Cast, Crew & Reviews - Snow White 2006

The Crew

Director - John Hallahan

Musical Director - Robert Randall

Band - Robert Randall (keyboard), Simon Binning (bass) and Dave Lock (drums)

Choreography - Becky Crisfield

Lighting - Paul Flook and Steve North

Sound - Julie Montgomery

Set Design - Bob Goddard

Set Build - Bob Goddard and Phil Rathbone

Set Painting - Carol Griffiths, supported by Bob Goddard, Phil Rathbone, Theresa Hallahan and Bella Willicombe

Stage Management - Andy Hall and Steve Harris, supported by James Quinn

Props - Theresa Hallahan and Ros Tunbridge

Costumes - Carol Griffiths, Diana Quinn, Julie Matthews and Theresa Hallahan

Make-up - Carol Griffiths

Prompt - Rosemary Stern and Gordon Drayson

Box Office - Rick Roberts and Vicky Biggs

Programme - Vicky Biggs

Front of House - Rick Roberts

Refreshments - Members and friends of PURC and the Pantoloons

REVIEW by Theo Spring

Having been fortunate enough to attend pantomimes by The Pantoloons since they were performed on the small stage at a local school, I can honestly say that Snow White and the Seven Dames was my best one yet. Why? It was succinctly written by the usual two playwrights Ros Tunbridge and Simon Vines; it had an excellent plot with a side plot running through it; costumes were delightfully vibrant; scenery varied and changed at speed with front of tabs interludes helping the plot along; there was song and dance, and there were jokes in abundance. Oh yes there really were!

There is certain content expected to be found in the tale of Snow White. A beautiful Snow White, a wicked Queen, a poisoned apple, a magic mirror, a handsome prince and usually seven little folk who mine diamonds. The plot twist, which required them to become the seven Dames of the title, was really clever, albeit that it required extra work for Carol Griffiths, Diana Quinn, Julie Matthews and Theresa Hallahan who were the wardrobe team who provided such really splendid costumes. This twist demanded the re-dressing of some of the men of the cast as women, so that Ma Soupial would allow them into her women-only cottage thus requiring more sewing machine hours. Fortunately, one of the ‘men’ was already thus attired with Simon Vines as Fanny Fanackapan (what a name!) delivered his well-honed Dame with much of his trade-mark aplomb, although fewer dress changes this year due, maybe, to overworked sewing machines. His Act II wig was superb and his fondness for and ability in the role, quite apparent.

Opening the show was Fairy Vunny with newcomer Olivia Coote in traditional fairy garb, speaking in rhyme as traditional, and providing the running extra side story which ran throughout the show. A good stage presence and a tuneful voice made a memorable debut. More strong singing came from Sara Begg as Snow White, who mastered Principal Girl beautifully with just the right touch of insouciance, and from Shelley Hackett as a splendid wicked Queen Pandora. With a couple of exceptions, musical numbers were, however, not to my taste, lacking joie de vivre, musicality and tunes familiar to the audience which I felt was a shame given able voices.

Shelley Hackett’s Queen was admirably evil, inviting boos right from the start and keeping her wickedness going throughout the show. Very well costumed, her widow’s peak also enhanced the role.

A stalwart of The Pantoloons, Vicky Biggs, brought her usual vibrant life to the show – loudly spoken and with another good voice, her Freddie Fanackapan, son of Fanny, bounced through the show, incorporating her good ability to interact with the audience. To her fell the running gag of the audience caring for Pandora’s Box (obvs!) but the audience call out to bring ‘him’ running was too long and its words forgotten by Act II.

Accents were very well achieved this year with John and Theresa Hallahan bringing in a touch of the blarney as the first-rate comedy duo Nails and Hammer. Their wonderful green costumes were complete with a style of Irish hat of which the much missed hat-maker Viv Tunbridge would have been very proud. Penny Payne added a real rootin tootin accent as Ma Soupial, the gun-toting owner of the afore mentioned ladies only cottage. She created a realistic and unusual character who also shared her home with a lovely tame bear played with skill in a skin by Jon Slade.

There was more comedy from Kev Hills as the wannabe Spanish Jester, complete with Flamenco skirt when a ‘dame’, and evil combined with comedy from Steve Bishop as Baron Hatchet, dispatched by the Queen to kill Snow White. Why? Because of course the magic mirror declared her now to be the ‘fairest in the land’. Ros Tunbridge created a very cheeky and chatty mirror – another accent – French this time and billed, ingeniously, as Déjà Vu. The mirror was encased in a moveable box with an on/off slider over the hole for the face - clever construction by the worthy set builders Bob Goddard and Phil Rathbone, with Bob being the Set Designer. Neil Tunbridge was the busy tailor, Frank Fanackapan, who rustled up all those outfits to disguise the Dames and who had made a beautiful dress for Snow White – cue for some washing machine slapstick.

Deviating from the fairy tale, although here Snow White was poisoned by the apple (made dangerous when created in large cut-outs ‘magically’ manipulated to combine), it is not the kiss of a Prince that wakes her, but that of her true love which here is the bubbly Freddie. Prince Rupert was played in grand style as a Hooray Henry by Steve North; and he and his side-kick Algie, played with gusto by Liz Ismail had other fish to fry. The cast also includes a bonsai-loving King, King Dom, played by Andrew Mander and his helpful Page, Rick Roberts.

There is, of course, a large team on the production side amongst whom the effective lighting was by Paul Flook and Steve North, Julie Mongomery was the spot-on sound guru and the props were by Theresa Hallahan and Ros Tunbridge. Becky Crisfield choreographed the concerted numbers well but could, perhaps, have stretched the capable cast a little more.

The show was directed by John Hallahan who, as well as taking a role, gave substantial energy to the production which was, to say the least, showcasing a most able cast, and which gave fun and joy to an appreciative audience.

As usual, The Pantoloons put on their pantomime to raise money for charity, the beneficiary of which this year is St Catherine’s Hospice.

Cast, Crew & Reviews - Snow White and the Seven Dames 2026

Cast

Snow White and the Seven Dames

The Crew

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