Veteran Performer, 90, Calls Pantomime His “Social Life” for 70 Years

A man aged 90, who has participated in pantomime productions since the 1950s, stated that these shows have constituted “his social life for the last 70 years.” Pat Milton is a co-founder of Kays Theatre Group, an amateur dramatic society established in 1954 by employees of a national catalogue company located in Worcester. Mr. Milton, whose 91st birthday is in January, is scheduled to appear in the group’s forthcoming staging of The Glass Slipper at the Swan Theatre in Worcester during early 2025. He remarked, “I’ve always been an entertainer, I just loved entertaining people and making people happy.” He added, “That’s the secret to life.” Both Mr. Milton and his spouse, Leah, have participated in the group’s pantomime performances since the society’s establishment. The Glass Slipper will be performed from January 23 to February 2. Susan Sedgley, portraying Queen Esmeralda, the prince’s mother, stated she has been acquainted with the couple for a “long time,” specifically since she was 14 years old. “I’ve known them forever basically,” she clarified. “It’s very very special. I think it’s a testament to them that they came to every rehearsal, they have always throughout the years and obviously every show.” Mr. Milton recounted having to seek out talent when the group initially commenced performances at Worcester’s Cooperative Hall, before relocating to The Swan Theatre in 1965. He described pantomime as having been his “lifeblood for the past 70 years.” “I shall be on the stage every performance. And I’m there every performance as I meet and greet the audience as they arrive and I’ve done that for years and years and years,” he affirmed.