Snow White: The
Untold Story
Presented by Heidelberg Theatre Company’s HTC Youth
Directed by Christian Dell’Olio, Stage Manager – Eden Elliot
Cast: Queen –
Elizabeth Dingle, Snow White – Natassja Lindrea, Magic Mirror – Ian Robertson,
Hunter – Ben Richardson, Trekky – Ella DiMarco, Smelly – Jess Cook, Bossy –
Silvi Vann-Wall, Dummy – Taylah-Jayd Sofele and Prince Charming – Zac Smith.
To an entranced, captive audience nine youthful engaging and
lively actors ‘strut their stuff’ in a mildly spoofed up version of that old
favorite fairy tale Snow White.
The production is opened strongly with the Queen, played
boldly by Elizabeth Dingle, in conference with the Magic Mirror, a fabulously
costumed and glitzy character well interpreted by Ian Robertson.
Natassja Lindrea, as a strikingly attractive and
particularly vain Snow White, is well pared with Zac Smith’s handsome Prince Charming
an equally self-satisfied individual.
Amusingly he is on the look out for his second wife, since divorcing the
apparently mouse and pumpkin obsessed Cinderella.
There is a moral somewhere in this story, if a little
muted. It is most clearly expressed
through the Huntsman’s character. As a
loyal servant he is unaffected by fleeting youthful beauty. He is steadfast in his deep love for his
mistress the aging Queen regardless of her mean, jealous and murderous
tendencies.
There are even some strange little moments of gay frippery
when the Prince and the Huntsman dress in drag to scatter clothes everywhere as
segue into the next scene of chaos at the Dwarf’s house. It leaves in its wake a poignant reminder of
the rich history of how camped up and over the top Christmas Pantos can be.
The four Dwarves are unexpected in number as well as in
names and natures. As Dummy, Taylah-Jayd
Sofele fulfills her role with appropriate vagueness, but is a little to hidden
below a largish hat. Bossy played by
Silvi Van–Wall with strong focus is alive, alert and always ready to move the
action forward. Trekky played by Ella
DiMarco is a clear and sustained ‘out there’ character. And Jess Cook’s Smelly is so convincing one
can almost smell her.
It is great to have a Christmas treat, in the tradition of
the Pantos of yesteryear, to take the kids to. I was able to indulge a 10 and
an 8 year old. Due to a hefty drive we
arrived in the nick of time to discover that HTC is very punctual in its show
times. With the house being almost
completely full the children sat in front of the stage on the floor. As I kept my eye on them - they seemed to be
fully engaged for the whole 80 minutes despite the acting and set changes
dragging a little from time to time.
Suzanne Sandow
(For Stage Whispers)
