SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS Panto Announces Relaxed And Captioned Performances

Mirror, mirror on the wall… What's the greatest panto of them all? Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs at Fairfield Halls of course... 

A trip to the panto can bring a touch of holiday magic and be a true festive highlight. However, for some—especially those visiting the theatre for the first time—the experience can feel just as daunting as it is thrilling. 

Registered charity BH Live runs Fairfield Halls in Croydon, and is working closely with leading panto producers, UK Productions to make a panto visit more accessible for all. 

This year, the captioned performance will take place on Friday 7 December at 7pm. Dialogue is displayed on a screen throughout. This performance may benefit those who are deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing. A captioned performance may also be of benefit to those who are neurodivergent, have auditory processing conditions, or if their first language is not English. 

In addition to the caption performance, there will be a relaxed performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Fairfield Halls, Croydon taking place on Friday 3 January at 2pm.  

The performance has been adapted to welcome people of all ages. This includes people who may have sensitivity to loud noise, sudden movement, and bright lights. It may also suit people with learning difficulties, sensory communication disorders or who are neurodivergent.  

This toned-down performance provides just as much magic as the regular ones. Sound levels are lower, whilst house lights remain up. Guests will be able to move around the auditorium, and there will be a ‘Wicked Queen' relaxed space for audience members who need peace and quiet at any time during the performance. To find out more about the relaxed performance, you may watch this short video. 

On behalf of the venue, Steve Turner, Associate Director for BH Live said; “We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the magic of pantomime. We want everyone to experience the excitement of panto, which for many is their first introduction to the theatre. We are delighted to have worked with UK Productions to bring back our relaxed and captioned performances to enable more people to enjoy this festive tradition 

Martin Dodd Managing Director, UKP added; “With a few minor adjustments, our relaxed performance is far more accessible to an audience that may have otherwise overlooked a chance to go to the theatre. We are thrilled to work with BH Live again to deliver these relaxed and captioned performances.”  

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will run at Fairfield Halls from 30 November to 5 January, with a press performance on Sunday 15 December at 3.30pm. As previously announced, EastEnders, Biff and Chip, and Casualty star Kellie Shirley will star as ‘Wicked Queen'. Jamie Steen as ‘Dame Dilly Donut',  Mia Overfield as ‘Snow White',  Charlie Guest as ‘Muddles', and Callum Connolly as ‘The Prince'.  

The creative team will include Sarah Redmond, who returns to direct at Fairfield Halls, following Aladdin in 2023 and Peter Pan in 2022, with Anthony Whiteman as choreographer and Bobby Goulder as musical director.