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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Published Friday 28 December 2007 at 12:10 by Mary Redman

The first panto for ten years in the 20-year-old - in need of refurbishment - Towngate, but no less welcome for that.

Adi Wolf’s wicked Queen of Lakeside’s great attitude channelling both Oprah and Joan Rivers sets the scene featuring a videoed Jenny Eclair as the Spirit of the Mirror.

Leila Birch’s delightful Snow White has a strong singing voice. Peter Prentice is tall, handsome Prince Bradley of Bluewater.

Corny jokes, most of them young when Noah was a boy, keep hard-working director Simon Fielding as Muddles busy.

Martin Johnston’s Herman the Henchman is a hard nut betrayed by his soft centre. Zoe Chatterton is a blunt, plaid-clad Scottish Funky Fairy.

It’s a very moral tale. Herman encourages the children to say no to crime and hoodies help Snow White. The dwarfs are local young people in full head masks and costumes miming to adult male voice-overs.

Nigel Ellacott’s excellent costumes, apart from the Prince’s X-rated revealing white tights, are a lot fresher than the jokes.

This version of Snow White may not be the most exciting one around, but has very dramatic moments underlined by Leigh Mulpeter’s lighting design. Everyone works extremely hard with the material and Basildon loved it.

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