Review | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Nottingham Theatre Royal
Reviewer - NATASHA
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs provides such a well-paced, non-stop pantomime journey of family entertainment that you may feel that you need a sit down afterwards (especially if the inevitable Steps curtain-call medley gets you up bopping!) With enough cheeky gags and recognisable tunes to sink a Disney cruise ship, this production (directed by Alan Harding) knows exactly what it needs to do to appeal to children and adults alike.
The fairy-tale story is familiar to most - the Evil Queen (Faye Tozer) tries to do away with princess Snow White (expressively sung by Lucy Ireland), who in the end is saved by her Prince (Jamal Kane Crawford). But this also has Harry Michaels’ fast-moving script (with a twist), West End star performances, polished song and dance numbers (choreographed by Sharon Harding) and old-school comedy from the Dame and her son, Muddles. (In fact, Joe Pasquale as Muddles deserves a review of his own - he is an immediate hit with the audience who never seem to stop laughing at his antics.) The experienced cast packs a fantastic pantomime punch - they aren’t afraid to play with the material and the audience, and aren’t taking things too seriously to laugh at themselves.
The show also looks gorgeous, kicking off with soft lighting and a starry stage before becoming increasingly glitzy and glamorous. It continually surprises visually, treating us to fireworks, a special-effects Mirror, a life-sized car and a monster scene in Lucretia’s lair that my 9-year-old companion described as ‘epic’ and his favourite part of an amazing show. The pantomime flies along at such a breakneck speed that we the audience are never bored. This does mean that the birthdays and shout-outs zip by quickly, and there is no audience singalong or onstage participation to slow down the pace. Combined with a lack of Principal Boy, this may offend some pantomime purists, but I was so caught up in the mêlée that I didn’t even notice their absence.
I couldn’t review Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, however, without referencing the ‘Magnificent Seven’, as they are called in this version, and the fact that some think this story should be retired by now. I personally felt uncomfortable that some audience members erupted into laughter as soon as the actors appeared on stage. But whatever your opinion, there is no arguing that the Seven play their roles well, adding to the production’s constant energy with their acting, dancing and singing,
And music-wise the show really does have it all, whether you are looking from ‘Whistle While You Work’ from the original Disney movie Snow White, or the current TikTok favourite by Lizzo. People seated near me were (when they weren’t crying with laughter) regularly dancing or clapping in their seats as the live orchestra played. In terms of family entertainment, the musical selections are well-thought-out, not to mention beautifully performed. In terms of musicality, this pantomime is an utter delight.
So, if you are looking for fun for all the family this festive season, you can’t fail to find something to love about this production. Everyone I saw watching was thoroughly entertained, whether by sumptuous vocals, slapstick comedy, interaction with the audience or all of the above. The show maintains a focus on a few key pantomime ingredients to produce a wonderful whirlwind of entertainment, and it’s all the better for it. Oh, yes. It is!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs performs at Nottingham Theatre Royal until 8 Jan 2023. Book your tickets now.
*Disclaimer: AD | Gifted Tickets
