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| Liam Mellor, Zoe Birkett, Lee Ryan and Eric Potts |
Boyband and Eastenders star Lee Ryan was
joined by vocalist and West End leading lady Zoe Birkett, pantomime dame
extraordinaire Eric Potts and funny man Liam Mellor in launching Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs, which opens on Saturday 9th December at the newly
named Darlington Hippodrome when it reopens its doors following an extensive
and exciting refurbishment.
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| Lee Ryan |
Since joining the BRIT award-winning boyband
Blue in 2001, Lee Ryan and his bandmates went on to sell over 14 million
records worldwide. Lee is currently starring as Woody in Eastenders for the BBC
alongside his busy international performing commitments with Blue. Lee said “This will be my second panto and I
am looking forward to it, it’s always a giggle, it’s hard work but it will be
fun and I’ll enjoy it.” Lee continued talking about his career “I have worked with
amazing actors, amazing singers and musicians. I have worked with Stevie
Wonder, Elton John with Blue and Lionel Ritchie. Being on Eastenders there’s an
amazing list of actors I have had the pleasure of working with.”
Pop Idol finalist, West End leading lady and Darlington
diva Zoe Birkett will star alongside him as the Wicked Queen.
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| Zoe Birkett |
Best-known for his role as Coronation Street’s
eccentric baker Diggory Compton. No stranger to pantomime Eric has appeared in
and written numerous pantomimes over the last two decades, bringing his own
unique brand of comedy and showmanship, in an array of outrageous costumes to
audiences’ delight. Eric explained his love of pantos “I love the tradition, I
love the history, the fact that it’s really the show that gets kids into a big
theatre for the first time and hopefully makes it an experience they want to
repeat.” Eric Potts stars as Mrs Crumble the dame, “I played the old man
character to begin with for about two years since then it’s been the dame which
I really enjoy, it’s a real privilege to be part of that history, it’s a great
part to play, it’s great fun. To be in the first panto after this wonderful refurbishment
is a real joy and pleasure, we have a great script with lots of comedy.” Eric
will also direct this year’s pantomime.
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| Eric Potts |
Completing the line-up, Liam Mellor will star
as Snow White’s best friend Muddles. As an actor and comedian Liam has starred
in numerous stage productions including Chekhov and Shakespeare as well as
numerous pantomimes across the UK. Liam said “This is my 13th year
in panto, panto was first job and I used to watch pantos when I was a kid, I
used to go the Sheffield Lyceum every year with my Grandad and it was actually
QDOS who produced them, I loved them so much I knew that was what I wanted to
do. I always play the idiot, typecasting, I work to my strengths. I read the
script a couple of weeks and ago and it is a completely and utterly different
script to when I last did Snow White with QDOS. The way they are doing the
dwarfs is new and different and it is tailored to this areas humour.
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| Liam Mellor |
Following its multi-million pound restoration,
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs marks Darlington Hippodrome’s first full length
production to play the venue with its improved front of house spaces, backstage
facilities and scope for bigger productions. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will
be no exception, with a debut of spectacular flying effects and a magical
mirror never seen before.
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| Liam Mellor, Lee Ryan, Zoe Birkett and Eric Potts |
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs runs from
Saturday 9th December 2017 until Sunday 14th January
2018. To book contact the Box Office on or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
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