In Metro Theatre's annual holiday panto Sinbad!, James T. Walker directs and plays the dame, December 7 to January 1

Production written by Ellie King features laughter and dramatics aboard the SS Leaky Lucy

James T. Walker as the dame in Metro Theatre’s Sinbad!

 
 
 

Metro Theatre presents Sinbad! from December 7 to January 1 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm, with opening night on December 9 at 7:30 pm

 

JAMES T. WALKER is at the helm of Sinbad!, Metro Theatre’s annual pantomime show written by Ellie King. He’s making his directorial debut with the production, plus donning drag apparel to play the role of the dame, Vera Bad.

Walker brings a lifelong love of pantomimes to his work, which stems from the moment he first saw one at the White Rock Playhouse. His two decades of experience as an actor are backed by theatre training at Capilano University and New York City’s Circle in the Square Theatre. Walker is leading Sinbad! alongside producers Shel Piercy, who’s known for his work on Love It or List It Vancouver, and Shelley Stewart Hunt, an Arts Club Theatre Company choreography veteran.

The story of Sinbad! takes place on the seven seas aboard the Leaky Lucy steamship, which makes the perfect setting for epic fights and catchy sing-along moments. Expect traditional British pantomime flair, with plenty of topical jokes and slapstick comedy fit for audiences of all ages. Add in musical direction by Kerry O’Donovan and dance choreography by Linzi Voth, and it’s a bona fide theatrical treasure hunt.

The Metro Theatre has a holiday treat up its sleeve for performances on December 23, dubbed Santa Day. At both the matinee and evening shows, Santa Claus will be in attendance in the lounge upstairs. Kids can take a seat on his lap, pose for photos, and make a top-secret Christmas wish before the show.

In partnership with the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau, the Metro Theatre is spreading holiday joy one other way, too. Audience members can donate an unwrapped new toy or gift card to underprivileged children at the Toy Drive campaign before each show, up until December 18. Gifts for tweens and teens are recommended, as the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau’s supply of cute stuffed toys is already plentiful—take a peek at the organization’s wish list for present ideas.

Opening night of Sinbad! is on December 9 at 7:30 pm, and will feature traditional British Christmas carollers serenading audiences outside the theatre before the show. Tickets and more details are at Metro Theatre.  

 
 
 
 
Featured
Emily Lyth
Emily Lyth

Emily Lyth is a Vancouver-based writer and editor who graduated from Langara College’s Journalism program. Her decade of dance training and passion for all things food-related are the foundation of her love for telling arts, culture, and community stories.

 
 

Related Articles

Articles
With Ionesco’s Cabaret, Rumble Theatre brings the Theatre of the Absurd into the modern age
With Ionesco’s Cabaret, Rumble Theatre brings the Theatre of the Absurd into the modern age

The show, produced by Theatre Conspiracy in association with Pi Theatre, finds contemporary resonances in Eugène Ionesco’s 20th-century works

Theatre review: Gleefully chaotic Goblins dismantle Oedipus at Bard on the Beach
Theatre review: Gleefully chaotic Goblins dismantle Oedipus at Bard on the Beach

Wug, Kravga, and Moog deliver a take on Sophocles’ Greek tragedy that, in addition to copious amounts of crude humour, has its share of chillingly effective moments

Theatre review: A Streetcar Named Desire unsettles with mix of charm, fragility, and violence
Theatre review: A Streetcar Named Desire unsettles with mix of charm, fragility, and violence

Ensemble Theatre Company taps into the humid haze of a Tennessee Williams classic where love and self-deception mingle

Theatre review: The Little Mermaid dives into glittering storybook setting at Theatre Under the Stars
Theatre review: The Little Mermaid dives into glittering storybook setting at Theatre Under the Stars

Standout performances and design bring infectious energy to Disney’s tale of love and self-discovery

Theatre review: Bard on the Beach’s adaptation of Antigone opens new paths through timeless tragedy
Theatre review: Bard on the Beach’s adaptation of Antigone opens new paths through timeless tragedy

