Panto needs ‘Star Power’ & effortless talent & personality. You need pro’s who can deliver twice daily and knock it out of the park for weeks on end. Well, at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford – Snow White is master-class in authentic panto genius.
With Joe Pasquale’s Muddles offering infinite charm & warmth combined with Ceri Dupree’s glamour & glitz as Dame Dolly – you’ve got a 5* family panto at yesterdays sold-out performance.
There’s a beautiful flying bike scene, fantastic dance numbers and class vaudeville schtick throughout from Pasquale and his stooges.
Joe has mastered the art of variety and family entertainment. With risqué overtones that never fall into vulgar, you can’t help but be swept away by the silliness & joy of his timeless act. His energy is inspiring.
Meanwhile, Dupree offers class, ease & the best costumes in British theatre, 15+ in total, throughout this 2 hour faaaabbbulouussss celebration of shenanigans.
For drama, Rachel Stanley equally matches their brilliance as Wicked Queen with an authentic and perfectly pitched performance.
Find out more about Joe HERE. Find out more about Ceri Dupree HERE!
Nods also to Victoria Serra who sang beautifully as Snow White and Alexis Gerred who played the Prince handsomely….despite the constant efforts of Pasquale to make him corpse.
Panto works best when the cast are having fun. In Dartford they looked they were having a ball!
The lighting, costumes & sets were impressive but the Star of the show has to be the chemistry and (very different) talents of Pasquale & Dupree.
The audience LOVED their production bits which so few pull off anywhere near half as well. This odd couple create theatrical brilliance (even between each others legs in a tutu – don’t ask!)
We’ll overlook the dwarves for fear of getting a little political & the 3D illusion was far too real for kids resulting in several screaming children being removed from the theatre. Hey ho, I’m old fashioned – totally superfluous.
Review by Alex Belfield for Celebrity Radio 29th December 2016.
Leave a Reply