With bucketloads of glitter, glam, and fairytale charm, Snow White starts as it means to go on.

Wolverhampton Grand’s epic pantomime begins with a bedazzled curtain lifting to reveal a sumptuous set, a frozen lake - complete with ice dancers - and ‘the biggest and best band in Pantoland’. This year’s offering is Wolverhampton through and through, entirely produced by the Grand and created lovingly for their home crowd. They’ve pulled out all the stops too... Oh yes they have!

Leading the musical numbers are two big personalities, with big voices to match. Kelle Bryan (Eternal, Loose Women) glides around the stage casting spells and popping in to save the day as the fairy Elementa. She’s matched only by her evil counterpart, Niki Colwell Evans (Blood Brothers, Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde), who is in her element as Queen Dragonella. She leaves the audience in stitches more than once and it's worth popping along just to see her transformation into an apple-wielding hag - named Granny Smith, of course.

Much of the charm of the panto comes down to the excellent writing, which is a combined effort from Ian Adams (Nanny Nolly) and Tam Ryan (Muddles). They’ve taken inspiration from classic fairytales and well-loved family favourites to create a show that feels fresh and unique, even though these stories have been told many, many times before. They’re also a great panto double act, with Ryan’s Muddles immediately personable and engaging, whilst Adams’ stately and grand Nanny Nolly is a sight to see in tap shoes.

CBeebies favourites Evie Pickerill (Snow White) and Gyasi Sheppy (Prince William of Wombourne) win hearts with their sweet love story as they bond over their shared mistrust of Dragonella. The music is great fun, and the band - ever present at the back of the stage - are as much a part of the show as the actors.

However, the real stars are the spectacular ensemble cast. From beginning to end they are all-singing, all-dancing and fully involved in the story. Add in puppeteering, ice-dancing and backing vocals and you have a faultless festive performance. An ensemble cast can sometimes melt into the background, but in Snow White we see each of them getting a well-deserved moment to shine - they must be exhausted by the end of the show, but it’s impossible to tell. 

Snow White is a glitzy, glamorous, special show. At this time of year, it’s important to find a bit of festive sparkle, and Wolverhampton Grand is the place to get it.

Five stars

Reviewed by Jessica Clixby at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre on Wednesday 13 December. Snow White continues to show at the venue until Sunday 7 January.