Nottingham: Rob Rinder and Samantha Womack head cast for Jack and the Beanstalk at Theatre Royal

Running from November 28 until January 3, this year’s giant pantomime will star broadcaster, barrister and author Rob Rinder as The Spirit of the Beans, alongside stage and screen favourite Samantha Womack as Mrs Blunderbore, returning Nottingham favourite Neil Hurst as Simon Trot, acclaimed cabaret performer Mary Mac as Dame Trot and musical theatre stars Mia Kobayashi as Princess Jill and Matthew Croke as Jack.

Members of the cast were at the Theatre Royal to launch this year’s panto in the heart of the city.

Rob Rinder MBE is a barrister, broadcaster and Sunday Times bestselling author.

His participation in Who Do You Think You Are? retraced the story of his Holocaust-survivor grandfather and received a BAFTA.

The BBC series he presented, My Family, The Holocaust, and Me, aired to critical acclaim and in 2020, he was awarded an MBE for his services to Holocaust education.

Rob has since gone on to curate and present a broad range of widely viewed and notable documentaries.

In 2024, Rob paired up with Rylan to present the docuseries Rob & Rylan’s Grand Tour for BBC Two, with the hugely popular series earning the duo a BAFTA.

In 2025, the highly anticipated follow-up series Rob and Rylan’s Passage to India aired, receiving widespread recognition.

Called to the bar in 2001, Rob went on to specialise in cases involving murder and financial crime, while working in media to make law more accessible.

Inspired by his experiences as a barrister, Rob’s novels The Trial, The Suspect and The Protest are Sunday Times bestsellers.

Samantha Womack, who stars as Mrs Blunderbore, has starred extensively in television, film and theatre, and has recently completed the UK tour of Dear England, playing team psychologist Pippa Grange.

Her television credits include Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders, Tanya in three seasons of Mount Pleasant, Ingrid in Home Again, Ruth in Babes in the Wood, Imogen in Imogen’s Face and Mandy in the hugely popular Game On.

Samantha has also starred in Forgiven, The Last Detective, Strange, Judge John Deed, Liverpool 1, Pie in the Sky, The Grimleys and BBC One’s hit series Silent Witness.

Neil Hurst returns to the Theatre Royal following a hugely successful season in last year’s Cinderella, where he proved a firm favourite with Nottingham audiences.

Best known for his TV roles in The Syndicate and Fresh Meat, Neil also co-hosted ITV’s All-Star Family Fortunes, appeared in BBC’s The ABC Murders and has featured in family favourites such as Coronation Street, All Creatures Great and Small and Casualty.

Before appearing in Nottingham last Christmas, Neil was the resident panto comic at Hull New Theatre, as well as touring the UK in musicals including The Full Monty and Hairspray!.

Mary Mac, who stars as Dame Trot, is one of the UK's busiest and best-loved cabaret performers.

Known for her quick wit, powerful vocals and crowd-pleasing performances, she regularly entertains audiences in theatres, cabaret venues and aboard cruise ships around the world.

Her stage credits include Everybody's Talking About Jamie (UK tour) and La Cage Aux Folles (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), while she recently concluded an extraordinary 12-year run as resident Dame at the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington Spa.

Mary has also toured the UK and Europe alongside drag superstar Bianca Del Rio and is a firm favourite with audiences wherever she performs.

The cast is completed with musical theatre stars Mia Kobayashi as Princess Jill and Matthew Croke in the title role of Jack.

Doomed to sell his trusty cow, join Jack’s fight to outwit the evil giant and win riches beyond his wildest dreams in a feast of festive family fun.

Visit trch.co.uk or call 0115 9895555 to book.