Community Theatre is often the world of dubious costumes and bad makeup, but with an upcoming family pantomime focussed on one of our favourite fairy tales, we think they’re playing it as a strength.
The Secret of Snow White is being presented by the Wembley Theatre Company, promising a cavalcade of songs, visual comedy, slapstick and audience participation.
Written by Tony Nicholls and directed by Bryce Manning at the Wembley Community Centre, Snow White is still the fairest of them all and her wicked stepmother still uses a poisoned apple on her.
But the seven dwarves are a little different with something not quite right about their height.
“Our production of Snow White follows the traditional pantomime structure very closely,” Manning said.
“We take a familiar fairytale and embellish it with plenty of humour, songs, love, revenge, over-the-top acting and a wedding at the end. It’s two hours of family fun that will appeal to every age group.”
As a director, Manning said producing good quality theatre could provide an infinite amount of challenges.
“With pantomimes, especially the scripts we use from renowned playwright Tony Nicholls, I work hard on making sure the audience ‘get it’,” he said.
“Tony’s pantomimes are bursting with jokes and wit and my challenge is to make sure the audience doesn’t miss any of them.”
Involved in acting, directing and theatre teaching since 1984, Manning trained as an actor at the University of Western Sydney before moving back to Perth to start his teaching career.
He formed the Wembley Theatre Company in 1996 and has been producing, directing, writing and acting in the company’s annual productions for the past 23 years.
“Snow White sits comfortably among the top three pantomimes performed around the world, along with Aladdin and Cinderella,” Manning said.
“While pantomimes flourish in England, they are not so widely known in Australia.
“It has been the Wembley Theatre Company’s passion to deliver this wonderful, uplifting, mad-capped form of theatre that audiences love for more than 20 years.”
The Secret of Snow White plays at 7pm October 25, November 1 and 8 and 2pm October 26, 27, November 9 and 10. Book at www.trybooking.com The Wembley Community Centre is at 40 Alexander Street, Wembley.
There are additional shows at Ferguson Hall in the Shire of Dardanup at 3pm, October 19, and Thornlie’s Don Russell Performing Arts Centre at 1pm, November 3.
Source: Media Release
