The Sunday Mail
Takudzwa Chihambakwe Leisure Correspondent —
THE annual pantomime family show, which is currently running at Reps Theatre till December 22, 2016 is a package of delight that is coated with wit. This year’s production is the 1912 play, “Snow White”, which has managed to transcend generations.
Local actors and actresses did not disappoint by staging a befitting rendition. With a cast comprising toddlers, teens, grannies and grandpas; the show will capture the heart of anyone who steps in to experience the magic.
Kudos to the entire cast and directors who worked hard from October till December 1, 2016 when the production started to be staged. They were flawless in their performance and avoided murmuring any lines.
The whole cast showed a great level of alertness on stage and were committed to their characters, making it feel like the audience was experiencing the Broadway version of the play.
Besides the effort that Reps Theatre places in preparing the cast, another thing that stands out about most of their shows is the set and costumes.
Things are tough for most players in the arts sector but the team at Reps must be commended for going all out in designing a set that creates the perfect ambiance to go with each scene and costumes that help the audience relate to the characters easily.
The lighting was also spot on, changing at the required moments. These changes, combined by the scintillating live band, providing most of the music. It was just amazing.
The pantomime show is generally about the audience and the cast having fun, that is the greatest strength of this 90-minute production. Once in a while, the cast takes time to interact with the audience and turn the show into a mini stand-up comedy experience.
The crowd on the other hand joins in the fun by cheering and booing at the good and bad characters respectively, as the show progresses.
The play was also spiced up by giving it a bit of flavour from home by introducing elements such as bond notes as rewards as opposed to gold and silver, which would have been used back in 1912.
However, there was no change in how the story ends, “Snow White” gets married to a charming prince whilst her evil step mother takes the walk of shame after her pride gets the better of her. But in the midst of all this madness, one character stood out and was loved dearly by the audience. “Muddles the Queens Jester”, was played by 25-year-old Stephen Roy Thomas.
“I just love acting, dancing and singing because I can express myself fully so whenever there is a call for auditions and I like the production I just come through,” said Thomas.
“Though I am bit picky about shows I audition for, I always ensure that I am part of the pantomime because I love the comedy that comes with it and the energy from the rest of the cast. It’s more like a personal Christmas present.”
Thomas revealed that he chose the role of Muddles because everyone wants to be a fool at times.
“Playing the role of Muddles is an exciting experience. Many times one can pick a role that is easy to interpret whilst following the script but there is that moment when you need to sink into the character and get lost in the act. Muddles allowed me to do just that hence I went for that character.”
