Hurrah for the return of the Panto season, and this year the Royal and Derngate are treating us to Evolution Productions’ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, written, as usual, by Paul Hendy and directed by Emily Wood. Snow White has all the elements you need for a successful pantomime: a wicked queen, a wronged princess, a Prince Charming, a mock-evil henchman and a best pal gang leader; plus a cart of punful products and a haunted bench – and, of course, you also have The Magnificent Seven themselves – what more could you ask?

Emily Wood’s production is big on pizazz – great lighting, courtesy of Mark Dymock, opulent and hilarious costumes thanks to Morgan Brind and Michael J Batchelor, and a whopping great sound coming from Uncle Gary Jerry’s three piece band. Paul Hendy’s script is full of humour and jokes – and, even when the joke is clearly aimed at the mums and dads rather than the kids – it’s always clean, so you can safely take Granny too. I memorised two brilliant jokes/lines and I’m still chuckling about them a day later but I won’t tell you them now because it will ruin it for you.

Most of the fun of course comes from the performances, and there is no shortage of top talent here! Joey Wilby has great interaction with the audience as Muddles, and all the kids (and that includes me) are chuffed to be in his gang. Lauren Lane is a fantastic Snow White, with a great voice, bundles of personality and a terrific comic delivery too. The scene where poor Snow White is laid out on her cottage catafalque, feared dead (oops spoiler, sorry) and has to be rescued with a kiss is a comic highlight of the show.  Marc Pickering’s Herman the henchman is a suspiciously malign presence until you realise he has a pure heart and his dream is to perform as Freddie Mercury. The sequence when his dream comes true is brilliant – both musically and comically – and the whole theatre roars with approval.

Top of the bill Strictly champ Ore Oduba gives us a very suave Prince Charming – he’s handsome and he knows it – and he uses his superb voice to brilliant effect in some great numbers. It was definitely charming to see how well Dear Evan Hansen’s You Will Be Found fits in with the panto! Wendi Peters leaves no evil stone unturned as the Wicked Queen, cackling away with malicious glee as she tries to keep Princey to herself, and disguising herself as the old woman who offers Snow White the poisoned apple so effectively that the kids who were sat around us in the theatre gasped with shock when she revealed herself!

And Northampton favourite Bob Golding was our dame – as usual – bringing Nurse Nellie to life with a range of fetching outfits, playful physical comedy, and spending the entire show keeping her new boyfriend – front stalls Dave – dangling on a thread of almost-lustful desire. Hats off to Dave, by the way – he was a complete trouper when he joined Muddles on stage for the Apples and Bananas song.  The Man in the Mirror, who cannot but tell the truth, is Northampton’s own Alan Carr; he’s not really there, boys and girls, but his virtual presence sparks off a lot of camp humour. And the powerful ensemble of six singers and dancers give excellent support to the entire production.

But I think my favourite part of the show was those seven funsters down the diamond mine – the Dwarfs. Paddy Holden’s Groover proving himself as a disco king, Kain Francis’ Loopy toppling over every time Alireza Sarebani’s Sniffly sneezed, and Jack Hilton’s Kevin going from I hate girls to I think I know why girls are nice after he gets a kiss from Snow White, the characterisations are great and they brighten up the stage every time they come on. And they are a tremendous addition to Herman’s musical fantasy – terrific entertainment.

A fun, vibrant panto for all the family with loads of laughs, great music and happy memories to take home with you. And remember boys and girls, if a strange woman offers you an apple – just say no!

Production photos by Pamela Raith

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!