Pantomime season is well and truly in full swing - oh yes it is! - as rehearsals get under way for Norwich Theatre Royal's Christmas show.
Snow White is the venue's festive production this year, and this week the cast began working together on the show.
On day four yesterday, festive songs and slapstick humour filled the rehearsal rooms as the dancers were busy practising their musical numbers and the principal cast ran through their scenes.
Former Sprowston High School pupil Amie Howes is set to take on the title role of Snow White.
She said: 'Rehearsals have been going really well. We have moved really fast picking up all the staging and the dances. We have really got just two weeks.
'I'm really excited and surprisingly not nervous at the moment. I just think it's a lot of fun.'
Richard Gauntlett, the show's writer and director and who is playing Nurse Dorothy Dumpling, said: 'The show is going to be big, spectacular, surprising, and hopefully very funny. It is a very traditional story line but we take a few detours here and there.'
About Nurse Dorothy Dumpling he said: 'She is your favourite auntie. I haven't played the dame for three years and this is me back into frocks. There's going to be a lot of costume changes - I think about 12.
'The costume department is busy working away at the moment. We go into the theatre next Thursday and that's when we start wearing the costumes.'
Ben Langley, who is looking forward to playing Muddles, added: 'We have blocked all the scenes and now we are starting to hone the routines - we are doing a fantastic routine called the 12 Days Of Christmas in Act One.'
Jennifer Ellison is playing the wicked Queen Evilynne and said it was lots of fun playing the pantomime baddie.
'Queen Evilynne is evil and wicked but fun as well. You have got to be able to take the mickey out of yourself when you are playing the baddie, you cannot take yourself too seriously,' she said.
Queen Evilynne is to be joined on stage by her sidekick Igor the Henchman, played by Bruce Graham, who said that while his character is supposed to be wicked he also has a heart of gold.
Snow White is at Norwich Theatre Royal from December 15 to January 17. For more details and to book tickets, visit www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk or call 01603 630000.
Do you have a Norwich arts story? Email arts correspondent Emma Knights at emma.knights@archant.co.uk
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