While the title name of the lead character may be familiar, the rest of the cast may look a little unfamiliar.

But then again, that is what you would expect from a Cloideryn pantomime.

The Ramsey-based theatre group are to perform their winter comedy ’Snow White and the Seven Vertically Challenged Men’ at St Paul’s Hall, Ramsey, next week.

And, while Snow White appears exactly as you would expect her to, the supporting cast includes some unfamiliar faces, such as fully grown dwarves, witches, dragons and a menacing-looking biker fairy.

’You can expect everything under the sun, and a bit more with the Cloideryn plays,’ explained producer Carol Fraser.

’We have different sizes of dwarves. Big dwarves and little dwarves, so we decided to call them ’vertically challenged men’ instead.

’We always do the very traditional fairy tales, and include all the songs that everyone knows, and we tell the original story to an extent. But we always like to put in a few little twists here and there, including witches and dragons.

’We also have our suspect fairy, Tootsie Tottie, or TT for short. He is played by the Rev Chris Lowden.

’Also, we have brought back ’Shut Up’, the parrot, which first appeared in our version of Peter Pan last year. He wouldn’t go away, despite all the shouting, so we allowed him to join in.

But all the kids loved him last year, and we did too, so we had to have him in somewhere.’

The Cloideryn players are a true community group, and the age range of their performers range from fairy Mariella Mazzone-Pollard, who is seven to Geoffrey Nash, the oldest at 71.

’We have some new people who have come to join us this year,’ said Carol.

’People come along and, once they are in they are hooked, mainly because we all enjoy doing it so much. The kids all enjoy it and get so much out of it.’

Starring as Snow White will be Lexi Forbes, 13, who is taking her first lead role after three years with Cloideryn.

Another of the younger stars, Cameron Lace, 12, starred in their production of ’Oliver’ last year, and has now been selected for the final of the ’Next Big Thing,’ to be held at the Gaiety Theatre next month, and he said he gained a wealth of experience performing with Cloideryn.

’Doing Oliver definitely gave me a lot of confidence to get up on stage in front of people,’ he said.

’Snow White and the Seven Vertically Challenged Men’ opens on Thursday, January 25, with evening performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7.30pm. There is a matinee show on Saturday, 27, from 2pm.

Tickets are £8.50, with concessions £6.50, available on the door.

by Mike Wade

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