Review Snow White and Seven Dwarfs at Blackpool Grand Theatre - cast have the gift of pantomime all wrapped up

Are we all ready for the festivities with all the traditional trimmings- oh yes we are!

First on the list a trip to pantoland for a night of family fun, silliness, capers, dance, music, fairy-tale magic and a story of good defeating the bad.

Bring on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Grand Theatre Blackpool, which finally took to the stage after more than two years in the planning.

Opening weekend saw scores of families, friends and school parties pack out the historic theatre ready for a night of jolly good fun.

More than two hours after curtains went up and the smiles on faces were clear for all to see.

Pantomime delivers a special kind of Christmas magic for people of all generations - even in the Tik Tok era.

The digital phenomenon has even reached those fantasy lands of kingdoms far, far away, including Lytham St Annes....

As have the sounds of BTS and Dynamite, U2 and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation.

Martin Dodd for UK Productions does not disappoint with his most recent offering from his longstanding story book - this tale includes all those traditional elements we've grown up with from ghost gags to Dame frolics but all brought up to date in Covid times- double jabbed, sanitised and socially distanced accordingly.

The lines work much better when delivered in pantomime rather than from Boris.

But audiences are also treated to the talents of the third most talented person in Britain and another familiar fixture to the Grand pantomime comic and Britain's Got Talent finalist Steve Royle in the role of Muddles.

For his 18th annual appearance Steve is back with his usual charismatic charm and endearing manner to old and young alike. He is at his natural best live on stage. Saturday's packed audience made the perfect crowd to feed from with cheers in all the right places.

His comedy and timing were perfectly in sync with Jamie Steen as Nurse Dolly but it's the golden moments where the 'mishaps' sent roaring laughter right to the roof.

Vicky Entwistle, a decade after her last pantomime visit to the Grand was wickedly impressive as the Evil Stepmother and dazzled in her array of costumes.

The lighting, costume, make-up, production and the live band are simply tremendous in the making of this show and the job in pulling it all together does not go unnoticed

Ellie Green making her stage debut as Snow White is perfectly pure, with vocals to match and Chris Warner Drake as Prince Frederik of Lytham St Annes is both dashing and funny, bringing some princely charm to the pop numbers.

Not forgetting a mention for our seven little heroes who along with mining can add rapping to their repertoire of talents.

Joining the cast once again are the incredible dancers from the Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre with choreography by the award-winning Katie Hill.

This is a show so loaded with comedy, music, dance and juggling, it's almost too much and the first half particularly was quite long.

But with the misery of last Christmas still lingering and still some uncertainty ahead a sit in with good old fashioned pantomime is just what is needed to lift those spirits.

Long live pantomime and our happy ever after.

There is now only limited tickets available check dates, times and prices at: https://www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/event-category/pantomime?gclid=Cj0KCQiA47GNBhDrARIsAKfZ2rCA0ERHYhY1NfwvhG0FthiW3diWnTzh0P3kKUNO-wiwoHs_hrhG50saAo-YEALw_wcB