A Muslim pantomime group based in Manchester has achieved remarkable success with its festive show, 'Snow Brown and her Seven Chachay', selling over 24,000 tickets across 38 performances in 11 cities. The production, created by comedian and actor Abdullah Afzal, best known for his role in BBC's 'Citizen Khan', offers a South Asian twist on the classic Snow White story.
The panto features a nine-member cast, including East-African actor Lubna Saleh as Snow Brown, mixed-race actress Zoe Iqbal as the wicked stepmother, and TikTok personality Daud Butt as the sidekick Padh (meaning 'fart'). Traditional South Asian elements are woven into the show, such as using a Manjee (a woven bed) as a prop and replacing the poisoned apple with a laddu (an Indian sweet).
Afzal, who fully funded this year's production independently, said he aimed to create a 'safe space' for families, keeping the humour halal and suitable for all ages. He told the source: 'I wanted the panto to be pure comedy with desi jokes, so South Asians could relate to it... We can be proud British Muslims, we don't have to be just one or the other.'
The show follows Afzal's previous successes, 'Cinder'Aliyah' and 'Beauty and the Balaah', which also sold out rapidly. However, the earlier productions attracted racist comments online, which Afzal said spurred him on to create more shows. He noted that some cast members work full-time in jobs at the Home Office, NHS, and local councils, using the panto as a platform to showcase their talents without risking their livelihoods.
'Snow Brown and her Seven Chachay' tours until January 3, visiting venues in London and the North of England.
