By Sam Allen

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a perennial pantomime favourite and the talented troupe at CUDOS did the town of Crewkerne proud with a splendid fast-paced, slick and very funny romp through this traditional panto tale. Right from the get-go they established the fight between good and evil and then we were introduced one by one to a splendid line-up of pantomime characters. We had some lovely romance between our eponymous heroine and the dashing prince who (spoiler alert) would eventually revive her with a loving kiss! And then we had a succession of splendidly funny characters whose warm-hearted humour and tremendous audience rapport kept the packed house at the Victoria Hall giggling, tee-heeing and often guffawing throughout the evening.
But, as is so often the case, it was the youngest on stage who captivated us most. The seven dwarfs, ranging in age from seven to twelve, made a magnificent entrance through the auditorium, stole our hearts, and never let them go as they smiled their way through some cracking gags, great songs and delightful dances. This is the very essence of community theatre.
It was Crewkerne’s misfortune that diary clashes meant both the SFD moderator and the adjudicator turned up on opening night. But it didn’t matter. So well rehearsed was this show that one minor prompt was all that got in the way of perfection in terms of slickness, timing and delivery.
And with splendid live musical accompaniment and some dazzling choreography, this was a show that displayed all the best of pantomime traditions. Aided and abetted by a very accomplished behind-the-scenes team, the lighting, sound, and special effects combined with lovely backdrops, colourful costumes and a great array of props to ensure the show was as pleasing visually as it was in every other way.
We went home chuckling, still laughing at the truly hilarious rendition of I Want to Break Free!
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