Meet The Cast!

Usman Farooqi as Balaah

Usman Farooqi is a singer songwriter from manchester making his acting debut in this years Muslim Panto. 

Iman as Beauty

Having grown up performing in local pantomimes, Iman is excited to be performing in her first ever professional touring pantomime, and a Muslim one too! She is honoured to represent Muslims on stage and hopes to continue to do so as her acting career continues to flourish!

Abdullah Afzal as the Clock

Introducing Manchester’s finest Abdullah Afzal, who I’m sure you know from BBC’s Award-winning Citizen Khan, BBC’s Lunch Monkeys, and BBC Radio 4’s “By a Young Officer: Churchill on the Northwest Frontier.” As the writer and director of Cinder’Aliyah, Abdullah has a great passion for writing and directing and has many exiting ideas up his sleeve!

Lubna Saleh as the Fairy

Lubna Saleh is an Actress from Manchester who’s passionate about breaking stereotypes. Lubna made her debut in this very Pantomine last year as Shagufta. Alongside her acting career, she is also beginning her writing career as a recent graduate in English and History. When Lubna’s not on stage or writing a novel, she’s baking cakes for her small business.

Prince Abdi as the Father

Prince Abdi is a British-Somali Comedian from south London. He has toured and performed in countries all around the world including Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, USA, Canada and across Africa and Europe. He has worked with some of the biggest names in the game from Chris rock and Dave Chappelle to Trevor Noah and Micheal Macintyre! He has featured on HBO, Comedy Central, Channel 4, BBC, and ITV. This year however, he is taking his comedy to the big panto stage and we’re so excited for you to see what he has in store!

Shehzada G as Gulfraaz
Shehzada G, a TikTok personality recognised by many, is not just an Actor but also a Comedian and Impersonator. Through TikTok, Shehzada G has become a source of laughter, connecting with people, and honing his acting skills. He feels privileged to be part of this Pantomime and is grateful for everyone joining him on his journey.

Sabrina Nabi as Faiza

Sabrina Nabi is a British Pakistani actress from Birmingham, having trained at University of Wolverhampton and National Youth Theatre, she has taken to the stage in many productions and is excited to join the cast in her first ever Panto!

Noor as Farhana

Noor, a gifted singer, and versatile talent with a passion for acting since her early years, is excited to elevate her acting in "Beauty and The Balaah." Her knack for diverse character portrayals and accents is well-known. Notably, Noor has also competed on "Saregamapa", a renowned talent show for budding singers in India. She has also released songs in the British Asian music scene, showcasing her unique skills and genuine passion for the arts.

Sajal as the Teapot

Sajal is an Italian-born Pakistani singer and soon-to-be diagnostic radiographer based in Manchester. Sajal enjoys singing in English as well as Urdu. She began singing at a young age and has since performed at a variety of events such as talent shows, concerts, open mics, and charity events. 

Hassan as the Wizard
Hassan trained in acting at university and has since played a variety of roles both on stage and on the big screen. After his brilliant performance in last year’s pantomime, Cinder'Aliyah, he is returning to play Jadoo, the evil wizard.

Jaffer as the Candlestick

Jaffer has loved acting from a very young age! From watching his first panto at aged 5, Jaffer has always dreamed of being in a panto, and it was in last year’s Cinder’Aliyah panto that we saw him get his big break and shine in his role as the King’s Guard! Jaffer has also been a part of many performances that have worked to raise awareness on community issues, often playing a traditional, conservative Asian father.