“Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to the Playhouse we go...” Strap yourselves in, because it’s that time of the year again. Christmas is over, the rain has returned from Spain with a vengeance, and Promenade Productions are back at Cheltenham’s cosy Bath Road theatre, dishing out another round of February frolics in the form of their annual pantomime. This year sees a sumptuous reworking of the classic evergreen (in every sense) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The lighting crew had a field day, as blinding LEDs swept frequently, and powerfully, around the auditorium. A pair of sunglasses would not have come amiss.
 

Beneath the emerald illumination, this show had it all, although I’ve never known a Promenade Productions presentation that didn’t. Upbeat songs, a disciplined troupe of young dancers gliding the through the trees, impressive sets, enough colour to make the Notting Hill Carnival look dull, some ever-so-slightly amusing corpsing here and there (but mostly there), there was so much to engage the attention. No traditional dwarf names, either. Instead, step forward Brainy, Witless, Listless, Grouchy, Flaky and Mouthy, and a collective “Ah!” for sweet Bethany Wharton who stole the entire show as diminutive miner Keith, and we savoured every moment she was on stage, as was the case with the rest of the expansive cast.
 

Jovial James Done chivvied everyone along as benign lackey Hugh Humperdink, Layla Harford brought some starry-eyed glitz to the title role, while Eva Nuñez oozed charm and regal poise as Prince Harry. I still love a classy bad guy, though, so raise a glass to Bex Partlett as the wicked Sloane Ranger-ish Queen Griselda (OK, yah, or should that be OK ha-ha-ha?). Richard Berry coped manfully as her downtrodden sidekick Diabolos Stubble.
 

All good fun, of course, and all anchored by one of the coolest pantomime dames you will ever see. A worthy successor to the incomparable John Pannett, an Oscar to David Morris as Dame Daisy Maisy who kept the entire caboodle on track, interacting wittily with the audience and prompting some seriously laugh-out-loud humour, on top of the usual corny gags. Director Ceri Winrow has fashioned another winner here; I’m looking forward to next year’s production already.