Jeremy Corbyn to star as the Wizard of Oz-lington in cheesy London panto
From politics to panto, Jeremy Corbyn is taking centre stage in Wicked Witches – A Popular Panto! At The Pleasance, celebrating 30 years of local theatre and festive magic in Islington.
Move over, Jeff Goldblum - there’s a new wizard in town. Islington MP Jeremy Corbyn is set to make his panto debut this Christmas, appearing as The Wizard of Oz-lington in The Pleasance’s gloriously camp festive show, Wicked Witches – A Popular Panto!
In what promises to be a tongue-in-cheek cameo filled with local spirit, the former Labour leader will appear on screen, conjuring up a bit of magic and plenty of laughs in a production that’s already tipped to be one of London’s most fabulously festive nights out.
The Wicked-inspired panto, which runs at The Pleasance, Islington, will whisk audiences down the Yellow Brick (Caledonian) Road for a glittering mix of pop parody, cabaret, and chaos. Expect big vocals, bigger wigs, and enough sparkle to light up Angel.
Corbyn said: “The Pleasance has been at the heart of our community for 30 years, and local theatre like this deserves our support. Panto brings people together – it’s fun, inclusive and full of creativity. It’s a pleasure to conjure up a little festive magic for Islington.”
The MP joins a star-studded and gloriously diverse cast, including drag powerhouse Gigi Zahir (aka Crayola the Queen) as the wickedly fabulous Adelphaba, Eleanor Burke (aka Apple Derrieres) as the good witch Kelly Oz-Born, and Ro Suppa as Dorothy. They’ll be joined by Lew Ray as Tin 2.0 and Nick MacDuff as Scarecrow.
Directed by Shane ShayShay Konno (Mulan Rouge, The Vaults), co-founder of Pan-Asian queer collective The Bitten Peach, the show promises heart, humour and a healthy dose of social sass.
Ellie Simpson, Head of Theatre at The Pleasance, said: “Jeremy’s as much a part of Islington as the Yellow Brick Road is of Oz – so who better to play our Wizard of Oz-lington? His cameo adds a touch of local sparkle to our wickedly funny panto, which kicks off our 30th anniversary celebrations.”
The production marks The Pleasance’s first panto in over two decades, combining its community spirit with The Vaults’ trademark anarchic flair. The show also begins the build-up to Pleasance London’s 30th anniversary in 2026 — and if this panto’s anything to go by, the celebrations will be nothing short of magical.
So click your heels, grab your ruby slippers, and head to Islington because this Christmas, the Emerald City has a brand-new postcode.