Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

The Little Theatres production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, written and directed by Garry Bailey certainly has plenty of content, magic mirrors, hair cutting machines, steam room and sauna, comic lines from other musicals, a wide variety of music, a comic ballet and the magnificent seven to name just a few.

Our evening started with Astero the Wizard, Rob Grant, who was soon seen trapped inside the magic mirror, a clever technical interpretation creating the pantomime magic from the outset. On stage we met her Royal Wickedness Queen Morgana, Sue Rawlings who gave her all to secure her Fairest In The Land status and maintained her full wickedness through out. Morganas, Henchless-men, Ragwort and Knotweed, Simon Lloyd-Roberts and Cameron McIntyre added to the ongoing hilarity of the situations, in which they found themselves.

Snow White, Cathy Rawlings gave a feel good heart warming performance in this classic role, with a lovely clear singing voice that balanced well against Prince Rupert, Nina Aver, who is the best Principal Boy I have seen in a while.

The Dwarfs or magnificent seven were well rehearsed and well dressed by Alex Caddick, with well-crafted masks appropriate to each of their characteristics.

Dame Honoria Halibut, Simon Whitehouse certainly played the “travesty of a female character” which is the tradition of a true British pantomime, especially when it came to the Royal Beauty Parlour and attempting to recreate Swan lake.

Lord Pierre de Pommefrit (and yes there were lots of potato jokes), Mike Rawlings, added the final French polish to the proceedings.

The stand out performance of the evening however has to be Buckles, the Princes Valet, Indraroop Charkraborty, who kept the audience charmed with his ever-present smile and cheekiness. I understand this was Indraroop’s first Pantomime performance and he is certainly a natural when it comes to comic timing and the enjoyment of performing.

In a show requiring many technical facets, including a projected animated ride down into the diamond mine, it is not surprising that there were a few issues with projected images overlaying the faces of the cast and magic mirror, along with some lighting leaving the cast in semi darkness.

A good night out, full of variety, and well received by its full house, family audience.

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