Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Mary Stevens Hospice)

What is now a regular fundraising event for Mary Stevens Hospice seems to surpass itself every year and attracts not only some of the top local talent but, other well known names from across the UK. Crowned this year by the legend that is Beverley Knight, sadly not in person as her presence is required to star in The Drifter’s Girl in the West End but, in video form as the Magic Mirror.

Honesty of course is required from the mirror in this tale and fortunately we get exactly that, much to the disgust of Queen Dragonella, a triumph of nastiness (yet with a far from nasty, melodic singing voice) from Jess Brooks (work out for yourself whether she or a much larger dragon called Brooksy is the more dragon-like). On the other hand our truly beautiful in looks, performance and singing voice, Snow White is a picture of nice no matter what she encounters by Lindsey Vickers.

Taking the dame role to the next level is Wally Wombat as Nurse Fanny Annie and the rapport built with Will Phipps (as outstanding a stage presence in pantomime as there can be as well as directing the whole production) as Muddles is almost second nature and leads to some outrageously comic exchanges.

Stevi Ritchie is not defined by his appearances on X Factor and Celebrity Big Brother and proves that he has untapped acting ability as well as a powerful vocal as Prince Harry (of Hagley, of course, where else !), equally another graduate of the X Factor School, Bradley Hunt delivers a strong performance as the Aide-De-Camp advisor to Dragonella.

What of the seven little guys you might ask, well I have no doubt there will be some aching knees by the end of the run but, they will not have been suffered in vain. James Totney unleashes a diamond portrayal of Smiley (as well as choreographing the whole piece), Luke Crawford is energetically endearing as Dozy, Karen Bayley a grumpy scouser as Grumbly, Niall Parkes does his best to keep awake as Snoozy, Kelli-Jo Jeanes spreads many a germ (let’s hope not of the pandemic variety) as Sniffly, Harvey Dalloway is delightfully coy as Blushful and trying to hold everything together is Matt Dudley as Brainy.

Charlotte Mason is fabulous (as go the slightly reworded lyrics she sings to a song from Sister Act) flying high above the audience as Fairy Fortune and it would be just wrong not to mention the dance team, led by Dance Captain, Casey Broadley as panto just isn’t panto without the triple threat of acting, singing and dancing.

Rob Murray as Musical Director and an accomplished team of musicians add that final piece of magic to an all round fantastic night of family entertainment and there are still a number of performances left but, this production is selling fast so you might need a little bit of your own magic to get a ticket, make sure you do.

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