Bold update by Kate Besworth brings mythic figures closer to us while continuing to ask the ancient questions posed by Sophocles

Theatre review: Theatre Under the Stars’ Sister Act soars on joyous sounds and heartfelt story
Theatre review: Theatre Under the Stars’ Sister Act soars on joyous sounds and heartfelt story

Fierce company transforms characters by committing to the popular musical’s blend of disco, soul, and gospel

Anita Majumdar’s Why We Work Out is an exercise in understanding, at Indian Summer Festival
Anita Majumdar’s Why We Work Out is an exercise in understanding, at Indian Summer Festival

Presented by the fest and Boca del Lupo, the multifaceted one-woman show carries long-standing reflections on workout culture and the life-altering effects of a pandemic

Local theatre artists’ project King Arthur’s Night culminates in a buoyant new film that blurs documentary and fantasy
Local theatre artists’ project King Arthur’s Night culminates in a buoyant new film that blurs documentary and fantasy

Now streaming on Knowledge.ca, John Bolton–helmed movie stars Niall McNeil, Marcus Youssef, Veda Hille, Nathan Kay, and more, in a mix of artists with and without Down syndrome

Dark, funny, and a little weird, The Apiary brings offbeat buzz to summer theatre scene
Dark, funny, and a little weird, The Apiary brings offbeat buzz to summer theatre scene

With live music and innovative touches, a collective of established Vancouver stage artists brings eco-horror play about disappearing bees to life at the Vines Den

Ensemble Theatre Company’s Peerless riffs on Shakespeare and affirmative action
Ensemble Theatre Company’s Peerless riffs on Shakespeare and affirmative action

Part of Ensemble’s summer festival, Jiehae Park’s play references Macbeth as it takes on the power dynamics of U.S. college admissions

Theatre review: Arts Club production of The Play That Goes Wrong goes hilariously right
Theatre review: Arts Club production of The Play That Goes Wrong goes hilariously right

Great performances and impeccable set design and stage management ensure that the comedy about a hapless theatre company is a chaotic mess in all the right ways

Antigone gives ancient Greek play a modern feel at Bard on the Beach, to September 18
Antigone gives ancient Greek play a modern feel at Bard on the Beach, to September 18

In playwright Kate Besworth and director Ming Hudson’s adaptation, contemporary language highlights the continuing relevance of Sophocles’ 5th century BC tragedy

Theatre review: Horror resonates in Bard on the Beach’s dystopian Macbeth
Theatre review: Horror resonates in Bard on the Beach’s dystopian Macbeth

Bold and bloody new take on “the Scottish Play” speaks effectively to an era of intense societal fears, with postapocalyptic atmosphere to burn

Kat Reynolds channels her inner disco diva for Theatre Under the Stars’ Sister Act
Kat Reynolds channels her inner disco diva for Theatre Under the Stars’ Sister Act

The Vancouver performer straps on the platform shoes and readies her powerhouse voice for musical based on the movies she grew up watching

Ionesco's Cabaret mixes absurdist theatre with a playful art party, July 23 to 25
Ionesco's Cabaret mixes absurdist theatre with a playful art party, July 23 to 25

Homage to Eugène Ionesco is presented by Rumble Theatre and produced by Theatre Conspiracy in association with Pi Theatre

Theatre review: Bard on the Beach's spirited, soccer-mad take on The Merry Wives of Windsor builds a wonderfully no-frills sense of place
Theatre review: Bard on the Beach's spirited, soccer-mad take on The Merry Wives of Windsor builds a wonderfully no-frills sense of place

In a shamelessly fun update, the comedy’s colourful schemers, lovers, and busybodies are regulars at a Vancouver community centre during World Cup fever

Bard on the Beach stages a riotous Goblin:Oedipus in the Douglas Campbell Theatre, launching July 5
Bard on the Beach stages a riotous Goblin:Oedipus in the Douglas Campbell Theatre, launching July 5

WUG, KRAGVA, and MOOG return to the Shakespeare festival for a hysterical take on the titular Greek tale

