Schoolchildren first to see Shrewsbury's panto at Theatre Severn
Hundreds of schoolchildren took a trip to Theatre Severn for the first performance of this year’s Christmas pantomime.
Students from Condover College, Ladygrove Primary School in Telford, Whittington Primary School, near Oswestry and residents from High Tree Care Home, were among the first to enjoy Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Thousands of families will head to Shrewsbury over the festive period to catch Victoria McCabe, as Snow White, on its mammoth run, stretching through to January 5.
It was Ladygrove Primary School’s second year visiting the venue after the success of last year’s smash hit, Cinderella.
Teacher Cara Thomas, who was with pupils from Years 1 and 2, said: “We came here last year and we loved it so much we decided to come back.
“The kids absolutely loved it again, especially all the singing and dancing.”
Spurred on by pantomime favourite Brad Fitt, who this year donned a frock to play the dame, Nurse Nellie, the pupils screamed, danced and sang their way through the show.
Ethan Rees said despite the love story between Snow White and the Prince, the pantomime’s bad guys were his favourite.
“I thought the show was really good but I wasn’t scared of the baddies,” he said.
“My favourite part were the bits with the witch and the ghosts.”
Lacey Peate added: “I didn’t like the witch because she wasn’t very nice. Snow White was my favourite because I liked her dresses and she was just a nice person.”
The biggest cheer of the performance came when the seven dwarfs, Cheeky, Brian, Sarge, Brummie, Sniffly, Rocker and Loopy marched on stage and got the pupils dancing.
Marley Valentine from Whittington Primary said going to the pantomime, which is an annual event for the school, was his favourite day of the year.
He added: “I love coming to see the pantomime because it’s fun. I liked the bad ghosts this time because they were scary.”
At the end of show, three pupils from Ladygrove were invited on stage with Nurse Nellie to take part in a superhero dance and went away with a goody bag from Toot Sweets – an award-winning chocolate shop in Shrewsbury.
The show has been written by Telford born Paul Hendy and is produced by Evolution, the same team behind last year’s pantomime, Cinderella.
Radio Shropshire’s Eric Smith returns again this year as Herman the Henchman, Joanne Heywood is playing the Wicked Queen Ivannah, Matt Dallen plays Muddles and Oliver Watton is making his Theatre Severn debut as the Prince.
The pantomime is the theatre’s biggest event of the year, selling thousands of tickets and plans are already underway for the 2018 pantomime, Mother Goose.
Thousands more schoolchildren will enjoy the show over the coming weeks for the matinee performances.
For details of how to book tickets go to theatresevern.co.uk or call the box office on 01743 281281.
