... Cinderella BROMLEY THE ABSENCE of a hiss and boo dark cloaked villain enabled Kenn Oldfield and Jim McManus to write a first class new script, not losing anything of the traditional book version but creating an absorbing entertainment for both young and old with only an occasional opportunity for the youngsters to rib the nasty minded ugly ters, the Parton Brothers, Jimmy and Brian, and ...

... The Snow Queen CANTERBURY AFTER 24 years on Kent University's campus the Gulbenkian Theatre presented a professional Christmas show and with the production of The Snow Queen one must say it was worth waiting for. ui veiling v i sneer cncnanuneni wc followed the adventures of Gerda and Kai in the Nick Stafford adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. The mainly very young cast, who ...

... Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs CARDIFF THE STRONG story line that surely most children in Britain know either from the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale-- or, more likely, from the much loved Disney cartoon, underpinned most effectively the slick, glitzy, very professional pantomime at the New Theatre. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs pos sessed all the ingredients that children (and their parents ...

... Aladdin CHELMSFORD HAS it finished? asked the eight year old behind me. No, we still had about a quarter of Chelmsford's Civic Theatre pantomime Aladdin to go. Three hours is too long for the tinies and the oldies. Quantity does not necessarily mean quality. However, it has to be said that this year die John Newman directed pantomime has very few languors and the talented com pany carry the ...

... Mother Goose BRISTOL THE LATE Douglas Byng described Mother Goose as the Hamlet of pantomimes. It is easy to see why from the dazzling Bristol Old Vic version at the Theatre Royal. jviotner iioose is prooaoiy uie most meaningful role in pantomime, as well as representing a pinnacle of achievement in female imperson ation, and co-author and dame Chris Harris mixes the message and the mirth ...

... Fantastic Mr Fox BRIGHTON WAS IT green jelly or seaweed? Primary school parties packing the Gardner Arts Centre bubbled with excitement. The contents of Farmer Bunce's jar of goose livers were under scrutiny. Children chatting to me knew this effectively simple, pro-fox story backwards. Roald Dahl scores high and they gleefully spotted any slight devi ations. Admittedly there were few in Mike ...

... Cinderella HORSHAM BARON Hardup was looking prosperous and only one Brokers Man appeared in Cinderella at Horsham Arts Centre so perhaps there is some truth in talk of a recovery from the slump. Another bonus for a happy 1994 came from all those smiling faces in director Josephine Blake's exciting and superb production. The cast smiled and therefore the audi ence did so as well. Clodagh ...

... Snow White GLASGOW CONDEMNED to canine servitude in an underground kennel on a permanent diet of dog food for the heinous crime of demeaning his mother's beauty, her son Prince Squachie (Tony Cownie) consoles himself with dreams of his ideal girl-- a beautiful Snow Maiden brought to life. For fantasies like this his Mum Queen Ursula Bust (Garry Lewis), a swaggering gaudily bewigged overweight ...

... Fly to the Moon with Mr Boom GLASGOW FOR THE 700 children from Glasgow and Dunfermline at the Royal Concert Hall, A Trip to the Moon with Mr Boom on the Spaceship Imagination was the order of the day. Perhaps of aristocratic Chinese lineage --judging from the lampshade headgear-- Mr Boom (Andy Munn) in fact roamed the international scene to maintain the kiddies' interest. Like a conjurer, ...

... Aladdin CORNWALL MIRACLE I neatre s Aladdin is a deliberate attempt to re-create a Victorian pantomime in all its amazing and tacky glory, the barnstorming company carry an astonishing amount of scenery and props to fit their miniature stage. When you consider the distance travelled this must be slave labour. Considerable research has thrown up a panto with 22 scenes, some peculiar old songs ...

... Music and lights DERRY Cinderella PLENTY of music, plenty of song and dance, a profusion of colour and some technically ingenious effects add up to an effective panto debut at Derby Playhouse for Mark Clements, who co-wrote and directs Cinderella. Not that he's forgotten all the well- loved panto fare, with a good measure of audience participation, gorgeous costumes and a song-sheet cleverly ...

... Dick Whittington DONCASTER DUGGIE Chapman has assembled a strong cast for the Civic Theatre's Dick Whittington and it has paid off. Sylvia Foxall cuts an active and heroic figure as Principal Boy, with Maggi O'Hara a convincing Alice. Both have excellent voices which blend well together. Comedian/actor Duggie Brown local lad made good attacks the part of Sarah the Cook with gusto and an ...