Review: Sarah Scott

WITH a reputation as the biggest and the best to uphold, the Royal’s panto certainly has its work cut out, not to mention seven pairs of tiny shoes. Snow White hardly gets a look in as the stage is the domain of the anarchic double act of Danny Adams as Muddles and Clive Webb as Oddjob. It’s the tenth anniversary of their first appearance at the theatre in panto and boy, don’t we know it.

The audience were basking in their reflected glory. No one could accuse Muddles of ever giving less than, to misquote The Apprentice, 200 per cent and the stage is practically sloshing around in his perspiration, what with the slapstick, the acrobatics, the crazy expensive stunts and those "Accidernts" (Adams' decade-long catchphrase).

The dwarfs were headed up by Peter Peverley and their presence was a succession of mini-bites of utter joy. The special effects were full-on theatre magic, although the context for Muddles driving a festive air-borne vehicle, like said sleigh, went right over my head.

Our evil queen is Steve Arnott, meaning the mirror’s integrity is shot-to-shaving foam from the offset. You’re the fairest? Oh purlease… Dame Chris Hayward is Rita the Cook and his Dameing is superb. The cossies, the slick delivery, those fluttering eyelashes are all pure panto sparkle.

In these enlightened times, even the traditional panto surely has no little nook for Domestic Slave Snow White. Even Disney gives its heroines a dose of feist these days. There are some uncomfortable ‘Confessions of a Panto Jester’ moments. Gags about melons and looking up our heroine’s skirt? Boo. Hiss.

I’d have loved more of those little men and a little less dodgy humour. But who am I to judge? The audience were eating the rosy apple of Pantomime and loving it.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs runs until Sunday, January 18. Box Office: 08448-112121 or theatreroyal.co.uk