(seen at the preview performance on 3rd December 2022)
Always one of the trickier pantos, along with Aladdin, in these more aware times. It is probably no spoiler that the producers are using the Alan McHugh script in which it is the Prince, not Snow White, who goes down with apple poisoning. That means the question of consensual kissing when one party is unconscious becomes uncomfortable instead of being absorbed into panto magic as it should.
It wouldn’t matter half as much if the rest of it wasn’t mostly so simply dull. A few good puns and the storyline doesn’t peter out half way through the second half as it does in most pantos, but then it hardly bursts into scintillating life either – despite frequent pyrotechnic accompaniments.
The first performance of a panto is invariably difficult, but this year’s Wimbledon team seem somewhat less certain than usual during it. Paul Robinson’s choreography is consistently inventive, but the ensemble appeared not yet to have come to terms with the space available to them; something which will no doubt improve over the run.
Very noticeable among the principal cast is who knows how to work a panto audience to maximum effect from their first entrance and who struggles initially to reach over the footlights – a panto essential.
In the former group, John Archer as Oddjob scores the biggest and earliest hit, noticeably relaxing the audience with a little comedy, magic and excruciating song.
Veteran Dame Matthew Kelly’s character Nelly Nightnurse fits uneasily into the story, but her absence would have weakened the whole show, particularly in the traditional set-pieces this year where experience really counted.
Ruthie Henshall (Queen Lucretia) and Brenda Edwards (Spirit of the Pantomime) both work unfairly a little hard in their first lines but have the audience right where they want them to be within minutes. Two marvellous singing voices too, and both can time a comic line and audience participation to perfection.
Less sure are, oddly, Dick & Dom, The Court Jesters. A children’s television double-act after the monkey’s time, it was surprised how long before the audience engaged with the pair. Their opening routine fell flat, but working with other characters allowed a far stronger showing in the second half.
With Lee Mead (Prince Lee of Lambeth) the trio fed off their varied talents. It was a disappointment that Mead’s “Any Dream Will Do” lacked the moment of the Osmond Palladium effort last year where soft young voices made spontaneous magic. A case for director Jonathan Kiley to revise the approach before opening night perhaps. He may also want to change the moment Lee offers gold in return for Snow White's location... the monkey was very tempted to yell out "Dressing Room 5. Pay Up"... or maybe have the conductor doing just that from the pit...
Hannah Lowther is a decent Snow White, the chemistry between herself, mother and intended prince building almost imperceptibly. That there are happy sighs as the dream coming true is enough.
There is no credit for the set design, but it is simple and sparkly and suits the production. Only placing the dwarf’s house so far upstage as to be almost in the car park seems slightly strange. A note too for Richard G Jones lighting making good use of the footlights in particular.
Less successful is Duncan McLean’s horrible goblin mirror animation, more suited to a 15 rated video game and a good reason for hiring a live actor in the role next time.
Not unwatchable by any means, nor unbalanced by its hefty sprinkling of stars. Allowing that the ensemble will bond in the weeks to come, this is a more than acceptable local panto this year.
It isn’t a vintage one alas, and there’s a certain coolness rather than anarchy, an up-datedness lacking a feel of traditional roots. Still, 2 hours move fairly easily along and at this time of year, what more could anyone want... except a nice juicy apple, perhaps...
3 stars.
Photo credit: Craig Sugden. Used by kind permission.