On Tuesday 16 December, Lyceum pantomime history will be made as dame Damian Williams makes his 1000th performance. Since his first appearance in 2008, Damian has been delighting audiences with his hilarious antics in the Lyceum's spectacular seasonal show.
This year, he stars as Dame Dolly in Aladdin which is open now at the Lyceum. Damian has also announced his return for next year's panto, Cinderella, continuing his role at the Lyceum for Christmases to come.
On reaching his 1000th show, Damian said:
"I’m really pleased to have reached this milestone performance - I’ve loved doing every single one of them. I’ve said many times before that I see Sheffield as my second home and it’s always such a buzz at Christmas, so to step out on to the Lyceum stage for the 1000th time will feel really special. I hope that everyone will enjoy it as much as I will."
A fondly-adopted Sheffielder, Damian was born in Essex and lives in Southend. 2025 marks his 18th year performing as dame at the Lyceum, in the city he now considers his second home.
Damian has toured the country for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in theatre, as well as roles in television for the BBC, Sky One and more. A well-respected farceur, Damian’s first love is comedy, with his heroes including Laurel and Hardy and Tommy Cooper, the latter of whom he has performed as in a number of plays. After a season at Edinburgh Fringe last year, his performance as Cooper in new play The Last Laugh, was enjoyed on the West End, off Broadway and up and down the UK on tour.
The Lyceum pantomime is produced by Sheffield Theatres and Evolution Productions, a partnership that has been forged since 2007. The Lyceum pantomime has become a firm family tradition for thousands across Sheffield and has won multiple awards, including most recently Best Pantomime at the UK Pantomime Awards 2024.
Aladdin is open now and runs at the Lyceum until Sunday 4 January 2026. Next year’s pantomime, Cinderella, is on sale now and opens on Saturday 28 November 2026. Tickets can be booked through the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0114 249 6000 or at the links below.