Josh Epstein’s job is to ensure everything goes right in The Play That Goes Wrong
Josh Epstein’s job is to ensure everything goes right in The Play That Goes Wrong

The Arts Club director says the smash-hit U.K. show is one of the most technically demanding comedies ever written

Theatre review: Sophie's Surprise 29th throws the season’s wildest party, mixing offbeat laughs and high-calibre acrobatics
Theatre review: Sophie's Surprise 29th throws the season’s wildest party, mixing offbeat laughs and high-calibre acrobatics

At The Cultch’s York Theatre, wonderfully weird characterizations meet gravity-defying feats in a raucously unpretentious banger that has “hit” written all over it

Summer Arts Guide: Vancouver stage artists reveal their favourite pre- and post-show patio spots
Summer Arts Guide: Vancouver stage artists reveal their favourite pre- and post-show patio spots

Whether you’re looking for a quick drink and snack, conversation, reflection, or people-watching, these airy meeting places hit their marks

Antigone lands at Bard on the Beach's Douglas Campbell Theatre, starting June 30
Antigone lands at Bard on the Beach's Douglas Campbell Theatre, starting June 30

Playwright Kate Besworth and director Ming Hudson team up for a contemporary adaptation of the classical Sophocles tragedy

Theatre scene's raucous new Rumpus Awards hope to come back in 2027
Theatre scene's raucous new Rumpus Awards hope to come back in 2027

Cheeky, DIY theatre event aimed to throw light on the stage scene’s unsung heroes—and ended up selling out

Stir Q&A: Director Stephen Drover takes Macbeth into a dystopian near-future at Bard on the Beach
Stir Q&A: Director Stephen Drover takes Macbeth into a dystopian near-future at Bard on the Beach

The veteran theatre artist grappled with big questions of good and evil, and took inspiration from genre films, for his visually stylized new adaptation

Theatre review: Come From Away captures the humanity at the heart of hit musical
Theatre review: Come From Away captures the humanity at the heart of hit musical

Elevated visual design and a strong, multitasking cast bring ample Newfoundland warmth to new Arts Club Theatre Company and Citadel Theatre coproduction

Merry Wives of Windsor star is an old hand at bringing Sir John Falstaff to the stage
Merry Wives of Windsor star is an old hand at bringing Sir John Falstaff to the stage

Ashley Wright has helmed it himself, but in Bard on the Beach’s new production, he plays Shakespeare’s dissolute knight under the capable direction of Rebecca Northan

Sophie’s Surprise 29th gets the party started with a few Brit circus twists
Sophie’s Surprise 29th gets the party started with a few Brit circus twists

London’s Three Legged Race Productions folds in influences from contemporary circus to cabaret in a raucously funny show that celebrates a ’90s-style birthday at The York Theatre

Theatre review: Me & the Forest prefers profound pondering to straight-ahead storytelling
Theatre review: Me & the Forest prefers profound pondering to straight-ahead storytelling

Boca del Lupo and ArtstageSAN’s show at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival is more of an immersive experience than a plot-driven play

Theatre reviews: Two bold shows at rEvolver Festival explore life in an increasingly synthetic world
Theatre reviews: Two bold shows at rEvolver Festival explore life in an increasingly synthetic world

Megan Milton’s Free Kittens and William Rubel’s Robin Redbreast in a Cage converge on close human relationships in an age of reality TV and AI

Come From Away highlights Newfoundland’s generous spirit, to August 16
Come From Away highlights Newfoundland’s generous spirit, to August 16

The Arts Club teams up with Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre for new local production of the international smash-hit musical

Theatre review: Salt-Water Moon's casting brings compelling undercurrent of melancholy to story of first love
Theatre review: Salt-Water Moon's casting brings compelling undercurrent of melancholy to story of first love

Two senior artists play young Newfoundland couple in Western Gold Theatre’s gentle staging

WHAT'S STIRRING, THEATREJanet SmithMetro Theatre, Holiday 2023