Right royal treat for panto fans
Launch of Mansfield Panto 'Snow White' on Thursday.From the left are; Back Row; Tupele Dorgu and Mark James. Front row Dean Whatton, Nia Jermin and Binde Johal
‘Let’s go crazy, crazy’ is the catchy chorus that steers spectators in one direction – to panto land.
Boy band One Direction’s hit Live While We’re Young may be a clever move to win over the kids but it’s outstripped in the popularity stakes by action song Court of King Caractacus, which is fitting for the Palace Theatre in Mansfield.
Royal entertainment is top of the bill in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, where star of the show Tupele Dorgu namehecks proud parents-to-be Will and Kate.
Tupele plays the Wicked Queen, her bright red hair, haughty manner and posh voice making her unrecognisable from her role as Coronation Street’s knicker stitcher Kelly Crabtree.
Chesterfield gets a pasting from the merciless monarch, a place she describes as wretched and having a boring panto, guaranteed to raise the hackles of those spectators supporting the juveniles from the Academy of Dance, who are enchanting as Mansfield’s panto’s lively little woodland creatures.
Shirebrook doesn’t fare much better as the acid-tongued Queen looks down on the town in the same way she does minions and poor people.
Tupele commands the stage with her singing and dancing and has the best lines including “scintillating speeches of spin” and “wicked wok of wonderment.”
Mark James in the role of joker Muddles plays up his part as the master of invention with crazy contraptions including one which fires toilet paper into the audience. His voice may sound like he’s been sucking on helium but it goes down well with the kids.
Dressed for success in outlandish costumes and definitely Dame for a laugh in the role of Nanny is Charles Burden, clocking up his 46th year in panto.
NIa Jerman makes an engaging Snow White and her singing complements the rich vocals of Nick Walton, who plays the prince.
However, it’s the appearance of the dwarfs - played by three women and four men including South Normanton’s Binde Johal - which sets the audience clapping along to the panto’s signature songs such as Hi-Ho Hi Ho and Whistle While You Work.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs runs until January 6.
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Weather for Belper
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
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