Pantomime promises plenty of laughs in zany ‘Cinderella’

The Shawnigan Players present Cinderella: the Pantomime at the Mercury Theatre in Duncan.

Alex Gallacher, left, and Bill Levity as the supremely ugly stepsisters, there will be laughs galore in the Shawnigan Players’ Christmas season panto.

Alex Gallacher, left, and Bill Levity as the supremely ugly stepsisters, there will be laughs galore in the Shawnigan Players’ Christmas season panto.

The British holiday tradition that has taken the Valley by storm in the last decade is back again for another hilarious round as the Shawnigan Players present Cinderella: the Pantomime at the Mercury Theatre in Duncan.

Shows have been scheduled for the evenings of Dec. 26-30 starting at 7:30 p.m. and there are also two matinees on Dec. 26 and 31 starting at 2 p.m.

If you know pantomime, you know what to expect, in spades, but if you don’t then get ready for a dizzy dance around the mulberry bush as the cast has lots of zany fun with the fairy tale of Cinderella.

Traditionally, there is at least one over-the-top female character that is played by a man, but this year we have two of the Valley’s most beloved actors, Bill Levity and Alex Gallacher, puttin’ on the glitz to have a ball at the ball.

It’s part of the fun for the audience to cheer the heroine and boo the villains, to shout instructions, and otherwise add their two cents to every scene, so naturally children love these shows but adults of all ages get a real kick out of the absurdity of it all.

The performances are scheduled for that awkward time between Christmas and New Year’s when it’s just great to get out of the house, and take the family somewhere for some fun.

All seats are $10 each. Tickets are available at Mason’s Store, Ten Old Books or you can email shawniganplayers@gmail.com to reserve. Get them now because even with all these performances, they will be very popular.

Cowichan Valley Citizen