Oldham Coliseum Theatre has been recognised at The Pantomime Awards.

The theatre’s Celia Perkins won Best Costume Design at the 2022 awards for her work on the theatre’s production of Aladdin.

Shorelle Hepkin was also nominated for the Barbara Windsor Award for Best Principal Boy, following her portrayal of the titular character in the production. 

The Oldham Times: Celia Perkins (left) and Shorelle Hepkin (right) at the Awards. Photo: Oldham Coliseum.Celia Perkins (left) and Shorelle Hepkin (right) at the Awards. Photo: Oldham Coliseum.

Additionally, Celia received a second nomination for Best Set Design.

Her award has now been taken away to be engraved.

Accepting the award, Celia said: “Well thank you so much, everybody – my daughters will be so pleased I didn’t trip up the stairs!

“I would like to thank all those hard-working wardrobe departments around the country.

“Just like my favourite pantomime joke, I make them work their fingers to the bone, and what have they got for it? Bony fingers! Thank you very much.”

Oldham Coliseum theatre was among several theatres around the country to be recognised at the awards.

The Oldham Times: Celia Perkins accepting the award. Photo: Ellie Hoskins/The UK Pantomime AssociationCelia Perkins accepting the award. Photo: Ellie Hoskins/The UK Pantomime Association

Celia Perkins finds herself among names such as Alexandra Burke, who won the award for Best Mythical Being for her portrayal as Scherezade, the protector of the ring, in Manchester’s Palace Theatre’s version of Aladdin.

TV’s Judge (Robert) Rinder also took home the Best Newcomer award for his portrayal of The Man in the Mirror at the Bristol Hippodrome.

The Pantomime Awards are run by the UK Pantomime Association, founded in 2021.

For this awards season, 46 judges saw a total of 207 pantomimes across the country, scoring each show across awards categories using marking criteria developed in collaboration with industry experts.

After collation, a long list of potential winners is created, and winners are chosen using an awards panel.

Other awards included Duncan Burt and Nic Gibney, who took home the prize for ‘Best Ugly Sisters’ at Theatre Royal Bath’s production of Cinderella.

A full list of winners can be found on The Pantomime Association’s website.