This year’s festive production is led by Alhambra Theatre pantomime legend Billy Pearce, Steps star and Strictly Come Dancing finalist Faye Tozer; and family TV favourite Paul Chuckle. They are joined by talented musical theatre performers: Sarah Goggin and Matthew Croke.
The production is also packed with an ensemble cast of performers and dancers, a live band and the traditional young dance troupe, The Sunbeams, who appear on stage courtesy of Sara Packham’s Theatre School based in Cullingworth, Keighley.
SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS marks Billy Pearce’s 21st pantomime season at the Alhambra Theatre. The multi-award-winning comedian, who plays the role of Muddles in this year’s panto, has enjoyed a hugely successful career on television and on stage. No stranger to the Alhambra Theatre stage, Billy once again brings his array of mad-cap comedy, hilarious local references and boundless energy to the show, which have afforded him his reputation as the King of Yorkshire panto.
Joining Billy is singer, song-writer, dancer, stage actress and Strictly Come Dancing finalist Faye Tozer who stars as The Wicked Queen. As one fifth of the multi award winning pop band Steps for the last two decades, Faye and her band-mates released over twenty hit singles, five chart-topping studio albums and toured the nation nine times with their inimitable style of pop and famous dance routines, amassing record sales of over 20 million worldwide.
Faye has also enjoyed an extensive theatre career, starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s one-woman musical Tell Me On A Sunday to great critical acclaim, the UK tour of Love Shack, Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens in London’s West End, Me and My Girl and Over The Rainbow where she played the late Eva Cassidy as well as appearing in numerous pantomimes.
In 2018 Faye took part in the sixteenth series of BBC1’s primetime show, Strictly Come Dancing. Coupled with Giovanni Pernice, the pair sashayed into the final and wowed audiences with their incredible footwork, only narrowly missing out on winning the coveted glitter ball winners’ trophy.
Paul Chuckle plays Faye’s (not-so) wicked Henchman. Best known as one half of the legendary Chuckle Brothers, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs marks Paul’s second pantomime following the sad passing of his brother and co-star Barry last year. The much-loved duo was known to generations of children for their popular prime-time children’s television show Chucklevision, of which more than 290 episodes were made. The series proved to be so successful that in 2008 BAFTA presented Paul and Barry with an award for ‘services to British children’s television’. During the mid-nineties Paul and Barry also recorded three series of their own TV game show and have toured the UK extensively, even releasing a charity single with Tinchy Stryder and performed in over 50 pantomimes at major venues across the UK every Christmas.
Sarah Goggin, who appears as Snow White, returns to Bradford this year after her appearance in last year’s Alhambra Theatre pantomime Aladdin. Sarah has just finished playing Monica Geller in the first UK tour of the Friends musical parody, Friendsical. Her previous credits include: Sister Mary Robert in UK Tour of Sister Act; Jasmine in Aladdin and the title role in Cinderella for Qdos Entertainment, both at the Alhambra Theatre Bradford; Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act at Kilworth House; Rachel in Bad Girls; Christmas in New York with Eden Espinosa; A Different Kind Of Christmas Musical; Been on Broadway; Betty in Sincerely Yours; Woman 2 in I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change; Jodie in Best Of Friends.
Matthew Croke makes his debut performance on the Alhambra Theatre stage as Prince William of Wakefield. Yorkshire born Matthew trained at the Maureen Law Theatre School, Sharon Berry School of Dance and Laine Theatre Arts. His theatre credits include the title role in Disney’s Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre in London, Annie Get Your Gun (Crucible, Sheffield), Singin’ in the Rain, Funny Girl, Wicked, West Side Story, Chicago, Shall We Dance?, Grease and A Chorus Line (Sheffield Theatres). Matthew is also a co-principal of the RMC Academy of Theatre Performance in Sheffield, alongside his sister, Rachel Croke. His debut album Only Dreaming is now available on all music platforms.
This year’s panto is once again produced by Qdos Entertainment, the world’s biggest pantomime producer and the same team behind the annual Alhambra Theatre pantomime for over 20 years. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS is directed by Ed Curtis, returning for his ninth consecutive Alhambra Theatre pantomime. As well as the all-star cast, ground-breaking special effects once again take centre stage. Over the past seven years, audiences coming to the Alhambra Theatre pantomime have been treated to an array of show-stopping effects, created by The Twins FX.
