Lisburn actor Rea Campbell returns to the stage for panto season in Armagh

Lisburn actor Rea Campbell is treading the boards and making Christmas dreams come true in this year’s pantomime, Cinderella, at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh.
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Rea, a former student of Laurelhill Community College and graduate of the London College of Music, is no stranger to the stage and has a particular love of panto.

From a young age Rea was on stage each Christmas with Lisnagarvey Operatic Society in Lisburn before he went on to train professionally. Since then he has performed in festive shows in the Mac Theatre in Belfast, as well as the Lyric Theatre for two years in their acclaimed Christmas productions.

When the Covid pandemic hit, Rea, like many performers, struggled as shows were cancelled due to lockdown but that didn’t stop the industrious young man from working hard. “I had just come out of two years at the Lyric Theatre and felt my career was on an upward turn and then everything started to dwindle and that was difficult,” explained Rea.

Lisburn actor Rea Campbell treads the boards at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh in this year's panto 'Cinderella'Lisburn actor Rea Campbell treads the boards at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh in this year's panto 'Cinderella'
Lisburn actor Rea Campbell treads the boards at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh in this year's panto 'Cinderella'

"I got a job in B&Q for six months and really, really loved it. It was nice to go to work and come home and not have to think about it. It was an insight into another life. I could have easily stayed there.”

However, as lockdown eased and the theatres began to reopen, Rea’s passion for the stage was still there and he was delighted to be cast as the Prince in the new modern retelling of the classic pant Cinderella at the Market Place Theatre.

With just two weeks of rehearsals, Rea and the rest of the cast have brought the magic of Christmas to life.

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Lisburn actor Rea Campbell (centre) treads the boards at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh in this year's panto 'Cinderella'Lisburn actor Rea Campbell (centre) treads the boards at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh in this year's panto 'Cinderella'
Lisburn actor Rea Campbell (centre) treads the boards at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh in this year's panto 'Cinderella'

Not your typical Prince Charming, Rea’s prince is a famous pop star who tries to recruit Cinderella into his band. “The show is a contemporary retelling of Cinderella,” explained Rea. “There’s a lot of things that have been adapted to make it more modern, for example we don’t have an evil stepmother and we feature Tiktok and social media a lot.

"The show has been really well received. It runs until Christmas Eve which is perfect because it keeps the magic going until the last minute.”

Tickets for the show are on sale from the Market Place Theatre Box Office and online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre