THE SNOWSTORM COMETH

You can always tell Christmas is just around the corner when you start seeing nausea inducing, cheesy adverts, cookery programmes with a jovial Delia Smith shoving her hand up some old bird and the switching on of Christmas lights by androgynous, angel faced pop stars.

But one of our favourite signs that Santa is about to empty his sack is the very British theatrical annual event that is pantomime! So, we sent QX’s very own dame, Jason Reid, off for a mince pie and a chinwag with Simon Gross, director and star of very adult panto ‘Snow White and The Seven Poofs: Come Again’ which hits the West End this festive season…

You’re back at the Leicester Square theatre again after a phenomenal run last year. What’s the plot of the show and what new tricks do you have up your sleeves this year?

It’s a modern day twist to the traditional Snow White story but this time no dwarvesM but ‘poofs’… and we all love a poof don’t we? There are many surprises in store with new songs, new frocks and a fantastic new line up this year. I am delighted that we have the drag legend Titti La Camp as our queen, the hilarious multi talented Mrs. Moore who will play Hilda and the queen on some shows, and the best leading lady in the business Tanya Hyde, as Snow White. Move over Ruthie Henshall! We also have a versatile and multi-talented ensemble of some of the newest and best up-and-coming comedy talent around.

The show has a strong and hilarious adult theme running through it. What made you decide to go down the adult route?

We are all kids at heart, are we not? And we all love pantomime! I decided to cater for the adult market, as audiences love nothing more than shouting back abuse, getting up and joining in with the show and finding the inner child within. It’s all so deep, darling! [Laughs].

You star in and direct the show. How do you juggle both roles?

Don’t ask. I’m like a bear with a sore head at the moment. Seriously though, I am lucky that I have a wonderful team that know me and what I want; a team that I am learning to delegate and put my trust in. Luckily, I have already directed and played at last year’s show, so I can just shimmy back into place .

Do you get apprehensive before ‘curtain up’?

I do on the first night because you don’t know how it will go down, but as soon as that overture starts and I hear laughs – hopefully – I relax.

I am guessing, as the show is bursting at the seams with drag queens, that you are a fan of drag? 

To me drag is an art, it stems back many years to light entertainment and the greats such as Danny La Rue, Les Dawson and Stanley Baxter, who in my eyes were classy, genuinely funny and had great costumes, which is what entertainment is all about. Drag has changed since then, but I would say my top five who raise to that level still are Titti La Camp, Tanya Hyde, Mrs. Moore, David Dale, Bette Rinse… oh and Sandra!

Do you have a favourite panto?
I love Cinderella, it’s a wonderful story. My favourite panto, though, was Danny La Rue as Widow Twankey in Aladdin at the London Palladium, when I was just 5. The other was Dick Whittington with Lesley Joseph, who I love, Jeff Holland from Hi-De-Hi as the Dame, Wayne Sleep as the cat and Wolf from Gladiators. It was magical.

Will you be resurrecting The Evil Queen and Horrible Hilda again next year?

No, this is the final dose of Snow White and her poofs. As far as Hilda goes, I live her everyday, she will never leave me! But as far as the evil Queen goes, I think she will be well and truly put to bed. Rest assured though, the team will back again with a new show for 2012.

 

• ‘Snow White and the Seven Poofs: Come Again’ runs from Thursday 1st December to Saturday 28th January at the Leicester Square Theatre (6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX). For tickets and more information, head over to www.leicestersquaretheatre.com.

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