Surrey

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Rebekah-Lowings-as-Snow-White-and-Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson.jpg" alt="Snow White and the Seven Dwarves pantomime at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Surrey" class="wp-image-36840" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Rebekah-Lowings-as-Snow-White-and-Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Rebekah-Lowings-as-Snow-White-and-Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Rebekah-Lowings-as-Snow-White-and-Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Rebekah-Lowings-as-Snow-White-and-Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Rebekah-Lowings-as-Snow-White-and-Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Rebekah-Lowings-as-Snow-White-and-Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption>All images by Ian Olsson.</figcaption></figure>



Panto is back baby. And it’s back with a bang. Oh yes, it is! We’re talking the usual ‘he’s behind you’ shenanigans, bad (and properly funny adult) jokes plus good old-fashioned cheesy family fun. It was a like double portion of fabulous!



My first panto outing for 2021 was to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking and I can honestly tell you it&#8217;s the funniest panto I&#8217;ve seen in years. Anywhere!



Even the too-cool-for-school teenager who came along to keep me company found it hilarious. High praise indeed.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Gok-Wan-as-The-Man-in-the-Mirror-Credit-Ian-Olsson.jpg" alt="Gok Wan as the Man in the Mirror in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves pantomime at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Surrey " class="wp-image-36836" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Gok-Wan-as-The-Man-in-the-Mirror-Credit-Ian-Olsson.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Gok-Wan-as-The-Man-in-the-Mirror-Credit-Ian-Olsson-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Gok-Wan-as-The-Man-in-the-Mirror-Credit-Ian-Olsson-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Gok-Wan-as-The-Man-in-the-Mirror-Credit-Ian-Olsson-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Gok-Wan-as-The-Man-in-the-Mirror-Credit-Ian-Olsson-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Gok-Wan-as-The-Man-in-the-Mirror-Credit-Ian-Olsson-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



The odds of this being a good panto were always strong with TV fashionista Gok Wan as the Man in the Mirror, funny man Aaron James as Muddles the Jester and West End star Rebekah Lowings as Snow White. You&#8217;ve got three impressive boxes ticked right there.



But it was bravo to the fabulous Harriet Thorpe who really was the star of the show as Queen Lucretia &#8211; razor sharp timing, a strong voice and some real comedy chops. The scene where she engaged in a tongue twister-a-thon with Muddles and Gok was genuinely very funny.



And there were glimpses of her real acting talent too, particularly when her voice rose to the crescendo of a cackle as the wicked step-mother.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Harriet-Thorpe-as-Queen-Lucretia-Credit-Ian-Olsson.jpg" alt="Harriet Thorpe as Lucretia in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves pantomime at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Surrey " class="wp-image-36837" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Harriet-Thorpe-as-Queen-Lucretia-Credit-Ian-Olsson.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Harriet-Thorpe-as-Queen-Lucretia-Credit-Ian-Olsson-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Harriet-Thorpe-as-Queen-Lucretia-Credit-Ian-Olsson-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Harriet-Thorpe-as-Queen-Lucretia-Credit-Ian-Olsson-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Harriet-Thorpe-as-Queen-Lucretia-Credit-Ian-Olsson-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Harriet-Thorpe-as-Queen-Lucretia-Credit-Ian-Olsson-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



It was a proper hi-di-ho panto which rollicked along from start to finish with plenty of high points &#8211; including the surprise revelation that Gok Wan can sing. And not only that &#8211; he remembers his lines and ad-libs like a pro.



The moment when Prince Harry of Horsham fluffs his lines declaring his love for Muddles instead of Snow What was a proper guffaw moment &#8211; Gok quick-as-lightening quipping with a wry smile and a wink to the audience, &#8216;It&#8217;s not that kind of show, darling&#8217;. 



The usual panto rules applied: plenty of audience participation, singalong, shouting out and ‘he’s behind you’ malarky. And the traditional 12 Days of Christmas routine never gets old &#8211; carried off with aplomb by Muddles, Queen Lucretia, Gok and Prince Harry. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Aaron-James-as-Muddles-2-Credit-Ian-Olsson.jpg" alt="Aaron James as Muddles in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves pantomime at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Surrey " class="wp-image-36833" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Aaron-James-as-Muddles-2-Credit-Ian-Olsson.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Aaron-James-as-Muddles-2-Credit-Ian-Olsson-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Aaron-James-as-Muddles-2-Credit-Ian-Olsson-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Aaron-James-as-Muddles-2-Credit-Ian-Olsson-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Aaron-James-as-Muddles-2-Credit-Ian-Olsson-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Aaron-James-as-Muddles-2-Credit-Ian-Olsson-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Aaron James was charismatic, warm and funny as Muddles&#8230; and also the glue that tied the show together, like a big flamboyant bow on Christmas gift. Benjamin Purkiss was convincing as the handsome Prince Harry in love with Snow White. There were plenty of kisses between the pair, too. She did demand 21 kisses for her 21st birthday &#8211; and they were real on-the-lips smackers, too. None of this airy-fairy wafty air kissing malarky.



Worth mentioning the script too, which undoubtedly had a huge impact on this show’s success. Apart from some terrible Covid jokes that started off proceedings and the usual fart jokes, there was a particularly large quotient of adult jokes this year &#8211; much to the teenager&#8217;s amusement.



The set design was suitably vibrant. I particularly liked the woodland cottage of the seven dwarves. The little chaps, played by seven actors who shuffled around on their knees with false legs in place at the front, didn&#8217;t feature heavily &#8211; perhaps they couldn&#8217;t manage too much time on their knees. But they were endearing nonetheless. 



Another stand-out moment &#8211; especially for little&#8217;uns who love dinosaurs was the incredible flying pterodactyl ridden by one of the ensemble cast members (who also deserve a big collective bravo!). It was certainly and oh-ah moment.



I didn’t expect to write it, but trust me when I say this panto is a total winner. Book it, and feel the love.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson.jpg" alt="Snow White and the Seven Dwarves pantomime at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Surrey " class="wp-image-36834" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/12/Benjamin-Purkiss-as-Prince-Harry-of-Horsham-with-ensemble-Credit-Ian-Olsson-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



Good for:&nbsp;Families of all ages – it&#8217;s fab for littlies, hilarious for teens! And the reworked pop hits get you singing and swaying along.



Not for:&nbsp;More prudish temperaments might want to steer clear – the adult jokes come thick and fast. See what I mean?



Snow White is at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking until Sun 2 Jan. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/snow-white/new-victoria-theatre/" target="_blank">atgtickets.com</a>



<ul><li>Can&#8217;t get enough of panto? Check out <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Cinderella (opens in a new tab)" href="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/christmas/panto-review-cinderella-at-richmond-theatre/" target="_blank">Cinderella</a> at the Richmond Theatre.</li></ul>

Panto review: Snow White at New Victoria Theatre, Woking

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