24 February 2026

By Jazmyne Evans, Operations & Productions Administrator, Imagine Theatre

Over the last few weeks, one of the UK’s biggest pantomime and family entertainment producers Imagine Theatre has been taking a closer look at how Sleeping Beauty at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre was produced— not creatively (we already know it was fabulous), but environmentally.

Using the Theatre Green Book, the industry-wide initiative supporting the performing arts to work more sustainably, we tracked the real, practical impact of the production: how sets, costumes and props were sourced and reused, how materials were transported, and how day-to-day decisions across the show added up. And we are really pleased to announce that Sleeping Beauty achieved Advanced Level. For a large-scale commercial pantomime, that’s a genuinely strong result — and it’s something we are very proud of.

What does Advanced actually mean?
The Theatre Green Book doesn’t look at intentions or policies; it looks at what actually happens. What gets built, what gets bought, how often things move, and what comes back into stock. Reaching an advanced level means that sustainability wasn’t an afterthought. It was built into how the show was planned and delivered.

Some of the things that made a difference included:

• Reusing existing sets, costumes, props and materials
• Making decisions earlier, giving us time to adapt what we already had
• Consolidating transport and avoiding unnecessary courier journeys
• Using HVO fuel for our set transport to reduce emissions
• More checking, more conversations, and fewer last-minute purchases
• Having an open and honest dialogue with the venue team, those we employed to give them context as to why we’re on this journey

None of this involved new rules or radical changes — just a bit more awareness and joined-up thinking.

Why this Matters
There’s a common assumption that working more sustainably costs more or limits creativity. This experience showed the opposite.

Better planning reduced duplication, cut down on emergency orders, and saved money. When we compared transport costs to previous seasons, Sleeping Beauty came in around £2,000 cheaper — and when you scale that across multiple productions, the impact really adds up.

More importantly, it showed that we already know how to do this. We reuse a lot. We problem-solve creatively. We collaborate across departments. Tracking the show just helped us see the value of those decisions more clearly, and when timing plays a huge role in making them possible.

A shared effort
This wasn’t about one department or one person. Production, creative teams, warehouse, technical teams, and the venue all played a part. From early planning through to small, everyday actions that often go unnoticed. It also highlighted how decisions made in production ripple out into rehearsal rooms and venues. When sustainability is part of the conversation early on, it gives everyone better options and takes pressure off later.

Going forward
This isn’t about changing everything we do. It’s about being a bit more conscious, planning a bit earlier, and continuing to do the good work we’re already doing — just more consistently. Sleeping Beauty shows that working at an advanced level is achievable for Imagine. The challenge now is to make that our standard, not the exception.

In November 2025, Trafalgar Entertainment – parent company of Imagine Theatre – became a founding supporter of Theatre Green Book.

Alvin Hargreaves, Group Operations Director, Trafalgar Entertainment, added:  “Trafalgar is so proud to support and partner with the Theatre Green Book at both such a pivotal time in their journey, and at critical juncture for the Theatre Sector to really unite and respond collectively to the climate emergency.”

Trafalgar Entertainment Sustainability Commitment Statement

As a global organisation, we acknowledge the role we need to play in promoting a more sustainable future in our theatre, entertainment, and venue operations.

Guided by our core values – creativity, collaboration, excellence, and respect – we commit to actively reducing our environmental impact across energy, carbon, water, waste, and materials.  And we will work with our partners to encourage them to do the same.

We will align with the principles outlined in the Theatre Green Book, empower our people through Green Teams and champions and deliver transparent progress towards a net zero future.  Together, we’ll ensure that our business entertains and sustains.