Rating: ★★★★
Venue: Emerald Theatre, London
Cast: Kyran Thrax, Kitty Scott-Claus, Kate Butch, Tayris Mongardi, Oliver Clothezoff, Yshee Black, Tiana Biscuit, Sophia Stardust and Ophelia Love
HI-ho… It’s back to panto TuckShop go, for the special 5th anniversary season of their smash hit All-Drag, West End Pantomime… and it’s bigger and better than ever!
Live at the stunning new Emerald Theatre, this all-star cast will tell you the story of the fairest in the land like never before. Snow White must journey through the enchanted kingdom, and battle the Wicked Queen with the help of her friends. Sounds quaint… It won’t be!
Snow White marks TuckShop's 5th annual adult pantomime and its home this year is the newly opened Emerald Theatre, which feels like the perfect home for an adult panto that feels much more like a late-night cabaret at times. One thing's for certain, the production is bursting with infectious joy. And while it may not be the most polished show I've seen, by any stretch of the imagination, what it lacks in finesse it makes up for in pure unadulterated fun.
The cast are undoubtedly what makes this pantomime the standout that it is. Kate Butch as the HuntsThem is a personal highlight. As well as captivating the audience with ease, their character's journey of coming out as non-binary provided some surprisingly touching moments amid the carnage and chaos. Kitty Scott-Claus is simply magical as Fairy Hanny, providing some of the best laughs as the narrator, and her constant reminders of her role as the "magical winter fairy" were absolutely brilliant.
Kyran Thrax plays the Wicked Queen and wicked she is. The villain that we all love to hate, and her presence onstage is absolutely phenomenal, commandeering the stage with a confidence and ease that you'd expect from a Drag Race winner. Yshee Black as the Magic Mirror is just as chaotically wonderful as you'd expect; a genuine fear of what will happen next is felt whenever she's on stage...and I mean that in the very best way.
While the pantomime is undoubtedly the most modern I've ever seen, it still keeps traditional aspects we'd expect to see within a panto, including audience interaction. It somehow makes a production filled with filthy jokes and innuendos...somewhat nostalgic and endearing, which is no small feat!
The choreography from Taz Hoesli is fresh and sharp, and the way the cast work in those heels is nothing short of jaw-dropping! The costume design from River Smith is every part as glitzy and glamorous as you'd expect, and each cast member shines (metaphorically...and literally). While the set design is minimalistic to say the least, the heart of this show is its cast and that's where your focus will lie throughout.
This year's TuckShop offering of Snow White is wickedly funny, deliciously filthy and bursting with all the joy and inclusivity you could wish for this festive season.
You can book tickets to Snow White, here.
**photo credit: Harry Elletson**
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