Snow White

Well, this was a first ... an invite, as a NODA REP to see a show in another country... WALES, and on the Isle of Anglesey, MY favourite place in the whole wide World.  My family and I have been coming to Anglesey for over 40 years, sometimes visiting three, four, five but always spending our two-week Family Summer Holiday on the Island in Trearddur Bay... so to get an invite to see a show there was just another wonderful reason to visit the island!  

Pantomime is, without doubt, my favourite genre of production! I’ve had the privilege to play my societies ‘Dame’, in our Christmas panto, for the past thirty-one years... Oh no you haven’t ... Oh yes, I have!  Snow White, is a classic fairy tale written by The Brothers Grim in the 19th century. The original story tells of a princess, exiled by her stepmother, the evil Queen who wants her dead, why, because her stepmother wants to be the ‘fairest in the land’ and the Mirror keeps telling her otherwise!  I think we all know the rest… the apple, true loves kiss, the happy ever after! 

Production Team...  this adaptation of this classic tale was penned by the ever so talented Jenny Williams, who not only wrote the panto, but Co-produced it with her husband Robert, directed it, choreographed it whilst taking on the role of ‘Muddles’ the cheeky son of Dame Dotty and what a job she made of it all! One of those tasks alone is hard enough, but to do them all, plus, I’m told, she outlined the backdrops, which were then painted by the cast with Jenny adding the final detail... wow... be very proud Jenny... above and beyond, with fabulous results! 

The Cast ... this was in fact my second visit to see ‘Melody Makers’, I had the privilege and pleasure to watch their production of Sound of Music last year.  What was obvious then and more so after seeing their panto, was the ‘family atmosphere’ that engulfs this society... not only the cast, but the front of house, the ‘techies’, back stage crew and I would suggest anyone associated with the society... you can just tell that ‘Everything Matters’ to them!  A cast of sixteen took to the stage and as soon as those curtains parted you could tell that everyone was up for it all! 

