Jeremy Corbyn to appear in north London panto

He has spent a whole career dealing with booing and hissing in the House of Commons. But now in the run-up to Christmas, the former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn will bring that experience to bear as he appears in pantomime at a north London theatre. The Islington North MP, who sits as an independent, will perform as the “Wizard of Oz-lington” in a drag production of Wicked Witches. The venue said he would make an onscreen cameo. “The Pleasance [theatre] has been at the heart of our community for 30 years, and local theatre like this deserves our support,” Corbyn said. “Panto brings people together – it’s fun, inclusive and a brilliant celebration of creativity. It’s a pleasure to conjure up a little festive magic with the Pleasance in their 30th year. Local theatre is where the real wizardry happens – sparking imagination and spreading a bit of joy.” The head of theatre at Pleasance London, Ellie Simpson, said: “Jeremy’s as much a part of Islington as the Yellow Brick Road is of Oz – so who better to play the Wizard of Oz-lington? “His cameo adds a touch of local sparkle to our wickedly funny festive panto, which marks Pleasance’s first in over 20 years and raises the curtain on our 30th anniversary celebrations.” The theatre said: “This Wicked-inspired pantomime Wicked Witches – A Popular Panto! will whisk audiences down the Yellow Brick (Caledonian) Road for a gloriously camp Christmas spectacular, packed with cabaret, pop parody and plenty of laughs for those young and old alike. Expect soaring vocals, sparkly spells, and more sass than you can shake a wand at.” Corbyn sits as an independent MP after his expulsion from the Labour party shortly before the 2024 general election. He has formed a new leftwing political party – still known unofficially as Your party – with his fellow former Labour MP Zarah Sultana.