Interview: Warwick’s all set to make Snow White a festive cracker

And getting himself a sneak preview of what promises to be a traditional festive showpiece, Alan Wooding visited Frosts Garden Centre in Woburn Sands last Friday to meet several members of the cast who will ensure the audience cheer or boo at the right moment.

Needing no introduction and heading the Snow White cast is the metre high star of stage, screen and television, Warwick Davis.

Meeting him for the first time, it was immediately clear that what he lacks in stature he more than makes up for with his gigantic personality.

Besides starring in the show, the 43 year old actor is also Snow White’s director and I asked him if this would be a new direction for him. “No, it will be the third time that I’ve actually directed a pantomime although I’ve also had quite a bit of experience as an assistant,” he said.

“Naturally I’m somewhat typecast in this particular panto but it’s all good fun and I’m looking forward to the rehearsals.”

When I ask if he has worked with any of the cast before he said he hadn’t although he was totally comfortable with the decisions and casting made by Snow White’s producer.

“I have total confidence in him and we intend to keep as near to the original script as we can,” he said.

“Some pantomimes have stars who are popular at the time but you often find that they can’t act, dance or sing and they also find it difficult to take direction. That really makes it a hard job.”

Fortunately the crop of talent in Snow White – which has again been written by panto script guru Eric Potts – have all proven themselves before, so Warwick feels that it should all go smoothly.

“I’m not envisaging any problems on that score as most of them have pantomime experience,” he said, before comically adding, “It’s a ‘tall order’ but, I’m determined it won’t fall ‘short’ of audience expectations!”

He has a string of film credits to his name, including blockbusters like Harry Potter (he was Professor Fillus Flitwick), three Star Wars episodes (as an Ewok named Wicket) plus a starring role alongside Val Kilmer in the George Lucas/Ron Howard film Willow which had a Royal Premiere attended by Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

However I was particularly interested in two of his more recent outings, namely The Seven Dwarfs of Auschwitz and his thoughts on Ron Howard’s latest film Rush which portrays the story of the bitter rivalry between Grand Prix racing’s James Hunt and Niki Lauda in 1976.

He attended the recent Rush premiere and said: “It was actually the second time that I’ve seen it. Ron (Howard) asked me to a special screening back in January and I was very impressed. To see it for a second time made me realise just what a good job he’s done.

“Sadly today Grand Prix scene seems to have lost all of its characters. I still watch the races when time allows, but it’s not the same any more.”

As for ITV’s Perspectives programme about the Jewish dwarfs who were incarcerated during the Second World War, he said: “I was asked to present the story of the Ovitz family back in October 2012 and since it went out this Spring, it’s made me want to retell their story again as film or a play.”

Known in the Nazi party as the Seven Dwarfs of Auschwitz – apparently Adolf Hitler was intrigued by the Snow White tale – the Ovitz family were a troupe of travelling Jewish musicians and entertainers who somehow survived the Holocaust.

But being different almost certainly saved their lives, although they were subjected to a series of genetic experiments by the notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele at the infamous concentration in southern Poland.

“It was very moving. I think about their story more and more,” he said.

Also back by popular demand is one of the stars of last year’s Milton Keynes pantomime, Kev Orkian. Having sprung to fame following his exploits on Britain’s Got Talent, unfortunately Kev was working in America last week but he intends to tickle the funny bones of theatre’s audience as ‘Muddles’ following rave reviews last time out when he played ‘Buttons’ in Cinderella.

Switching across from London’s West End to Milton Keynes Theatre will be Coventry’s Shaun Dalton who is set to play Prince Charming in Snow White … and that couldn’t be more removed from his current role as Javert in Les Miserables.

Having graduated from the Birmingham School of Acting almost 14 years ago, Shaun is certainly no stranger to pantomime and in particular the role of a Prince.

Having played Prince Charming in Cinderella at the Queens Theatre in Barnstable, he then reprised the ‘royalty’ role in Sleeping Beauty at Blackpool. So what made him take on another Prince Charming part?

“I really love panto and having come to the end of my contract in Les Miserables, playing Prince Charming in Snow White really is another great opportunity for me,” he said.

“I haven’t worked with any of the cast before, but having just met them, I know that when rehearsals start we’re all going to get along fine.”

His other pantomime appearance was in Disney’s Beauty And The Beast in which he played Gaston and the Beast on both a UK and an International tour. Shaun also played the parts of Reuben and Issachar in Bill Kenwright’s recent touring production of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat which starred Stephen Gately but when he isn’t on stage, he can turn his hand to teaching dramatic art.

“I’m lucky that I can always fall back on that,” he said, adding “having a strong singing voice also helps when it comes to auditions.” And that’s something that the Milton Keynes pantomime audience will soon be able to discover for themselves!

Fresh out of London’s Arts Education School is Snow White herself, 18-year-old Kate Stewart. A singer-songwriter in her own right, Kate is actually the younger sister of songwriter/record producer David Stewart who is currently working on an album with her which is due for release in January 2014.

While she has already had minor success playing in her own band, Aritas, Kate said, “I’m really thrilled to get the part of Snow White.

“I’ve only just finished my training, so this will be my first real taste of playing in a big theatre… and I’m really looking forward to it.”

But one member of the Snow White cast who is no stranger to acting and to pantomime is 30-year-old former Brookside soap star Jennifer Ellison.

“I started in ‘Brookie’ when I was just 12,” said the bubbly Liverpool lass who, just seven weeks ago, gave birth to her second son.

Since her debut as Emily Shadwick in Brookside, Jennifer has appeared in all manner of stage productions including The Phantom Of The Opera in which she played Meg Giry.

However television audiences will also remember her for the injury she sustained when she cut her head open when kicking back her own ice skate in the 2012 screening of Dancing On Ice. Despite that upset, she still went on to reach the semi-finals.

With a string of TV and film credits to her name in an 18 year theatrical career, Jennifer played Milton Keynes Theatre last year in Calendar Girls. She also appeared in Legally Blonde and has just finished a successful stint in the West End production of Singing In The Rain at the Palace Theatre.

“It’s been great meeting the cast today,” she said. “Obviously I’m still getting over having my baby but I’m really looking forward to Snow White and playing the Wicked Queen.”

But as she always seems to have a permanent smile on her face, I asked if she really could play the part of a boo-able baddie to which she replied: “You just ask my family. They’ll soon tell you whether I can look really evil or not,” she joked.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will open in Milton Keynes Theatre on Friday, December 6 while it runs until Sunday, January 12. To book your tickets log onto www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes or call the box office on 0844 871 7652 (booking fees apply).