Snow White-ish. Class Act Adults, Parkway Theatre Cleethorpes 24 - 25 November 2022.

Snow White-ish

Class Act Adults

Parkway Theatre, Cleethorpes

24 & 25 November 2022

I often think that I may be a long-lost relative of The Grinch because I am forever saying that I don't enjoy pantos and yet at this time of year, I am repeatedly asked to review them and I inevitably come out of them with plenty of positives for the reviews and this year's panto written collaboratively by Rob Bishop and the Class Act Adults' Board is no exception. Class Act has provided a valuable springboard to many young performers who wish to pursue performing arts beyond their school/college years and has led many into successful professional careers down the years. One former Class Act student, Beth Ramsden has returned this year to play the titular (Ooh er Missus!) role of Snow White after an absence of three years and she confidently led the company this evening.

Unusually, the production chose to go with two dames in Simon Hewson as Dame Widow Wanky and Fanny Flaps the Cook played by Adam Kadow in his first performance with Class Act. Each played their role to the full and had fun doing it. Of the two, Hewson' s Wanky was the traditional sweet giver and encourager of audience participation, whereas Kadow's Fanny Flaps was more integral to the story's progress. The audience seemed to warm to both and each was happy to roll with the flow picking out audience member and firm favourite "Alan" on multiple occassions. However, for me Hewson's cry of "I can do that!" was more the more endearing, though Kadow's confidence and assurance on stage was notable and he became the glue holding things together at certain points with his quick wit.

This year's comedy duo were Tik and Tok played purely coincedentally by parents of two young people I have taught in my tformer life in education and youth drama. Ann Forward and Louise Reece worked well together and their double-take timing was very good. Tik and Tok, as you might expect are social media addicts and self-professed influencers, obsessed with selfies (surely they should be "Elfies" in a panto?) and hastags. They provided witty silliness as they raced around trying to e friends with everybody whilst being tasked with killing Snow White by the Evil Queen.

Speaking of the Evil Queen she was played with relish by Mandy Jackson who has been performing with the group for twenty years. The interactions between the Queen and the Magic Mirror certainly entertained the couple sitting next to me who felt that the banter was very funny. Her partner/husband was another Class Act staple in Stephen Campbell as The King, whose service with the company beats Mandy Jackson by a year and he brings every bit of confidence that dedication over so many years brings to the performance tonight.

Snow White was played well by Beth Ramsden, returning to the fold as mentiooned above, dressed less like Disney's Snow White and more like of the Queens from the successful musical SIX. She very nearly suffered a wardrobe malfunction which was spotted by an elderly gent sat nearby who said "She's going to fall out of that!" and his daughter declared "Oh! You can see THAT!" I was quietly chuckling at the exchange and Ramsden confidently carried on regardless. Its an easy role to be boring in, but she gave us a feisty and independent princess more than capable of looking after her own interests.

She certainly didn't need the attention of Prince Andy played by Michael Howard as a lascivious and lustful, non-sweating Royal looking for teen parties at Pizza Express. She was accompaied instead by her friend "Butch" played gamefully by Nadia Baskett, who offered something of a non-traditional panto role model that you own't find everywhere this festive season! The other lovely cameo that pwoved successful was the energetic man in tights with a speech impediment, Wobin (Robin) Hood of Throbbing Wood. His repeated mispronounciation of words had audience members giggling as he wepeated the woll call of his mewwy men. And perhaps the hardest working cast member was Daniel Mason as The Messenger called upon to run arond and through the audience at numerous points. Well, its a good workout!

For me, the panto came alive when the Seven Dwarves emerged in Act Two. The choice to use Seniors from Class Acts youth section was inspired. They brought energy and bounce into the show. Georgia Scott as Stan was extremely dry and really funny and Declan Rising's Sniffy ran a a close second favourite for me. Cameron Bonner's Pervy and the old ladies along the row were faux-outraged, with their outraged but joyful little whoops at his smuttiness and threats of introducing the audience to his member at any given opportunity. Abby Reece was the dodgy Dodger stealing items willy nilly, and Abbie DIxon's Slim Fast constantly craved food. Poppy Webb-Jones was Tourette who made the most of her opportunity to swear at will, and Charlotte Gabbitas played the woefully mis-named Shouty who remained mute throughout. As a team they were really good and brought the fun to the party.

Last but not least, Chris Parker and Rob Bishop provided voice overs offstage and Parker managed a couple of brief cameo appearances in his role as stage manager too.

The traditional audience definitely enjoyed the raucous nature of an adult panto and felt it sets the Christams season up very nicely. I suspect that Director Amanda Pearce is rather happy with her Festive offering for 2022 giving a booster shot of much-needed humour for audiences in Cleethorpes this year. The show runs until the 25th at Cleethorpes' Parkway.

Andy Evans 24 November 2022