Epstein Theatre panto cast set to be the fairest of them all this Christmas

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs promises to be the fairest panto of them all when it comes to the Epstein Theatre this Christmas – and now the full cast can be revealed for the magical fairytale production.

Regal Entertainments Ltd presents the enchanting show at the Hanover Street theatre from Saturday 5 December to Sunday 3 January 2027. Tickets are priced from £13.

Hollyoaks and Coronation Street’s Ryan Mulvey and Liverpool panto royalty Leanne Campbell have already been announced.

And now it can be confirmed that they will be joined on stage by Tom Isted as Muddles, Liverpool drag icon Shania Pain as the Wicked Queen and Elisha Mai Curry who makes her Regal Entertainments debut in the title role – after triumphing in a hotly contested open audition at the theatre involving 90 talented young actors.

Meanwhile Regal Entertainments Ltd has also enlisted the help of some very special names to voice the roles of the Dwarfs – with the magnificent seven comprised of Ricky Tomlinson, Pete Price, Michael Parr, Matthew Wolfenden, Louis Emerick, Kieron Richardson and John May.

When the Magic Mirror declares Snow White the fairest of them all, the Wicked Queen’s jealousy erupts into an evil plan. Determined to reclaim her title, she orders the young princess’s demise. Luck is on Snow White’s side as she escapes into the deep dark forbidden forest and finds shelter in a strange cottage which is the home of some unusual characters.

But the jealous Queen will not stop until Snow White is vanquished forever and, taking things into her own hands, a poisoned red apple is all she needs to ensure she regains the title of ‘fairest of them all’.

Meanwhile Prince Fredrick is looking for his perfect bride. And with the help of Muddles and Nurse Nelly, true love is sure to win the day.

Packed with laugh-out-loud comedy, dazzling costumes, stunning special effects and plenty of festive magic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs promises to be the biggest and best Christmas panto of them all.

Ryan Mulvey is Prince Fredrick. The Altrincham-born actor studied at TMC Performing Arts in Manchester from where he won the role of JJ Osborne in Hollyoaks. Since bursting on to the television screen two years ago he has gripped soap fans across the country, first in Hollyoaks and most recently as Brody Michaelis in Coronation Street. His performances have earned him high praise and nominations for Best Newcomer and Best Young Performer at the Inside Soap Awards and a nod for Best Soap Villain at the I Talk Telly Awards.

Leanne Campbell will appear in person as the Magic Mirror. Actor and presenter Leanne started her acting career at the age of 10, with early roles including Annie at the Liverpool Playhouse and an award-winning performance as young Helen in the much-loved Twopence to Cross the Mersey. She went on to play many more leading roles in musicals and plays including Me and My Girl, Carousel, The Sound of Music and Scrooge. She was also cast as Pam in ITV’s Children’s Ward.

In 2020 she wrote and starred in the successful comedy play Pete Price is Dead at Liverpool’s Royal Court. Other recent productions include The Salon, The Salon – the Sequel! and Achy Breaky Bride for Regal Entertainments and Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show at the Liverpool Playhouse.

Her many high-profile panto appearances include five years at the Liverpool Empire. Most recently she appeared as the Fairy Godmother in Regal Entertainments’ Cinderella at St Helens Theatre Royal. Leanne is now a regular voice of Liverpool again on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Elisha Mai Curry is Snow White. Recent LMA graduate Elisha Mai is making her Regal Entertainments debut playing Snow White after bowling over the panel at open auditions at the theatre. Her previous panto credits include Fairy Hope in Snow White and the Scouse Queen at Liverpool’s Hope Street Theatre. Theatre credits include The Sea Hawk, and most recently appearing in WOW That’s What I Call Musicals at the Liverpool Playhouse. Credits during her training at LMA include Carrie the Musical and Rusty in Footloose.

Tom Isted is Muddles. Tom, who studied at ALRA (Academy of Live and Recorded Arts), is also making his Regal Entertainments debut this Christmas. Stage credits include The Legend, Twisted Tales, GWP, Under Electric Candlelight, The Fancy Man, Slam Minutes, Lost Boys, The Inheritance, Julius Caesar and Think. His extensive panto credits include Chester in Rapunzel, Silly Sammy and Smee in Peter Pan, Idle Jack in Beauty and the Beast, Lord H in A-Lad-in-Space, Jack Frost in Rudolph to the Rescue and the title role in Aladdin.

And Liverpool drag icon Shania Pain reprises the role of the Wicked Queen. Shania has taken the cabaret scene by storm over the last eight years, performing at prestigious venues around the country and touring with Drag Race superstars such as Detox, Bianca del Rio and the late the Vivienne. Shania headlined Manchester Pride in front of 11,000 people and enjoyed a stint in the West End appearing in Drag Queens of Pop at the Vaudeville Theatre.

Panto credits include the Wicked Queen in Snow White at St Helens Theatre Royal this Easter, one of the Ugly Sisters in the acclaimed Cinderella for Regal Entertainments at the Epstein Theatre last Christmas, Nurse Nightly in Snow White, Mrs Potter in Beauty and the Beast and Botoxia Hardup in Cinderella.

Regal Entertainments Ltd has been bringing top quality and star-studded productions to the North-West for more than 20 years. It is run by the theatrical powerhouse mother and daughter duo of Jane Joseph and Chantelle Joseph who produce top quality drama, comedy and panto productions which continue to break box office records.

It produces four pantomimes at St Helens – at Easter, Christmas and in the February and October half term holidays, along with pantomimes at the Epstein Theatre, with tens of thousands of theatregoers enjoying the fantastic family-friendly fun each year.

Panto director Chantelle Joseph says: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is always a massive hit with family audiences so I can’t wait to present it at the Epstein Theatre where we had such a brilliant time with Cinderella last Christmas. And I’m thrilled we’re also able to unveil such a fantastic cast to entertain Liverpool theatregoers of all ages over the festive season and into the New Year.

“We were overwhelmed by the response when we held open auditions at the theatre for the leading role of Snow White. We received more than 200 applications with 90 young ladies auditioning on the day, which was then narrowed down to 35 who progressed to the second round, and finally 11 were asked to self-tape a song and dialogue from the show.

“The level of talent out there is truly exceptional. But after a lot of deliberation by the audition panel, Elisha Mai emerged as the undoubted ‘fairest of them all’ and I’m delighted to welcome her to the Regal panto family – I know she’s going to sparkle brightly this festive season.”

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs plays at Epstein Theatre Saturday 5 December 2026 – Sunday 3 January 2027. Tickets are available here.