The Wight Strollers once again proved that the joy of pantomime, and a good laugh, is still very much needed today! When it comes to panto no-one does it better! It’s always wise to attend a Wight Strollers Panto with an open mind as they always seem to have something different, Alice in Wonderland was definitely different. 

At the helm this year was Andy Ball, as director, and knowing how funny he is I was excited to see how he’d direct his first Strollers panto. It was clear what his vision was and it was well executed. From the staging to the costumes everything was so well thought out and very pleasing to the eye! Well done! 

There are too many stand out performances to give a full write up but to mention a few we had Emily Scotcher as the White Rabbit whose vast experience was evident in how she commanded the stage and interacted with the audience. Emily led us into the opening number which had the wow factor! Introducing us the wonderful set, outstanding costumes and strong vocals of the cast you knew you were in for a good show! 

The Bandersnatch was played with conviction and lots of energy by Michael Mullin whose ad libs with the audience were just great!  

Alice, played by Madeline Walker, gave us a polished and innocent performance. Her lines were delivered with confidence and her solo number “I can hear the bells” was beautiful. Her ‘mini me’ was played by Maisie Walker-Green with such sass and professionalism! A little star in the making there! 

What’s panto without a love interest? In comes Harry Potter … sorry it’s JUST Harry! played by the very talented Finley Revert. His solo was sublime! What a voice! I had goosebumps as he effortlessly showcased his vocal ability! For me this was a wonderfully strong standout performance!  

Now let’s not forget one very important character to any panto – The Dame. Outrageously camp and over the top our Right Royal Red Queen was played by John Woodford! John is no stranger to the stage which was evident by the way he, as the Queen, held court. What a joy to watch. 

Talking of commanding the stage, our Wrong Royal Red Queen, played by Elisa Jones, was truly captivating. The role was perfect for her and she truly knew how work the stage, and audience, to allow them to ‘love to hate’ the Wrong Queen! A strong performance from Elisa. 

Our Mad Hatter truly was mad! So it’s no surprise that Izzy Rudd shone in her role. She added her own touch to the character and delivered an excellent performance. Her friends seemed a little mad too, March Hare (Kimberley Richie) and Dormouse (Emma Morey). Let’s not forget our Cheshire Cat, played brilliantly by Beth Mansell. 

One highlight was the Juniors! They owned that stage and I don’t know how but upstaged everyone! I doubt there was a single person whose heart didn’t melt at their performances. A special mention to Ashton Mendham and his role of the Jabberwocky! Well done for owning the role! 

Rob and Katie Walker-Green offered up a perfectly silly performance as Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. So much fun and energy and it was so entertaining to watch. I do feel for Rob though as those splits looked painful! Funny comedy duo!! 

Sarah Scotcher treated us to some much needed “gap filler” comedy! With her one liners and superb comedic timing Sarah had the audience in the palm of her hands. She made the audience laugh and forget what was going on, although I’m sure it was her job to keep us up to date with the story but with a character name of Mrs Wrong Rabbit you knew you not getting anything but the best from Sarah! 

Andy Ball (Director), Kim Ball (MD) and Choreographers Cheryl and Izzy Rudd should be so proud of their hard work. Everything was on point. It was funny, great musical arrangements and sound from the cast and great routines, especially with the senior dancers! I did feel a couple times some scenes felt slightly laboured and lost momentum but the cast were quick to react and bring it back in. 

All in all a wonderful panto and a great evening had by all! Well done all involved!