Dec 1991 - Folk Concert

Feb 1992 - Robin Hood and The Babes in the Wood

Jun 1992 - Culter Singalong

Feb 1993 - Peter Pan

Jun 1993 - Gala Concert

Dec 1993 - Aladdin

Feb 1994 - Adult Entry SCDA One Act Play Festival

Dec 1994 - Snow White

Feb 1995 - Adult Entry SCDA One Act Play Festival

June 1995 - Stage by Stage

Dec 1995 - Cinderella

Feb 1996 - Adult & Youth Entries SCDA One Act Play Festival

May 1996 - Disney Showtime

Dec 1996 - Frank'N'Stein - the Panto

Feb 1997 - Adult & Youth Entries SCDA One Act Play Festival

Mar 1997 - Two One Act Plays

May 1997 - Get Back

Dec 1997 - The Wizard of Oz Panto

Feb 1998 - Adult & Youth Entries SCDA One Act Play Festival

Mar 1998 - Two One Act Plays

June 1998 - Old Time Music Hall Revue

Dec 1998 - Beauty and the Beast

June 1999 - Magical Moments From the Movies

Dec 1999 - Dick Whittington in Aberdeen

June 1999 - Don't Let the Bug Bite

Dec 2000 - Thumbelina

June 2001 - A Night at the Musicals

Dec 2001 - Jack and the Beanstalk

June 2002 - Three Tales of the Unexpected

Dec 2002 - Little Red Riding Hood

June 2003 - Midsummer Madness

Dec 2003 - Sleeping Beauty

June 2004 - Around The World in 80 Minutes

Dec 2004 - Peter Pan

June 2005 - Honk

Dec 2005 - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

June 2006 - Throughlly Modern Millie

Dec 2006 - Trouble in Pantoland

Dec 2007 - Cinderella

Dec 2008 - Aladdin

Police in line for panto villain role after licence row threatens Aladdin
Organisers of annual production warned to expect criminal charges if fundraiser goes ahead
By Ryan Crighton

Published: 28/11/2008


REAL DRAMA: Facing the final curtain are, from left, Kimberley Aberdein, Christine Milne, Lea Whitelaw and Hannah Patience. Raymond Besant
More Pictures1/1:
The organisers of a children’s pantomime are bracing themselves for a police raid on the event following a bureaucratic row over a 40-year-old licensing law.

Aberdeen City Council’s licensing department has warned that village hall bosses at Culter face criminal charges if they proceed with next week’s production of Aladdin, which has a cast mainly made up of youngsters.

Officials say the hall does not have a theatre licence for the five-date show – despite the venue hosting the annual panto for the past 16 years.

Organisers are determined the show will go on – a decision that could leave Culter Theatre Club teetering on the edge of bankruptcy if charges are brought.

Culter village hall committee president Susan Chappell-Smith said organisers had never been warned before about the legislation.

“If the police do come and close the show, the theatre group would probably go under because of the money they have already paid out for royalties, costumes and the set,” she said.

“The hall committee would probably have to bail them out, which would put us under huge financial pressure.”

The theatre club and hall committee have sought legal advice from north-east solicitor Harvey Aberdein, managing partner of Aberdein Considine.

They have decided to press ahead with the performance, which must now be described as a “Christmas entertainment show based around the theme of Aladdin” – as the hall’s existing public entertainment licence covers variety performances.

The show is due to open on Wednesday with a performance for pensioners and this could be halted by police if the council carries out its threat to report the club.

Culter Theatre Club, which the city council helped fund in the 90s, has raised more than £10,000 for local charities through its pantomimes since 1992.

Licensing bosses became aware of the show only after an advert for it appeared in the Press and Journal.

They said the group should move the show or postpone it until a theatre licence is granted, a process which can take up to three weeks.

In a letter to the hall committee, council lawyer Donald Macleod adds: “We are required to notify the police of any occasions where it appears that an unlicensed activity may be taking place.

“It is then for the police to investigate matters and to report any persons operating without a licence to the procurator fiscal. It is then a matter for the procurator fiscal to decide whether to raise criminal proceedings against the relevant persons.”

Ms Chappell-Smith said: “I find it hard to accept that it is in the council’s best interest to threaten prosecution to two community groups who perform a service for their community, engage young people in interesting and challenging activities and have been doing so for years.

“We have performed a pantomime in the hall every year for 16 years without a problem – the council gave the theatre club a grant to put in the lighting system.

“We have been preparing for this show since September and it involves a cast of more than 40, most of them youngsters between the ages of 12 and 17.”

She added: “To instruct us to cancel the shows just a week before the first performance is extremely cruel. The cast would be devastated and it would be a logistical nightmare to refund the tickets.”

Local MSP Nicol Stephen, former leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, called for city council interim chief executive Robert Coomber to intervene.

But last night a council spokesman insisted the authority had a duty to report any licensing bre