As we settled in to the first Sunday matinee we already knew that actor Joey Wilby, playing Snow White’s best friend, the chirpy Buttons-a-like Muddles, had been injured in rehearsals in the week running up to opening night. But in true ‘the show must go on’ form, trooper Joey was ready on stage just days later, despite a rush to hospital to have several stitches in his face.
A declaration of interest from the off – one of our kids is in this year’s panto at Royal & Derngate, as one of the theatre’s Youth Ensemble. But blink and you’ll miss them, because the cast this year is inevitably larger than usual, being Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
The staging is incredible this year – with multiple proscenium arches, inset with windows and lights – allowing the fast set changes and cast scampering needed in this fast paced panto. We’ve got seven brilliant dwarves, a dame whose costumes almost deserve their own billing, an incredible troop of six multi-talented dancers plus rotating teams of 15 or more youngsters who take the show literally into the audience. It’s a joy to see so many performers back on stage after the scaled back misery of Covid. #SupportTheArts.
Big names on show include Ore Oduba (yes, him off Strictly, and BBC Newsround) as Prince Charming, and the apparently ageless Wendi Peters (eternally Coronation Street’s Cilla Battersby) as the Wicked Queen. And she looks a million dollars in that basque outfit, so Yas Wicked Queen indeed.
Even having to talk in time with the pre-recorded Magic Mirror, (appropriately camped up by Northampton’s own Alan Carr) doesn’t dent the energy of this wicked step-mother.
Our heroine Snow White (Lauren Lane) ably stays at the centre of the story as regular Northampton dame Bob Golding as Nurse Nellie vies for star of the show, alongside Marc Pickering’s Herman the henchman, who might just steal it.
You see, Herman has a dream, and by goodness does he get to act it out by the end of the show, with a magnificent musical act that raises the roof (thankfully still intact after R&D’s RAAC scare).
There’s far fewer of the usual double-entendres and clever contemporary puns to keep the parents engaged than you might expect, and sometimes you feel the stars have to work hard to keep the audience engaged. It felt a bit flat in places but that could just be down the show bedding in at the start of its month-long run. Nevertheless, it’s lively Christmas show for all ages, with some amazing visuals and a truck load of puns.
You definitely get some bang for your buck, with 19 professionals, a live band in a box, 50-odd juniors, 16 scenes over two acts and a couple of whopping great musical numbers, alongside the usual audience participation – just don’t miss your cue!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves runs at Northampton’s Royal and Derngate until Sunday December 31. For tickets and information, visit the Box Office or call 01604 624811.
