Snow White
Format: Pantomime
Genre: Comedy
Writer: Kerry Williams
Review Date: December 7 2019
Performances: December 7 2019, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm
Location: Gateacre School, Liverpool
Duration: 100 Minutes incl. an interval
Age Rating: 3+
The local community in the Gateacre area of Liverpool have come together in conjunction with Elegance Productions to present Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, just in time for Christmas!
Synopsis
In the village of Fiery Bottom, Snow White lives, with her friend Betsy, the sillier Ginger Geoff and the local dame, Naughty Nora. Unfortunately, though, also residing in the same area is the Wicked Witch, as well as her trusty henchman Herbie. Their morals could not be more opposite: Snow White and pals are upbeat, positive and caring, whereas the Witch and Herbie seek to rule without tyranny, whatever it takes.
So much so that when Fairy Fancy shows up, the Witch needs a reminder that she is the fairest in the land, only to be enraged when the results reveal that accolade to be given to Snow White. And that is important, because the Prince is coming to town and is planning to meet Snow White as soon as possible, with the intention of sparking a new royal romance. This does not please the Witch at all.
So, she takes steps to ensure that her stranglehold of control is maintained, from casting spells on the locals to conjuring up evil plans that are designed to kill Snow White and allow her to instead hook up with the Prince. But will her dastardly deed succeed, and how will the Seven Dwarfs impact the climax of the tale?
Analysis
As mentioned, this was a community effort, and this allowed the influx of some of the more talented performers from the district to participate. Not only that, but it allowed more than a dozen children to be involved in dance numbers spaced throughout the show. There was a family vibe to the show, with attendees being there because they truly wanted to be a part of the evening and to support this show as much as possible.
It helped, of course, that the story is a classic, familiar pantomime tale. The narrative of good ultimately triumphing over evil is a pantomime staple that never fails to work, and that applied again here. The kids on hand were happy to join in with the songs and chants, while the adults were amused by the one-liners and daft moments (some of which were ad-libbed) that make pantomime the spectacle that so many come out to see every Christmas.
One thing I liked at the very end of the production was the fact that all of the kids were invited to join the cast on the stage, where they could take photos with the performers or just chat away to them. This added to the community feel of the event, and it was a nice bonus, especially for the youngest audience members who were particularly wowed by the larger-than-life nature of the central characters.
Summary
This staging of Snow White was designed to spotlight the local performers in Gateacre and the cumulative efforts of all involved in the industry within the district. Having attended this show, I would say that their efforts definitely succeeded, and the hope is that they will be able to hold similar shows in the future for others to sample.
