Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

This was my first visit to the Woolstore Country Theatre and what a total delight it was.  To have such a beautiful little theatre in a village is wonderful, but the most impressive part is the obvious sense of community spirit the theatre brings. I noticed from the programme that a team of 115 volunteers were involved in putting this production together and that team spirit really shone through.

The set was beautifully painted by a team of 26 on the surprisingly generous stage.  Likewise the costumes were excellent by the costume design and wardrobe team.

Music was provided by a small but select group of three musicians led by Sarah Lister as Musical Director.  There were also occasional moments of recorded music, which worked well and the music balanced well with the singers.  I liked the use of fairly traditional music rather than the usual current pop songs often used in pantomimes.

It was lovely to see from the programme that some parts had been double cast, giving even more people the chance to perform.  There were some strong performances from the principals and good vocals.

The addition of ‘Alexa’ as well as the mirror was inspired and was worked into the plot very well. I also loved the very believable Russian accent from Bogwart and the ‘brummie’ accent from Stinkwort and, as a former Salisbury resident, thought the reference to the recent ‘incident’ there hilarious!

The seven dwarfs were delightful and provided so much character and cuteness to the show. They all played their parts wonderfully; very well done to you all. The supporting cast were equally as delightful in their various roles as Woodland animals and chorus.  There were some nice moments of dance, choreographed by Stephanie Walton and assisted by Poppy McLoed-Jones and some strong singing.

This pantomime, directed by Rebecca Bidwell had everything you would wish for in a pantomime.  A lovely mix of songs, good jokes, a great cast, a lovely set and costumes, a singalong and a real community feel. This was a charming traditional pantomime full of the spirit of Christmas and a great team effort. 

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