Festive first as pantomime aims to deliver a dose of Christmas cheer for local hospital patients

From the town’s theatrical boards direct to its hospital wards, this year’s seasonal pantomime at the Cast in Doncaster is making its NHS debut, as the performance is live-streamed for patients both young and old.

Beauty and the Beast at Cast Theatre 2017

Staff at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH) and the local theatre has been working hard in order to deliver a Christmas treat for patients and visitors. As a result, Thursday’s performance of Cast’s Beauty and the Beast will be filmed and screened live in the Trust’s Children’s and Elderly Care wards.

Spending time in hospital throughout the Christmas period can be challenging for patients. While ward areas are always busy and activities are planned to entertain, patients can miss out on festive happenings. By bringing panto to the hospital, both organisations are hoping to deliver seasonal cheer to staff, patients and visitors alike.

Featuring breath-taking special effects, glittering sets and stunning costumes, this year’s show, Beauty and the Beast, is jam-packed with sing-along-tunes and is the perfect festive treat for all ages.

Richard Parker, Chief Executive at DBTH, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to work with Cast in Doncaster in order to live-stream this Xmas show for our patients. While our staff try their very best, spending Christmas in hospital isn’t ideal and with this performance we hope that we can bring a festive flourish to our patient’s faces.

“I want to thank our partners at Cast and also wish good luck to everyone involved in the pantomime who will be performing to an extra-special audience on Thursday. Break a leg!”

With free WiFi recently introduced on ward areas, the pantomime will also be able to be screened on patient’s phones, tablets and laptops.

Deborah Rees, Director at Cast at Doncaster, said: “The magic of a Christmas pantomime is something everyone deserves to experience, so if you can’t get to the pantomime, then we will bring the pantomime to you! Live-streaming is just one of the new ways Cast is reaching out to local people, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to start this exciting Christmas event with our friends at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals”

Extending the festivities to members of Team DBTH, the pantomime will also be screened to more than 130 off-duty staff, and their children, in the hospital’s Lecture Theatre, free of charge.​