We lift the curtain on the festive season’s theatre productions across the region.
Norwich child panto star Cameron Eiko Scott sang and danced her way through hair loss and is now starring in the Norwich Theatre Royal pantomime for the third year running
Eleven-year-old Cameron has all the sparkle of a born performer and is a gifted singer and dancer, a natural actress and an expert on alopecia, or hair loss.
She was just seven when her exceptionally long and luxuriant hair began falling out – first in patches and now completely.
After a single day of tears and she simply got on with life. No hiding away, no self-pity and no allowing alopecia scupper her dreams.
Instead Cameron carried on dancing. She has now danced her way into three Theatre Royal Pantomimes – playing an apprentice fairy in Sleeping Beauty, The Fairy’s Tale this year.
She was also named winner of the 2023 Hannah Dennis Alopecia Awareness Award, by national charity Alopecia UK.
Her parents, Victoria and Alex, are hugely proud of their daughter and impressed by the way she has coped with losing her hair. While they felt helpless Cameron was determined to get on with her life.
Cameron, who lives in Norwich’s golden triangle with her parents and little sister, Soraya, has become used to explaining the complex auto-immune condition.
‘It doesn’t like my hair and it thinks it’s a virus that needs destroying,’ said Cameron.
She has talked about alopecia on BBC Breakfast, been filmed for a documentary and raised money for Alopecia UK with bake sales. ‘I no longer wear my wig so people can see my alopecia all the time and I’m happy to talk to people about it,’ said Cameron.
Mum, Victoria, said: ‘It’s like Samson and Delilah but the other way round. Samson lost his strength when he lost his hair but her hair came off and her confidence blossomed.’
Her role in Sleeping Beauty, The Fairy’s Tale, sees her working in the Wish Factory of the Land of Best Wishes, learning how to make people’s wishes come true.
Cameron began ballet classes as a young child. ‘She was just dancing all the time,’ said Victoria. ‘She doesn’t walk across a room if she can dance across!’
Victoria works in education and Alex in finance and Victoria said: ‘Neither of us knew much about singing or dancing or the theatre.’
‘Raising awareness allowed Cam to take back control over the alopecia. Alopecia is not happening to Cam, Cam is happening to alopecia.’
Cameron plays an apprentice fairy in Sleeping Beauty, The Fairy’s Tale, at Norwich Theatre Royal, performing as part of a team of four fairies; alternating shows with two more teams of children.
19 more great pantos in Norfolk and Waveney in December 2023 to January 2024
Jack and the Beanstalk, Princess Theatre Hunstanton, December 2 to January 1.
Beauty and the Beast, Fakenham and District Light Operatic Society, Fakenham Community Centre, December 5-9.
Dick Whittington, Gorleston Pavilion Theatre, December 7 to January 6.
Aladdin, Hemsby Village Hall, December 7-10.
Dick Whittington and his Cat, King’s Lynn Corn Exchange, December 8-31.
Jack and the Beanstalk, Norwich Puppet Theatre, December 9-31.
Aladdin, Marina Theatre Lowestoft, December 12 to January 1.
Robin Hood, St George’s Theatre, Great Yarmouth, December 15-31.
Cinderella: The Pantomime, Sheringham Little Theatre, December 15 to January 2.
Cinderella, Diss Corn Hall, December 16-31.
Treasure Island, Thetford Players, Carnegie Hall, Thetford, January 19-20, 26-27.
Cinderella, Fisher Theatre, Bungay, December 16-31.
Jack and the Beanstalk, Beccles Public Hall and Theatre, December 16 to January 2.
Red Riding Hood and the Trail of Black Shuck, North Walsham People’s Theatre, December 21-28.
Cinderella, Dereham Theatre Company, Dereham Memorial Hall, December 27 to January 1.
Treasure Island, the pantomime, Gorleston Pavilion Theatre, January 12-14.
Alice in Wonderland, Melody Allsorts of Downham, Downham Market Town Hall, January 11-14.
Jack and the Beanstalk, Hethersett Pantomime Group, Hethersett Village Hall, January 20-27.
Cinderella, Friends of Norfolk Dialect (FOND), East Tuddenham Village Hall, January 21.
