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by Malcolm Heenman, directed by Glen Kotyk

Ross Petty Productions, Elgin Theatre, Toronto

December 6, 2001-January 6, 2002

“The Panto as Variety Show”

Ross Petty has single-handedly made the British pantomime tradition an integral part of Toronto's holiday theatre scene.  Last year he brought us "Peter Pan" with a much tauter script than usual and specially commissioned songs by Judy and David Gershon.  The main problems were that the music never really soared and the script minimized the chances for the improvisations and audience participation that make pantos so much fun.  With this year's "Snow White and the Magnificent Seven", Petty has brought us a more traditional panto with a ramshackle script, borrowed songs and audience participation at every turn.  The main problem is that the script adapted by Malcolm Heenman simply doesn't tell the story well. 

The overlong first act is frequently in danger of retelling the story of Cinderella not Snow White, dwelling far too much on how Snow White's evil step-mother Queen Lola wants Prince Don (Squeeze the) Charming to marry her not Snow (as she's called) and banishes her to do the cooking in the palace's pizza kitchen.  Setting up the characters of Prince Don and his comic would-be rival Muddles takes too long as it does for Snow to get lost in the forest to be discovered by the Magnificent Seven.  Act 2 begins with a time-consuming, totally irrelevant encounter between Snow and a band of gypsies.  And the scene with the poisoned apple happens so near the end that Snow is "dead" for less than five minutes (no glass coffin here) before she is revived.  Books like the "Harry Potter" series have shown that children can handle "darker" subject matter and that it may be beneficial for them to do so.  Were there more mourning for the dead Snow White, saving her would have more impact.

The show begins with Allan Redford (one of the Seven) imitating Ed Sullivan introducing his "really big show".  Fred Penner, making his first panto appearance, sings his signature song "The Cat Came Back" and the story proper doesn't get going for about 15 minutes.  This is fitting since this “Snow White” works much better as a variety show than as a story.  The interludes in front of a drop to cover the frequent scene changes are consistently funnier and the performances of the borrowed show tunes more exciting than the lame story-telling of Heenman's adaptation.

The show would not work at all if Petty had not assembled one of his finest casts ever.  Stratford star Graham Abbey (Prince Don) shows more ease and good humour on stage than has been evident in his Shakespeare performances.  And who knew he had such a fine singing voice?  I had to wonder whether comedy and musicals might rather be his forte.  Melissa Thomson (Snow White) makes a welcome return after her success in "Cinderella" in 1999.  She delivered all four of her songs in bright pop voice, and makes "Cookin' with Gas" the musical highlight of the show. 

Eddie Glen (Muddles) frequently steals the show with perfect comic timing and spot-on impressions from James Cagney to Mickey Mouse.  Without doubt the comic highpoint of the show (for adults) is his impersonation of TV's manic Steve Irwin ("The Crocodile Hunter") encountering a fox--truly laugh-till-you-cry hilarious.  Peter Deiwick (Lola's feline servant, Howler) brings energy and a quirky personality to an underwritten role and proves himself better at interviewing children than most of the guest stars I've seen over the years.  Fred Penner's fine voice and engaging presence makes him best as the singing Narrator, though he does make an enthusiastic stab at his other roles as Oswald the Obvious, Lola's PR man, and Bongo Beanie the Gypsy.  The Magnificent Seven--Allan Redford, Joey Beck, Peter Corneil, Jackie Goodwin, Rich Howland, Jordan Prentice and Nikolai Tichtchenko--could still improve their timing, but do give a rousing rendition of a traditional chain-gang song.  

Last, but far from least is Ross Petty (Queen Lola), revelling in the opportunity to play both villain and dame.  His ad libs are always funnier than the material, his timing and delivery are perfect and he can makes you laugh just with a grimace, sashay or fling of the hair.  This seemed to be his most boo-provoking performance ever causing my 10-year-old associate critic Ryan to choose him as his favourite character in the show

Director Glen Kotyk seems content to let the show take on a lackadaisical pace and his choreography is not particularly varied or inventive.  The sets and costumes of unknown origin don't really go together, the sets looking like pleasant children's book illustrations while the costumes, except for Lola's arachnoid outfits and the dazzling curtain call dress-up, throw colour-coordination to the winds.  Steve Ross provides the suitably unsubtle lighting.

No matter what my objections, what counts most in a panto is the child's reaction.  For Ryan, this show was "definitely better" than "Peter Pan" because it was funnier.  Because of its higher level of audience participation, the show even gave me an epiphany of sorts.  Petty as Lola provoked a loud chorus of boos merely by walking on stage.  Here, I thought, is a forum where kids can voice their contempt of adult vanity and presumption.  When Lola as the Old Lady offers Snow White the apple, I heard the loudest chorus of "No!" and "Don't do it!" I've ever heard.  When Snow bit in and fell to the ground the audience fell absolutely silent.  How wonderful to be so involved!  How good to try so hard to ward off disaster!  When I asked Ryan if he liked this scene with Lola, he surprised me by saying "No".  Why?--because "she was too cruel".  Aha, I thought, so there still is hope for humanity.

©Christopher Hoile

Photo: Ross Petty, Melissa Thomson and Graham Abbey. ©2001 Ross Petty Productions.