Croydon’s own Kellie Shirley is to star in this year’s Fairfield Halls panto – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Pantomime villain: Kellie Shirley will be on stage at the Fairfield Halls in December
The former EastEnders star, now appearing in BBC hospital drama Casualty, is to play the role of the Wicked Queen in Croydon’s biggest stage show of the year.
A former pupil of the Brit School, Shirley played Carly Wicks in more than 200 episodes of the BBC1 soap, EastEnders, and she has also hosted daytime shows and performed in three series of CBBC programme Biff and Chip. She recently joined the BAFTA-winning Casualty as psych nurse Sophia Peters.
She has also played Kirsty De La Croix opposite Bill Bailey in Sky comedy series In the Long Run – created and starring Idris Elba – as well as appearing on stage at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre in a wide variety roles that include Nancy in Oliver Twist and Ophelia in Hamlet.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will play in the Ashcroft Theatre from December 13 until January 5, 2025, the pantomime version of the fairy story offering perfect Christmas-time family fun, in a classic rags-to-riches tale complete with poisoned apples and magic mirror.
“I’m thrilled to be channelling my inner Wicked Queen for Croydon’s panto this year – as a local girl, I can’t wait to be back in my old stomping ground again for Snow White,” Shirley said.
Also in the panto cast is Jamie Steen, who will play the role of “Dame Dilly Donut” in what is to be his 32nd year of appearing in pantoland. Steen describes the Fairfield Halls as his “local theatre”. He said: “Looking forward to coming home for Christmas and strutting my stuff and fashion sense to all the Croydonians!”
Charlie Guest, part of the Fairfield panto cast in 2023, is back, this time as Muddles.
The show is being staged by UK Productions, whose producer, Martin Dodd, said: “We are delighted to be returning to Fairfield Halls after two fabulous Christmas pantomime seasons with Peter Pan and Aladdin.
“I couldn’t be happier that Kellie, Jamie and Charlie have joined the cast. Kellie is known to TV viewers both young and old from her many films and series, Jamie is one of the country’s top dames and Charlie is a comic actor that the Fairfield audiences took to their hearts last year and always brings plenty of laughs.
“We can guarantee audiences the most wicked of pantomimes, but watch out for those apples!”
Not to be missed, tickets and group bookings are available from fairfield.co.uk with special early bird rates and super schools offers also available, as well as captioned (December 27) and relaxed (January 3) performances planned.
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I only hope that unlike last year, this year they will have at least one audio described performance. Given Fairfield Halls claims to be south London’s, actually what are they claiming now? They really ought to be providing more events that blind and visually impaired people can fully enjoy.