Once again The Orchard Theatre has brought its annual Christmas pantomime back to Dartford. With the Orchard Theatre being located in the middle of Dartford town after opening on the 14th of April 1983, with a large number of 956 seats by the Duke of Kent, The Orchard has been a prime location within the town and a source of family entertainment for years.
With performances from West End musicals to top comedians, bands and dance acts the Orchard Theatre has become a prime example of a way of bringing family and friends to come together as a community.
Its annual pantomimes have become an event that many people look forward to throughout the year and a great way to bring a family together. This year the theatre showcased Snow White. The Orchard Theatre Snow White production included stars such as Joe Pasquale and Ceri Dupree who played Muddles and Dame Dolly Diamond who have been doing productions together for 8 years. This pantomime was directed and choreographed by Jonny Bowles who has produced work for his Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen and two Pantomimes for First Family Entertainment at the King’s Theatre located in Glasgow; the show was also written by Alan McHugh.
In past showcases the Orchard Theatre has many Christmas pantomimes featuring celebrity guests ranging from Joe Pasquale (who has featured more than once at the Orchard Theatre for their Christmas Pantomimes) to celebrities such as; Shane Richie (Dick Whittington 2015), Craig Revel Howard (Peter Pan 2014) and Steve McFadden (Aladdin 2012).
These Pantomimes have provided family fun as well as managing to cater for adult humour disguised as children’s fun.
The beauty of pantomime is that they enrapture the mystique of children’s imagination with adult humour. They manage to cross the line between good clean fun with double meanings, very clever stuff when you have to try and juggle a good night out with family entertainment. Joe Pasquale did an excellent job at delivering this without causing offence and making it work! My view is without his bubbly personality this may not have been paid off. With his larger than life, all round entertainment helped bring this old classic to life...
With the added effect of special effects the tale of Snow White was able to come to life for all ages and not just children many people praised the hard work and fantastic outcome of the special effects done by The Twins FX.
‘The special effects were so realistic! It actually had me jumping in my seat and hitting the air around me.’- Jess Hutton, 21.
Written by Alana Constant, Thamesview School.
