Snow White

Little Waltham’s pantomime is always worth waiting for – this year’s is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, written and produced by David Madams.

David confesses that he’s not really a panto fan, but he tells me that he’s tried to write something he wouldn’t mind seeing himself.

It did have the awful jokes, the Oh No He Isn’t routines, and Heigh-Ho, but this Snow White was no ordinary pantomime.

Writer/director David Madams cleverly blended the traditional story with an approach equally palatable to the grown-ups in the audience.

The literary references ranged from the Goons and ITMA to Dylan Thomas. Among the less orthodox characters were Marcel the axe-man [Wally Greaves] and the Queen’s daily mirror [Glyn Jones]. Samantha Brannon made a dashing prince in a white tuxedo, Christine Moor was a deliciously evil Isolda, and Rachel Whitely managed to look just right as the heroine whilst coping very professionally as the tongue-in-cheek Seven Go Mad In Waltham dialogue.

The famed Little Waltham chorus line were most amusing as terminally bored Ladies in Waiting.

The ticklish problem of the dwarfs was ingeniously solved by having the little fellows eat Marmite sarnies – the growing-up spread – and turning into a very polished comedy team. The children were led by Matthew Newman as Bossy, who turned into Alastair Irving, an entirely incredible hulk.

“They don’t call this amateur for nothing,” muttered Ringo when the Heath Robinson lights went out. Most unfair – the cast and audience rallied in impromptu community singing, so enjoyable that Eliot and Snow White’s babe in arms were quite sorry when power was restored, thanks to the valiant efforts of Edwin Leach and Ron Hancock, the unflappable stage manager.