WHEN you head out for the annual Buckhorn Weston Amateur Theatrical Society pantomime you can be sure of two things – it will be energetically performed by everyone involved and it will be BATS, in the best and most inspired way.
In recent years Allison Barfoot has gathered a regular team which has delighted audiences with a series of terrific shows involving the entire community, and this year’s free adaptation of Archie Wilson’s Snow White is no exception.
The packed hall on the opening night needed no prompting to join in and have fun. And if the sight lines and acoustics are a bit challenging, there’s no doubt what’s going on both on and off the stage.
If someone has a talent and wants to show it off, Allison will make sure the relevant scene is written in, and the action is fast and furious. And the atmosphere is immediately set with the roaring lion who opens the show … MGM’s Leo eat your heart out.
The wicked queen, extravagantly done by Grady Crittall, is pestering the mirror on the wall, and is soon infuriated when Snow White’s name comes up top.
Dame Molly, in another wonderfully robust characterisation by Rupert Dyke, not only searches for the canine Minnie (or was it Milly) but also gets the prince in the end.
Her god-daughter Snow White (Kate Barfoot) is abducted, gets lost in the forest (interestingly populated by giraffes, okapi and very big snakes) finds seven delightful dwarves, gets a poisoned apple lodged in her throat, and lives happily ever after.
There’s a very glittery Irish fairy (Alanda Phillips) who is slightly confused as to which panto she’s in, but manages the requisite magic.
When scenes need changing there are audio mock advertisements broadcast to the audience.
Add in villagers, some excellent dancers and lots of dashing round the hall in search of various lost personages and you can be sure that everybody is included in this funful show.
It’s on until Saturday, and tickets are selling fast.
GP-W