WINCHESTER law firm Paris Smith has renewed its corporate partnership with Play to The Crowd.

The arts and education charity, which runs the Theatre Royal, the Hat Fair and Playmakers, was previously supported by the law firm, with the new agreement seeing increased support for the annual pantomime.

Deryck Newland, chief executive of Play to The Crowd, said: “We are hugely thankful to the team at Paris Smith for their continued investment in us and for their recognition and understanding of the power that live performance has in creating happy and healthy communities. 

“Pantomime is often a child’s first experience of live performance, and it’s often an event that brings generations of families together for a shared experience. Paris Smith’s support will help us significantly in being able to continue creating these magical experiences for our community.”

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Play to The Crowd communications and development director, Kirstie Mathieson added: “Our traditional family pantomime is enjoyed by over 18,000 each year and is a highlight of the city’s festive celebrations. Although we are predominantly a receiving house, the pantomime is the one show each year we produce ourselves and we are very proud of it. We have worked with the same creative team for many years and they know what our audiences love and expect from a traditional family pantomime. The production also provides fantastic performance experience for local young performers in the support cast, providing a great platform for those wishing to pursue career in the industry.

“We thank Huw, Helen and the wider team at Paris Smith for their investment which will allow us to continue to delight and unite our community and support the next generation of performers.”

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Huw Miles, managing partner of Paris Smith, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, saying: “At Paris Smith we understand the power of live performance to create lasting memories and to provide joy to audiences of all ages, bringing families together.

“We are delighted to support Play to the Crowd's pantomime, which is a magical festive experience. This new partnership will help Play to the Crowd to continue its work in bringing the community together through live performances.”

The upcoming pantomime, Cinderella, is being produced by the same creative team behind prior panto’s The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and The Beast, and Aladdin. It will run from November 30 to January 1. Tickets are currently on sale.