ACT in Action Issue 17

especially projection of voice. Cora Bowers was a case in point as she expertly narrated the story. There was super rise and fall in her speaking voice and the dialogue was delivered with expression. It was evident that this must be something that has been worked on in their weekly sessions. As the joint society chairman, Vanessa Rothwell, pointed out, “These are the future principals – bring them on!” Something which I wholeheartedly support and encourage. These young performers were supported very well on stage by many of the society regular adult performers. Alison Bowers, played the title part of Snow Queen and instantly had the audience participating, booing and hissing within the first few minutes. Her dialogue, scheming and evil plans dripped with menace and left the audience in no doubt who was the baddy in this. Her accomplice, Jack Frost, was the Silly Billy of the pantomime, and the role was handled superbly by Stephen Hague. This kind of part has to have energy and engage the audience through slap stick, tomfoolery, and usually a sob story to get the audience saying “aww”, which he achieved. Adding to the evilness was the Queens slave, Tarquin, as short as Lord Farquaad from “Shrek”, Terry Doctor looked so funny as the vertically challenged, grumpy slave who looked after and befriended Harriet, the queen’s dragon, who had the ability to eliminate the effects of the Queen’s poisoned ice. Last year the society brought on a live horse: this year it was a red, angry dragon, voiced by Janice Haughton. I suspect this use of a six-foot model dragon posed its own challenges for the stage crew, who had to move it around the stage, and manipulate the controls to make the mouth and eye lids move, as well as blow smoke, but achieve it they did! A great surprise to all, especially when the dragon lifted its wings. Kat Rawling was the demur, Gerda, who falls in love with her friend, Kai, played by Shelly Riddler. Kat sang beautifully and led us through the journey of seasons to rescue her beloved from the Snow Queen, meeting others on the way. There was the obligatory slap of the thigh at the start by Shelley that I think should be part of any pantomimes Principal Boy character – call me old fashioned. Although not on stage for a large amount of the pantomime, she did

THE SNOW QUEEN written by Barry Crossley Hyde Little Theatre (Amateur)

It is such a lovely sight to walk up to any theatre and notice the words, SOLD OUT, emblazoned across the production poster, and that is what I saw as I approached Hyde Festival Theatre. In the recent past, people have decried the art of pantomime and said the it is now ‘old hat’, but in these times, I see it very much as an entertainment medium which leaves people happy. This society has built up a large following for its annual pantomime production, and long may it continue. Before I had even entered the building it was evident that the society members had been very busy decorating the foyer with snowflakes and glitter. This really set the tone for the pantomime and got the audience captured in the theme. Many pantomimes start out as traditional stories and, while this is not one you would consider immediately, it does offer a good story line with easily identifiable characters. “The Snow Queen” is an original fairy tale, written by the Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen. The tale was first published on 21st December 1844, and the story centres on the struggle between good and evil, as experienced by Gerda and her friend, Kai. The story has been used as inspiration for many films over the years, most notably in recent times of the Disney classic, “Frozen”. This scripted pantomime is an original work by Barry Crossley, but has been adapted by the society’s direction team of Alison Bowers, Carla Stokes, Simon Sullivan and Steven Oliver-Grant to accommodate the large number of extra principals whom they wished to include. This was indeed a large cast, and probably the biggest I have seen for the society’s productions, which included principals, chorus and dancers. Over the 2018-19 season the society established a Youth Theatre section, and some of the principals, the ravens, seasonal fairies, summer witch and flowers came from here, and stepped into the spotlight. I was most impressed with their line delivery, and

Kai meets the Snow Queen

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