Preview: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Ten Years At The Top For

North East Panto Duo

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Tuesday 25 November until Sunday 18 January

Clive Webb and Danny Adams, the incredible father and son act famously at the helm of the Newcastle Theatre Royal panto, are celebrating a decade entertaining the North East at Christmas.  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be their 10^th panto at the Royal.

Since they made their debut on the North East panto scene back in 2005 (alongside Jill Halfpenny in Cinderella), Clive and Danny’s fanbase has grown at a meteoric rate. Their extraordinary slapstick routines, unparalleled charm and classic old-school comedy have secured them legendary status in the region.  Super-fans even travel hundreds of miles from the far corners of Britain to see them every year.    

The winning combination of Clive and Danny, West Endproducer Michael Harrison and extremely high production values has led the Theatre Royal panto to break sales records every year since 2005.  With over 90,000 people now seeing the show each year and with booking up to 90% capacity before opening night, it’s often cited as the fastest selling panto in the country and one of the most successful in the world.

The show runs longer than every other panto in the region and now stands at a staggering 91 performances. By the end of this pantomime season Clive and Danny will have performed a total of 845 shows - more than any other artist in the 177 years of the Theatre Royal.

Clive and Danny said: “We have made some great friends over the years here at the theatre.  Michael Harrison, Chris Hayward, Steve Arnott, Philip Bernays and all the staff and crew at the theatre, who make this pantomime and theatre one of the best in the country.  We would never have imagined in a million years that we’d still be here 10 years on!  We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to YOU the people of the North East, because without you none of this could have happened!   Some of you have sat in the stalls year after year: taking abuse, insults, water, foam, pies...well guess what? This year’s no different!!! Ha Ha. So sit back and relax - if you dare!  And enjoy our 10^thTheatre Royal Pantomime; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

Newcastle born Producer Michael Harrison said: “I am thrilled to have assembled a first-class cast for this year’s pantomime.  West Endperformers, local talent, and of course our resident team of comedy stars.  Throw into the mix some terrific special effects and I hope we have a terrific show to celebrate the ten years Clive, Danny and I have spent at the Theatre Royal”.

Born in Sunderland, Clive started his show business career as a drummer in a pop group. He went on to perform in the Famous Robert Bros Circus where he stayed for seven years ending up as head clown. He was headhunted after auditioning for Opportunity Knocks and went on to appear in Crackerjack, The Sooty Show, Razzamatazz, How Dare You and Tiswas. In 1988 Clive became British Magical Champion – the first time a comedy magician has ever won the award.

Danny’s TV appearances include GMTV’s Mole in a Hole, Stars in Their Dressing Rooms, Angus Deaton’s It Shouldn’t Happen to a TV Presenter and The Tweenies. During 2008, Danny performed the very dangerous Houdini’s Milk Churn Escape and has also perfected the Human Cannonball.

The poster from the duo's first panto

 

The pair have toured extensively all over the UK and Europe and in 2007 they were awarded the CFA Best Comedy Act. At Newcastle Theatre Royal they have performed in two Cinderellas, two Jack and the Beanstalks, two Aladdins, one Robinson Crusoe, one Sleeping Beauty, and one Robin Hood (not to mention five seasons with Cirque du Hilarious and the 175th Anniversary Theatre Royal Gala Show!)   

Barnum - coming soon to Theatre Royal

This year also marks a decade that the show’s inspirational writer, director and producer Michael Harrison has worked together with Clive and Danny at the Theatre Royal. As Managing Director of Qdos Entertainment he also oversees 24 pantomimes each year and has produced nearly one hundred pantomimes for the company. Michael also produced The Bodyguard in the West Endand is currently producing the spectacular new production of Barnum‎ starring Brian Conley. His other musicals include Aspects of Love, The Witches of Eastwick, Chess, I Dreamed a Dream and Jolson and Co.

In 2015 he will produce the national tour of The Bodyguard, the North American premiere of Titanic the Musical‎, a new production of Annie starring Craig Revel Horwood and a brand new musical Mrs Henderson Presents.  In 2012 he was awarded a companionship to the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts by Sir Paul McCartney.

The pantomime features a truly stellar cast this year.  Emily Shaw plays Snow White.  Emily’s credits include Matilda the Musical as well as UK tours of Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast and Thoroughly Modern Millie.  Gary Watson from Sunderland plays The Prince.  His credits include Matilda the Musical, Mamma Mia, Cats and Walt Disney Productions’ new film Cinderella.  PeterPeverley is making his North East panto debut as one of the seven dwarfs after delighting Theatre Royal audiences in 2013 with his one-man show about the North East’s favourite comedian ‘the Little Waster’ Bobby Thompson. Another dwarf of particular note is Danny Rowe from South Shields whose first  profesional job was dancing for Take That in the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium in 2009 and then Born To Shine in 2010 on ITV.

Very special guests in this year’s show are The Acromaniacs - agroup of fast and hilariously funny international gymnasts and tumblers whose slapstick acrobatic act is constantly in world-wide demand. 

Danny’s brother Michael Potts returns for his 7th Theatre Royal panto by overwhelming public demand, this time as The Castle Idiot.  And of course never forgetting the North East’s favourite and most beautifully attired panto dame Chris Hayward in his 8^th consecutive Theatre Royal panto, this time as Dame Rita the Cook, as well as the region’s number one panto villain Steve Arnott as The Wicked Queen.  It will also be Steve’s 6th consecutive year.

It’s a must to book your tickets NOW, as the show has once again trumped all previous year’s sales and is set to become the fastest-selling pantomime in the theatre’s 177 year history.  Already, over 83,000 tickets have been sold and two additional performances have already been added due to continuous growing demand - on Sunday 18 January at 1pm and 5pm.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – ‘The Fairest Panto in all the Land’ is proudly supported by local Media Partner Heart FM.

Tickets:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tuesday 25 November until Sunday 18 January 2015. Tickets are available from £12 (a booking fee of 95p - £1.95 will apply to most tickets) and can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 or select your own seat and book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk.

 

Tickets for Clive and Danny’s 11^th panto at the Theatre Royal - Dick Whittington (Tuesday 24 November 2015 – Sunday 17 January 2016) go on sale from Tues 25 Nov, 2014.  Friends of the Theatre can book now.