Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
All Souls Dramatic Company
The All Souls annual pantomime is like a big family reunion party. The cast greeted the audience like old friends and everyone in the seats around me seemed to be related to someone on the stage. This made them all the keener to join in with the action, doubtless trying to incite their offspring to greater effort, and allowing their exuberance to almost outshine the hard-working cast.
And, like a Ken Dodd show, don’t expect an early exit as the cast seemed to be having such a good time, they didn’t want to leave.
Joanne Stafford shone as Snow White, her plaintive singing being well suited to numbers like Inside my heart and Someday my prince will come.
She wins the heart of Prince Alexi, played by Jaen Pierre Meyer, though one feels she could have done better for herself with one of the more rugged villagers.
This was Peter Roney’s seventh reprisal as the Dame, a part he has perfected over the years, although there was little suggestion of a woman inside his voluminous skirts. He’d make a much better stand-up comic than a drag artiste.
Cliff Gillies obviously enjoyed every minute of his part as Muddles, getting the audience to clap and sing along, as if they needed any encouragement. His version of The Brook Brothers’ Ain°’ gonna wash for a week was one of the few songs that was instantly recognisable, along with Thriller and Hi Ho Hi Ho.
Busiest performer was Katie Watkinson as Ramsbottom, the Wicked Queen’s henchman, who darted maniacally about the stage plotting the victory of Snow White. She will surely have run the equivalent of the London Marathon by the final performance. Katie also led a sixties girl group interpretation of Connie Francis’s Robot Man, accompanied by The Wicked Queen (the suitably evil Stephanie Verite) and Prince Alexi.
Sue Thomas could be dimly glimpsed through the Magic Mirror as the Spirit therein whilst June Weights was charming as Fairy Goodheart.
Most popular of all were the dwarfs and the dancers, a veritable army of children, whose costumes, singing and dance routines were a delight.
My only quibble was with the music. I would have much preferred real musicians rather than the synthesised backing tapes which lacked the spontaneity and showmanship of a live band.
This was a traditional pantomime with, thankfully, little smut and few of the political references that small children rarely appreciate. Karen Edge, who directed and choreographed, must be congratulated for putting together a show well up to the standard of All Souls.
Book your ticket now before they sell out.
Star Rating 3/5
Review by Ron Ellis
