Saundersfoot Footlights have welcomed the first Pembrokeshire people down the rabbit hole to roaring laughter, rapturous applause and festive fun throughout! This year the society brings to life the well-known world of Wonderland, in a lively and imaginative pantomime at the Regency Hall, Saundersfoot, with the production running through to tomorrow (Saturday) evening.

The show opens with a big blast of rock and roll, putting a beaming smile on your face and settling you into a good mood in an instant. This fun-loving feel continues as Sonny Bunny (Steve Butler) and Jack (Lana Lewis) introduce you to the show with a joke or two and a brand new job for Sonny, working for the Queen of Hearts (Jess Wheeler).

It soon becomes clear the Queen’s intentions aren’t particularly lady-like. She enlists Jack and Sonny to do her dirty work, in killing and taking the watch from Alice in order to open the Black Gates and unleash terror on all of Wonderland.

There’s a slight flaw to this plan, though, as despite loads of hilarious attempts which see Steve Butler and Lana Lewis’s comedic ability really come alive, they couldn’t hurt a fly, let alone poor innocent Alice!

Alice (Evie Maidment) wakes and heads down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, where we get the first glimpse of the incredible innocence, yet delicate toughness with which Evie Maidment plays the role - this really is a captivating performance which will get adults and kids alike on side with the character from the first moment she graces the stage.

Follwing Alice down the rabbit hole are Dame Cookie (Roger Leese) and the orphan girls (Tia Brace, Libbie Stewart-Walvin and Eleri Edwards), who provide lots of fun, audience interaction and vibrance to the show as they look to track down Alice throughout the pantomime.

Another dimension of playfulness and audience participation is added with the appearance of Tweedle Dum (Marc Styles) and Tweedle Dee (Marianne Osbourne), both of whom bring an energy, humour and festive vibe that is incredibly infectious!

The brilliant thing about this production is that each character you get to meet brings their own unique brand of comedy to the show, meaning that whatever tickles your funny bone, Alice in Wonderland the Pantomime will hit the mark along the way.

As Alice travels through Wonderland and enlists Jack, Sonny and the King (Gareth Morris) to help her, there are plenty of panto people on her tail. We drop in to the Tea Party where the Hatter (Kelly Jackson) and Hare (Allison Butler) who, whilst out to stop the Queen, manage to strike the balance between weird, wacky and wonderfully hilarious. The Cheshire Cat (Islay Rhys-Davies) makes an appearance, too, played with incredible authenticity and pace to add some expected Wonderland eeriness.

Not to give the whole game away, the show culminates in Alice, supported by a band of helpers, dropping in to the Queen’s Tarty to put a stop to her wicked plans. But will she manage to stop the Black Gates being opened? Well, it’s definitely worth going to find out and you can grab a bucket-load of laughs whilst you’re at it too!

With attractively detailed costume and make-up design, cleverly worked sets and props and inviting use of lighting and sound combined with slick choreography, a really fun soundtrack, plus imaginative and creative direction by Dai Jones and Ollie Cole, this show is an absolute hoot and must-see to put you in the Christmas spirit!

Alice in Wonderland the Pantomime by Saundersfoot Footlights has been running this week, but you still have a chance to see it this (Friday) evening at 7.30 pm and tomorrow (Saturday), when there’s a matinee at 2.30 pm, as well as the evening performance at 7.30 pm.

Tickets are available from the Regency Hall and The Shoe Box, Saundersfoot and Janina’s Hair Salon in Tenby, or you can book online and find all the details at saundersfootamdram.co.uk