Liam Mellor
Regal Entertainments
Theatre Royal St Helens
December 8, 2024-January 12, 2025
With Storm Darragh raging outside, the warmth of the welcome at St Helens Theatre Royal combined with a very liberal sprinking of showbiz glitter was very much welcome as we attended this year’s family pantomine, Snow White.
As ever with the team from Regal Entertainments – which runs the venue and produces the pantomine – the show is a mix of new faces and ideas and familiar, returning favourites, all steered by director (and theatre manager) Chantelle Nolan.
To the delight of the youngsters in our group, resident comic Lewis Devine returns as Muddles, steering proceedings with ease. Also returning in the dame role of Nurse Nelly is Richard Aucott, again showing great rapport with Devine. In addition to his natural stage presence, Aucott designs and makes many of the Dame costumes seen on stage – it would be remiss to fail to mention his fabulous "Merseyside Derby" dress, which was a huge hit with my Reds-supporting nine-year-old. Alas, the earlier cancellation of that afternoon’s derby due to the weather surely robbed us of a topical accompanying gag.
The duo links up nicely with Prince Frederick – Corrie’s Emrys Cooper – in perhaps the stand-out number of the show, 12 Days of Christmas. It's an oldie but a goodie – and when it’s as much fun as this, the old panto standard is always welcome and has the audience in hysterics.
Cooper has an easy charm, and sets the show off with the vocals that have seen him appear in West End shows, including We Will Rock You and Fame the Musical. He and Chantelle Morgan (Snow White) make a delightful version of love’s young dream.
Another bit of star casting is that of Maureen Nolan as the Wicked Queen. Nolan clearly has great fun camping it up as a panto baddie – and of course gets the chance to belt out the Nolans classic floor-filler I’m in the Mood for Dancing.
The Seven Dwarfs are brought to life by a team of puppeteers, who perform to pre-recorded vocals by a host of local, well-known personalities (including Brookside’s Louis Emerick, Johnny Vegas and DJ Pete Price). While the prerecorded nature of their vocals does lead to a bit of a disconnect with the audience, it's a new approach that should be given credit.
Beautiful costumes and sparkly sets, excellent musical numbers (though a few more musical theatre songs would be appreciated) and nice support from the ensemble (from Dynamix Performing Arts College) means Snow White offers a truly enjoyable – and affordable - way to spend a few hours this festive season, with tickets starting at £21.
The feelgood factor isn't confirmed to the stage action, either. The programme notes that the actors voicing the dwarves have donated their fee to a range of local charities – truly in keeping with the season of giving.
It is also touching to see a two-page tribute in the programme to the theatre's wardrobe master, Giles Edwin Bishop, who died earlier this year. Snow White includes some of Giles’ final work - though as the notes also advise, the venue’s shows will continue to showcase his brilliant costumes for years to come.
It’s this family ethos that runs through Regal’s pantos, and the familiarity and down-to-earth warmth seen stage on sage no doubt prompts audience members to return year after year.
Snow White runs until January 12, so there’s plenty of time to catch this terrific show without, hopefully, having to brave a storm.
More info and tickets here
