Bucks &amp; Oxon

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1873" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR2_7650.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-153714" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR2_7650.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR2_7650-641x800.jpg 641w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR2_7650-801x1000.jpg 801w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR2_7650-320x400.jpg 320w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR2_7650-1230x1536.jpg 1230w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR2_7650-420x525.jpg 420w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>







Regular panto goers at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre who have been mourning La Voix&#8217;s defection to the Wycombe Swan this year after six years at AWT, can dry their tears. <a href="https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs/aylesbury-waterside-theatre/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2023&#8217;s production of Snow White</a> has a new panto dame in down, Leon Craig, and he&#8217;s pretty damn marvellous, with strong vocals, comic timing and good chemistry with AWT panto&#8217;s talisman BBC Three Counties Radio&#8217;s Andy Collins.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="957" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Leon-Craig-Dame-Dilly.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-153722" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Leon-Craig-Dame-Dilly.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Leon-Craig-Dame-Dilly-800x510.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Leon-Craig-Dame-Dilly-1000x638.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Leon-Craig-Dame-Dilly-400x255.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Leon-Craig-Dame-Dilly-823x525.jpg 823w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The celebrity hook this year is EastEnders and Strictly Come Dancing star, James Bye as the Prince, who plays his Prince as slightly artless, cheesy but ultimately charming suitor to Snow White (Rhiannon Chesterman). A couple of fluffed lines and some reedy singing (a career in musicals is not on the cards) on opening night kind of added to his chucklish charm and he was clearly enjoying himself.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1064" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Prince-and-Queen-Grimelda.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-153718" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Prince-and-Queen-Grimelda.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Prince-and-Queen-Grimelda-800x567.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Prince-and-Queen-Grimelda-1000x709.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Prince-and-Queen-Grimelda-400x284.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Prince-and-Queen-Grimelda-740x525.jpg 740w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-loves-kiss-scene.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-153724" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-loves-kiss-scene.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-loves-kiss-scene-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-loves-kiss-scene-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-loves-kiss-scene-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-loves-kiss-scene-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



There was no weak point in the casting, with Snow White ably played by Rhiannon Chesterman in a role written with more sass and less passive sweetness than the Disney version, and Lyndsey Gardiner hamming it up as evil Queen Grimelda, full of &#8216;shut ups&#8217; to the audience and cackly laughs, though I do often wonder with panto baddies whether more nuance and less shouting might make them more compelling characters.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1041" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Queen-Grimelda-mirror.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-153723" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Queen-Grimelda-mirror.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Queen-Grimelda-mirror-800x555.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Queen-Grimelda-mirror-1000x694.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Queen-Grimelda-mirror-400x278.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT-Snow-White-23-Queen-Grimelda-mirror-756x525.jpg 756w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Seven real dwarves were cast for this show (you might have strong views on that either way), and they were excellent too, led by a the Flemish actor Stijn Keuleers.



The big set piece in any AWT panto is now the 12 Days of Christmas song, where, Collins, his panto dame and another couple of cast members joyfully massacre the original carol &#8211; &#8216;a partridge in a pear tree&#8217; becomes &#8216;a bra that was made to fit three&#8217; and so on &#8211; before it all descends into a water fight with the audience. It&#8217;s funny every year, and there&#8217;s now a heartwarming familiarity to it &#8211; it&#8217;s the bit my younger kids still most look forward to, even now they&#8217;re teens.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1076" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR1_7302.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-153720" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR1_7302.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR1_7302-800x574.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR1_7302-1000x717.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR1_7302-400x287.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/AWT20Snow20White20202320-20BR1_7302-732x525.jpg 732w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The two local dancing troupes performed well, the costumes were great fun, Andy Collins played the crowd like a fiddle during his annual interlude when he gets young kids on stage to perform (very loosely) and the whole evening ended up an easy, giggly, interactive delight. Go see.



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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1UG, until Wed 3 Jan 2024. <a href="https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs/aylesbury-waterside-theatre/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Book tickets here</a>.

Review: Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

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