching its inaugural Blackpool pantomime at The Grand in 1995, UK Productions has grown into one of the UK’s most prolific and respected producers of large-scale musicals, drama, dance and pantomime. Yet, its relationship with Blackpool Grand remains one of the most important and enduring partnerships in the company’s story.

What began as an ambitious venture by producer Martin Dodd has evolved into a nationwide theatrical force. His unwavering commitment to excellence – across direction, choreography, design and stagecraft – has established UK Productions as a company synonymous with quality and creativity. This 30-year milestone honours not only a remarkable legacy, but the vision, resilience and artistic leadership that have shaped the company’s evolution.

To mark the anniversary year, Beauty and the Beast returned to Blackpool Grand Theatre for the 2025 Christmas season – a production originally premiered there in 2018, when it broke all box office records. Its return represented a homecoming for a show that embodies the company’s signature qualities: storytelling with heart, spectacular staging, and a commitment to craftsmanship that elevates pantomime into true theatrical spectacle.

Alongside its Blackpool celebrations, UK Productions delivered one of the largest and most ambitious pantomime seasons in the country, bringing its trademark blend of humour, heart and high-production value to theatres nationwide. The 2025 season included:

• Jack and the Beanstalk — Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury

• Jack and the Beanstalk — Malvern Theatres, Malvern

• Aladdin — Anvil Arts, Basingstoke

• The Further Adventures of Peter Pan: The Return of Captain Hook — Theatre Royal, Bath

• Cinderella — Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth

• Cinderella — Grand Opera House, York

• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs — Palace Theatre, Mansfield

• Sleeping Beauty — Floral Pavilion, New Brighton

• Sleeping Beauty — Sunderland Empire

• Beauty and the Beast — Blackpool Grand Theatre

• Beauty and the Beast — Croydon Ashcroft Theatre

Together, these productions formed one of the most expansive pantomime seasons in the UK, each crafted with the artistry, scale and meticulous attention to detail that audiences have come to expect from UK Productions.

Beyond Pantomime: A Diverse Production Portfolio

While pantomime remains central to the company’s identity, it represents just one chapter of a much broader creative story. Since founding UK Productions in 1995, Martin Dodd has built a diverse and respected body of work spanning major musicals and powerful contemporary drama.

The company’s musical theatre portfolio includes acclaimed productions such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 42nd Street, Carousel, Fiddler on the Roof, Jekyll and Hyde, Legally Blonde, Annie Get Your Gun and many more. International tours, West End and Broadway runs, and major UK tours have cemented UK Productions’ reputation for delivering large-scale, high-quality theatrical work across genres.

Alongside its musicals, UK Productions has established a strong presence in literary adaptations and contemporary plays. Its much-lauded production of The Kite Runner has enjoyed five national and international tours – including North America and Dubai – as well as two West End seasons and a Broadway run. The production has been widely praised for its emotional depth, atmospheric staging and artistic sensitivity, becoming a defining title in the company’s dramatic repertoire.

More recently, the company co-produced the stage adaptation of The Beekeeper of Aleppo, adapted by Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler (playwright of The Kite Runner), in association with Nottingham Playhouse where it first premiered. The production further demonstrated UK Productions’ commitment to work that resonates emotionally and socially with contemporary audiences.

Craftsmanship at Scale

Behind the scenes, UK Productions has developed a significant in-house production base. Sets and costumes are designed and built not only for its own productions but also for sale and hire to other producers. From scenic stores in Shropshire to the wardrobe department in Blackpool, approximately 40 productions receive sets and costumes each Christmas season, with a constant supply throughout the year to musicals and plays nationally and internationally.

This infrastructure underpins the company’s reputation for scale, efficiency and craftsmanship.

Reflections on 30 Years

Reflecting on the milestone, Martin Dodd says:

“Celebrating 30 years of pantomime at Blackpool Grand Theatre is a true privilege. This milestone belongs not just to me but to the incredibly talented leadership and creative team and staff that I have around me, some of which have been there for all or most of our existence. I also have to thank the countless people who have poured their talent, energy and passion into our shows every year. I am profoundly grateful to our creative teams, our incredible casts, musicians, and crews, and the many venue partners who work tirelessly behind the scenes. From Chief Executives to Marketing, Front of House, Sales, Technical and Stage Teams – every individual plays a vital part in bringing the magic of pantomime and all of our productions to life. I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported us on this remarkable journey.”

Blackpool Grand Theatre’s Chief Executive, Adam Knight, adds:

“UK Productions has shaped Christmas in Blackpool for three decades. Their commitment to exceptional storytelling and theatrical excellence is unmatched, and we are honoured to have been their first pantomime home. As Beauty and the Beast returns to The Grand, we celebrate not only a cherished production but a partnership built on creativity, ambition and a shared love of enchanting audiences year after year.”

Entering a Fourth Decade

Across thirty years, UK Productions has welcomed millions of audience members to its productions, developed new talent, championed large-scale craftsmanship, and delivered entertainment that has become part of the cultural fabric of communities across the UK. From Blackpool to the West End, from family pantomime to literary drama, the company continues to demonstrate the enduring power of theatre to transport, uplift and inspire.

As UK Productions enters its fourth decade, the company stands as a testament to Martin Dodd’s belief that theatre should always marry ambition with heart, artistry with accessibility, and spectacle with substance. His guiding principle – that every production, whether a beloved pantomime or a contemporary drama, deserves the very highest standard of craft – continues to shape the company’s identity and inspire all who work within it.

Thirty years on from that first pantomime in Blackpool, UK Productions remains driven by the same passion, curiosity and creative spirit that sparked its beginnings – building on an extraordinary legacy while embracing the opportunities of the next chapter.