New Forest Players 
Ballard School, New Milton 
Darren Funnell 
28 December 2025
New Forest Players are back with another festive hit, and this year’s Snow White, directed with flair by Claire Nicholson, is exactly what a pantomime should be: funny, colourful and full of heart. Performed at Ballard School this week, it combines confident principal performances, energetic young performers, and a robust technical team to create a truly enjoyable panto.
The real litmus test, of course, is whether the children watching enjoyed it, and from where I was sitting, they most certainly did. It was also good to see some projectile sweets making their way into the audience, with kids clamouring for the chews almost as eagerly as they were watching the stage!
At the centre of the show, Mollie Gazzard is a charming Snow White, bringing warmth, confidence, good variation in tone and energy and clear vocals to the role. She’s easy to root for and provides a strong focus around which the rest of the action pivots.
On the villainous side, Emily-Jane Charge’s Queen Grimelza steals the show. She is gloriously over-the-top, wonderfully wicked, and clearly relishing every hiss and boo from the audience as well as nailing her musical numbers.
Comedy comes thick and fast thanks to Ian Prescott as Dolly Dumpling and Paul Skelton as Danny Dumpling. Both are energetically and brilliantly characterised, their chemistry is spot-on, and their comic timing is excellent. I did miss the familiar “Hello Danny / Hello Dolly” audience interaction, which might have helped the laughs land even more enthusiastically, but there were plenty of big laughs regardless, especially in the fake-Mirror scene.
Belinda Neal’s Fairy Goodheart adds charm and warmth, balancing the chaos with sparkle and sincerity, while Margaret Soares brings characterful energy and theatrical flair to Professor Wonderwings, further enriching the magical world on stage.
The supporting cast also shines. Prince Frederick, played with confidence and warmth by Stephanie McMahon, is a strong romantic lead with solid vocals and a wicked confident wit. Bogwort & Stinkwort, played with intentional comic reluctance by Victoria Liechti and Jenni French, literally bring up the rear with their designs on Snow White, providing plenty of tension and physical humour.
The not-Seven Dwarfs — reinvented here as the ‘New Forest Patrol’ — are an engaging, energetic young comic ensemble, full of personality, physical comedy and well-timed jokes. Whether this reinvention was necessary or not is open to debate, but their commitment and charm are undeniable.
A special mention must go to the many children involved (28 across two teams!). Whether as villagers, woodland characters or dancers, their energy and visible enjoyment add colour and vitality throughout. They are very much the beating heart of the show.
Behind the scenes, Simon Hanney and Clare Collins’ sound and lighting are full of pizazz, enhancing both storytelling and comedy. Costumes by Jane Wilshaw, Katie Kelly and Kirsty Angus are bright and bold, perfectly suited to panto, though a little more consistency in the children’s outfits would have helped their scenes feel even more polished.
Congratulations to Debbie Lucas, who faced the mammoth task of choreographing this large cast with varied movement skills. Her work is thoughtfully structured, inclusive, and showcased everyone in some toe-tappingly memorable musical numbers. It must be very hard to keep the energy going with some many varied dancing feet on stage!
A few small points could be tightened: scene changes with framed set pieces slowed the action sometimes, and the occasional flip in traditional panto logic made ‘magical’ entries slightly confusing. Minor quibbles.
All in all, New Forest Players’ Snow White is a high-spirited pantomime, with plenty of laughs, energy and festive fun. With something for everyone – from dazzling principals to the many talented children on stage – it’s a perfect way to bridge the gap and keep Christmas going into the New Year. Playing until 30 December at Ballard School, don’t miss the chance to grab a ticket and enjoy some panto magic!
