“Once Upon a Time news spread around Southampton that the fairest panto of them all was coming to The Mayflower Theatre.”
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is certainly a fabulous show packed with everything you want from a family pantomime plus some added surprises.
From the atmospheric lighting, to the sumptuous sets and glorious costumes The Mayflower Theatre delivers a dazzling production.
There are several very well known names including star of panto Christopher Biggins who played The Man in The Mirror with a cheerful and elegant demeanour. He also has the opportunity to wear a variety of different costumes and wigs to the delight of the audience.
Rachel Stanley and Christopher Biggins as Queen Dragonella and The Man in the Mirror Credit Stuart Martin
Biggins is a wonderful foil to the graceful but evil Dragonella. Rachel Stanley was amazing in this role. She has an incredibly rich and clear voice but also an extraordinary vocal range and a perfect villainous laugh.
As well as The Man in the Mirror, the palace jester, Muddles, is constantly at Dragonella’s beck
and call.
The Mayflower has struck gold in securing Kev Orkian who plays this comedic role. In the programme he is described as, “One of the Uk’s finest entertainers” and without question he certainly is. The audience loved him, even the male audience member Orkian picked out to say,
“Hello Muddles, Yippee!” did so with great enthusiasm. There are some fantastic comedy routines but the highlight for me was the song, “If I were not a royal guard,” featuring Ashley and Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely.
Whilst they were performing I couldn’t help but think of the huge amount of hours these talented four must have put into the routine particularly using their props at the right time.
Ashley Banjo and Diversity as Prince Ashley and the Royal Guards Credit Stuart Martin
Ashley Banjo plays Prince Ashley who has fallen in love with Snow White played by Kirsty Ingram. Kirsty looked beautiful and has an angelic singing voice and she definitely has that 1950’s star quality about her.
The Magnificent Seven looked very colourful in their Tudor style costumes and were the glue holding the story together.
The wow factor of the whole show has to be Diversity and their faultless and stunning dancing.
They bring a tangible electricity to the stage, the audience adored them and you don’t want them to stop. My only regret is that they didn’t perform one last routine at the very end as this would have been the icing on the cake.
Jenny Rainbird
Buy your tickets here: mayflower.org.uk
