Surrey

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="999" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-41.jpg" alt="Snow White panto at Camberley Theatre in Surrey." class="wp-image-57598" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-41.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-41-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-41-1000x666.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-41-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-41-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Camberley Theatre is always one of my favourite pantos. It&#8217;s a wholesome production that captures the spirit of a classic panto with all the best bonkers bits. 



This year it was a perfect alchemy of music and mirth &#8211; with a morality message thrown in for good measure. There&#8217;s high octane dancing, plus gags galore, and they&#8217;re bang on the right level to have every kid in the house howling. Grown-ups might groan a little, but you also can&#8217;t help but smile at the swift pace they come flying at you. And there&#8217;s enough subtle innuendo to keep things just a little bit spicy.



I&#8217;m just going say it&#8230; Snow White is one of the best I&#8217;ve seen. Bravo team Camberley!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="999" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-256.jpg" alt="Snow White panto at Camberley Theatre in Surrey." class="wp-image-57606" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-256.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-256-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-256-1000x666.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-256-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-256-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



One of the things I most like about Camberley&#8217;s panto is the complete absence of D-lister celebs headlining the bill. What you get instead is a delicious dose of daft escapism and frivolous fun from and top-notch cast and ensemble. It&#8217;s witty, entertaining and always feel-good &#8211; you&#8217;ll most certainly leave smiling.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-10-1000x666.jpg" alt="Snow White panto at Camberley Theatre in Surrey." class="wp-image-57594" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-10-1000x666.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-10-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-10-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-10-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-10.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Suzi Budd returns as director. And I have to now ask &#8211; is it even a Camberley panto without Suzi? I think not. This is Suzi&#8217;s 10th consecutive year gate-crashing Christmas at Camberley &#8211; and we&#8217;re all the better for it.



Four months of theatre renovations meant the show almost didn&#8217;t go on. But in the end it did. And that&#8217;s largely thanks to Suzi and her right-hand-man, choreographer Thomas Andrew Smith, who have pulled together a polished and professional production. 



Together they&#8217;ve become quite the formidable force &#8211; both on and off the stage. This year, Suzi steps into the role of Henrietta Henchman, the right-hand-gal to Thomas&#8217;s evil Queen Camilla Blackbushe. As always, Suzi is a vivacious little pocket-rocket, full of vim, vigour and some fabulously goofy gags. She&#8217;s like the lynchpin that holds it all together.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="999" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-9.jpg" alt="Snow White panto at Camberley Theatre in Surrey." class="wp-image-57593" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-9.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-9-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-9-1000x666.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-9-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-9-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Thomas dons the dresses as the villainous Dame and, nails the nasty, conceited and tiny-bit-desperate Queen. He struts with a wonderful presence displaying a rather marvellous pair of pins, and just the right amount of wickedness. There wasn&#8217;t a kid in the audience &#8211; and they were a particularly vocal bunch on Tuesday &#8211; who didn&#8217;t have something to say about him (or is it her?).



The story captures the essence of the Grimm’s Brothers’ fairy tale, but with what I&#8217;ve come to know as a classic Camberley twist. Like the original, it&#8217;s set in a woodland village &#8211; and most of the usual suspects are present. A sweet and kind Snow White is there (obvs!) &#8211; played with authenticity by Emma Woodhams &#8211; along with her bestie, the village greengrocer, Keith (a superbly charming, funny, goofy and charismatic James Hastings).



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="999" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-58.jpg" alt="Snow White panto at Camberley Theatre in Surrey." class="wp-image-57599" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-58.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-58-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-58-1000x666.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-58-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-58-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



There&#8217;s a handsome prince &#8211; Prince Fraser of Farnham &#8211; played by Owen Murphy, and of course the aforementioned evil Queen.



Gone, though, are the seven dwarves. Instead they&#8217;re replaced with an ensemble of six village market stallholders &#8211; Jenny, Penny, Kenny, Lenny, Denny and one I can&#8217;t remember.



There&#8217;s a magic mirror, which sees the return of panto dame Matt Ian Kelly (on screen) as Dame Mystique Moira, aka Moira Moira on the Wall. And of course a poisoned apple. 



Does Snow White eat the apple? Oh yes she does! Does she fall into a deep sleep, in which she can be roused only by true love&#8217;s first kiss? You got it. 



Does Snow White get her guy? No spoiler alerts here &#8211; you&#8217;ll have to see the show. But suffice to say it&#8217;s a happy ending.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2252" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-171.jpg" alt="Snow White panto at Camberley Theatre in Surrey." class="wp-image-57604" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-171.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-171-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-171-666x1000.jpg 666w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-171-266x400.jpg 266w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-171-768x1153.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-171-1023x1536.jpg 1023w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-171-1364x2048.jpg 1364w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



There are some great songs &#8211; all variations on the originals &#8211; that will appeal to all ages. Everything from Carly Rae Jepson&#8217;s Call Me Maybe and Shania Twain&#8217;s Man! I Feel Like a Woman! to The Beatles&#8217; A Hard Day&#8217;s Night. But hands&#8217; down the standout number was a variation of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper&#8217;s power-ballad Shallow &#8211; a touching duet belted out by Prince Fraser (who also plays the guitar) and Snow White. 



Keith&#8217;s charming antics in the background are almost a scene-stealer. But only almost. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="999" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-118.jpg" alt="Snow White panto at Camberley Theatre in Surrey." class="wp-image-57601" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-118.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-118-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-118-1000x666.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-118-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-118-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Big shoutout to the talented ensemble who danced up a storm and kept the energy high and everything rollicking along brilliantly. Costumes, set and lighting are also superb.



The classic panto antics were out in force including regular “oh, no he isn’t” lines, the classic 12 Days of Christmas sketch, and a super funny tongue twister routine. Greengrocer Keith delivers a hilarious skit that centres around vegetables. And just when you think he&#8217;s done, along comes another one. 



The show&#8217;s musical director Shona Maule deserves huge accolades &#8211; she&#8217;s like a one-women orchestra all by herself switching seamlessly between keyboards, flute and saxophone, never once missing a beat, and even getting on stage to show off her dance moves for one number. Impressive indeed!



And that pretty much sums up the Camberley panto! Impressive. 



It&#8217;s glorious tale of friendship with an underlying message about the importance of kindness, humility and understanding. But it&#8217;s over-the-top and great festive fun – you should definitely put Snow White on your to-do list this Christmas.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="999" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-123.jpg" alt="Snow White panto at Camberley Theatre in Surrey." class="wp-image-57602" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-123.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-123-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-123-1000x666.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-123-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2024/12/Camberley-Snow-White-2024_-123-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



Good for: Snow White is a brilliant panto for families. It&#8217;s wholesome and fun (albeit with its fair share of fart jokes) &#8211; and the 6pm start time means that little people can be tucked up in bed at a decent hour.



Not for: Like a panto with a bit more sauce and sass? If you&#8217;re all about the double entendre and naughty innuendo, this one might not hit the spot.



<a href="https://www.camberleytheatre.co.uk/events/snow-white" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Snow White</a> is at Camberley Theatre until Tuesday 31 December.

Panto review: Snow White at Camberley Theatre

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