The Adventures of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Published Thursday 14 December 2006 at 13:00 by John Thaxter

This lovely family show, a panto version of the traditional story, is Mark Piper’s Windsor swansong, after running the Theatre Royal with skill and distinction during some difficult years for regional theatre.

Maria finalist Leanne Dobinson makes a perfectly lovely Snow White, courted by Andrew Alexander’s tall, handsome Prince, both fine vocalists, and there is good work from Sarah Bennett leading the dwarf troupe.

The absolute star is Marti Webb’s Wicked Queen, too nice to be truly nasty but a great trouper giving us a near definitive version of Sondheim’s tricky Mirror, Mirror from Follies, and a dazzling Dance with the Devil with her boys.

Piper again finds comedy roles for Windsor favourites, Christopher Beeny as the Queen’s henchman and Michael Sharvell-Martin playing his 34th Dame in a row. But veteran comic genius Bernie Clifton, an impressive light tenor, effortlessly carries the show as Muddles, astride Oswald the Ostrich, plus brilliant impromptu business with recalcitrant kids in the singalong.

A versatile rising star, Sammy Fonfe first caught my eye as a Windsor dance captain, this year spreading her wings as the Good Fairy, with captivating lead vocals in the big chorus numbers - a name to note for musical talent-spotters.