Our cast was led by Leah Blankley who played ‘Snow White’; Steven Blankley took on the role of ‘The Prince’; Rachel Roberts played the evil ‘Queen’; Val Bamber played a very different ‘Mirror’ (I’ll explain later); Andrew Blankley played ‘Dame Dotty’; the ever so versatile Jenny Williams played ‘Muddles’; Gwenda Griffith/Carolyn Wright played the Comedy Duo ‘Ruff’ & ‘Tuff’ respectively; John Bamber, Holly Hajbok, Carol Brown, Rebecca Parry, Emily Ward and our three youngsters Aben Berrigan, Lily Redpath, Maisie Weston took on the rolls of our ‘Miners’ .. ‘Bossy’, ‘Clumsy’, ‘Sparkly’, ‘Tiny’, ‘Shy’, ‘Snoozy’, ‘Smiley’ and ‘Snotty’ respectively.
Never one to sit on the fence, although it’s sometimes difficult to start ‘choosing favourite characters’ when you can tell that everyone had given of their all, which was the case the evening I attended! BUT I am going to stick ‘the old neck out’ and ‘pick’ ‘MY FAB FIVE’ ... you’ll no doubt have your own ideas, but these are mine! I really couldn’t look much further than the ‘Nasty – Pasty Queen’ played ever so well by Rachel Roberts for my first choice. Rachel definitely knew how to work an audience... the boos and hisses rang out continuously and she dealt with them, encouraged them with ease.   Confident, assured Rachel gave us everything you would want from the ‘evil one’ be very proud Rachel!  I’ve mentioned her before, the ‘ever so busy’ Jenny Williams who played ‘Muddles’ ... you’d have thought this part had been written for her ahahahahaha!  Again, confident, assured, Jenny knew all about humour and milked every line for all it was worth. Worked ever so well with all the cast especially her ‘mum’ ‘Dame Dottie’, loved it when ‘Dottie’ waiting on stage said ‘I can’t ‘add lid’ any longer for you, get out here’ during a quick costume change for Jenny, panto at its best!  Cheating a little... I’ve lumped the ‘Blankley Clan’ together... our two leads and our Dame. Leah, in her first ever performance as ‘Snow White’, Steven our ‘Prince’ and Andrew our Dame. Three great characters created and I thought it brave of Leah to take on such an iconic role for her first time on stage, but she did and did it well!  During the panto, Leah found herself in a bit of a pickle when ‘the cottage door’ wouldn’t open, so as bold as brass, shaking her head in frustration and muttering to herself, she appeared round the side of the cottage, opened the door from the outside and carried on as though nothing had happened... improvisation, brilliant!  Steven worked really well with all the cast... BUT Steven, ‘true loves kiss’ should only be ‘one kiss’, just saying! 
(I had a little lad sat across from me who when Steven started the kiss(es), shouted out ‘I’M NOT LOOKING’ and buried his head in his hands... priceless!) What I didn’t know, was that Steven actually proposed to Leah on this very stage and the wedding dress Leah wore for the finale... was the dress she got married in to Steven... WOW!  Finally, Andrew, aka Dame Dottie... (I thought I was the biggest Dame treading the boards) ... second place now!  Andrew did a great job, interacted well with the audience which is essential for a Dame, although I know for a fact, he was a little shocked when he got ME up and wanted me to show off my legs, which I did, but then he noticed my NODA badge, saying nothing, he almost ran back on stage ahahah, great job Andrew!  Final favourite the ‘Mirror’ played by Val Bamber. As stated previously ... a very different take on the ‘Mirror’, a ‘mirror’ that moved around the stage in a sort of ‘glass casket’ piece of stage furniture!  Ever so effective and used so well. The character was different as well ‘evil/sinister’ adding a great twist to the usual story.  Please, if I haven’t picked you as one of MY favourites, please don’t think you weren’t noticed or that you didn’t do a good job, that’s so far from the truth... be proud of what YOU helped achieve! 

Stage/Tech/Set...  a ‘masterclass’ in what can be achieved on a ‘postage stamp stage’ with little wing space and limited lighting!  Honestly, you just have to ‘take your cap off’ and congratulate all concerned!  Robert Williams (Stage Manager) and his crew did a fabulous job navigating everything thrown at them, Robert even found a little time to spend in the lime light... be proud Robert.  The sets were fabulous, painted to perfection. On Sound and Lighting... we had a daughter/father team of ‘wizards’ Susanna Blakeley-Monk and Nick Blakeley, who worked their magic throughout.  Loved both the UV scenes they lit, especially the one with the ‘brooms’... honestly, I couldn’t see any of the folk handling the props at all, a complete black-out, not easily achieved and the ‘casket’ for ‘The Mirror’ dressed and superbly lit by them ... be extremely proud you two, outstanding work that enhanced this production ever so much!   Costumes/Props ...  loved the costumes, colourful, bright, added so much, the ‘props’ were authentic and used well throughout.

Music was provided by a combination of taped tracks and from the piano of the every so experienced Eunice Parry (assisted by Maureen Catarall).  Supported the cast/singers really well... be proud!  

In Loving Memory - Melody Markers, in their programme remembered two past members...Betty Blakely (Little Betty-Little Gran) and Barbara Ward (Aunty Barbara).  If I could, on behalf of NODA and myself pay my respects ... there is little or no doubt these two ladies will be greatly missed!

Finally, can I take this opportunity thank everyone from Melody Makers for making my wife and I feel so welcome and for your hospitality throughout!  Thanks also for allowing me to meet and speak briefly with the cast ‘post show’, I’d travelled a long way to see this show, so to leave without introducing myself and saying ‘hello’ would have been totally wrong!  Look forward to catching up with you all again in 2026 perhaps, if you’ll allow me back in Benllech, that is!

Stay Safe, Keep well
“Stronger Together”

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