The Stage

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Published Friday 16 December 2005 at 11:30 by Hugh Homan

I obviously don’t watch the right kind of telly. Many of the jokes in Snow White that had the predominately young audience roaring passed me by. Some of the jokes, in my humble estimation, were not in the best possible taste but there was much to enjoy in Sam Kane’s punchy production.

As the juvenile lead, Prince Michael, Sam Kane was too knowing and lacking sincerity for my taste but Linda Lusardi as Queen Lucrietia is wonderfully evil and knows precisely how to wind up the Southend audience: “I didn’t set fire to your pier!”

She also sings a terrific ‘I Want to be 21 Again’. Energetic Kev Orkian is a very funny Muddles, energetically all over the place, and he knows precisely how to keep three young ladies happy in the interview sequence. Gary Beadle is an earnest and honest courtier, Chambers, while Emily Shaw sings effectively as a charming and affecting Snow White. Joe Tracini as the Drummer Boy shows considerable performer potential and Natasha Khamjani is a personable and attractive Forest Fairy. The seven dwarfs give excellent support.

There is a suitably spectacular medieval blue and silver walkdown at the end and throughout Andy Read and the boys in the pit provide crisp musical accompaniment.