Dancer makes welcome return home (From Malvern Gazette)

Dancer makes welcome return home

9:07am Wednesday 26th December 2007 in News By Sue Vickers

FOR dancer Alice Bendall taking part in her first ever professional panto also meant getting to come home for Christmas.

Earlier this year Alice, who comes from Malvern, took part in auditions for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs held at her drama school in London.

"It was a wonderful surprise after being told I'd got a part that the pantomime was going to be in Malvern," explained Alice.

Alice, 19, is one of the dancers in the main ensemble and gets to dance a variety of parts from a scarey wolf to a bridesmaid .

"It means a lot of costume changes," said Alice.

Her wolf costume includes a massive wolf's head, which along with the atmospheric smoke swirling around the stage, makes dancing not just difficult but dangerous.

"We have to make sure we don't get too near the orchestra pit for fear of literally falling in," she laughed.

Alice, who is studying for a musical theatre degree at Arts Educational in London, said she was loving her first experience of professional panto and getting to be home in Malvern for the Christmas season was a bonus.

Alice, who attended the former St James' School in West Malvern, always enjoyed drama at school and was involved with Stagecoach in Malvern and theatre groups in Worcester and Warwick. She was also involved with shows that raised money for the victims of the Tsunami.

"But this is my first real professional show where I actually get paid," said Alice.

She said the whole cast had been great to work with and the audiences had been wonderful.

Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs is at Malvern Theatres until Sunday, January 6. Call 01684 892277 to book.