Edinburgh panto: Snow White & Seven Dwarves is first class entertainment

Now, for 2022 with the Kings closed they company have moved across the city to the Festival theatre on Nicolson Street and with it a bigger stage and audience capacity. Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs has opened to great acclaim and the cast still has our favourites centre stage. Allan Stewart can hold the audience on his own and plays Nurse May, Grant Stott is the Man In The Mirror, Fifer Jordan Young is Muddles, Clare Gray becomes Princess Lavinia and Liz Ewing plays the Wicked Queen. The title role of Snow White is played by Francesca Ross and her heroic prince is played by Brian James Leys.

From the very onset we can see this is a lavish production with a dazzling musical number introducing the dancers and all accompanied by a full sound from the Andy Pickering Orchestra. The depth of stage at the Festival theatre is fully utilised with a huge colorful set and lighting that changes with the introduction of each character.

The pyros are fully used too with sparkles and flames at each dramatic juncture. Even in these politically correct times we are treated to seven dwarfs but are referred to throughout as the Magnificent Seven and introduced on their own train on stage.

For over 20 years now though the audience have returned to see the main stars and they get their chance to shine both individually and collectively and as an extended group on numbers like the hilarious and inventive Twelve Days Of Christmas complete with props going wrong giving endless possibilities.

Allan Stewart gets plenty costume changes and cutting one liner,s while Grant Stott’s Lord Lucifer gets a big song about how radge he is about Edinburgh Trams. With Jordan Young (Muddles) we get an extended tongue twister and on his own gets the audience onside with his banter.

Praise too for the supporting actors with Clare Gray (Princess Lavinia) coming more into play trading lines with her mum Queen Dragonella played by Liz Ewing while Prince Hamish (Brian James Leys) shows strong vocals and a wonderful voice and presence from Snow White herself with Francesca Ross in her debut roll – we will see more of this talented young lady.

We have a dragon and carriage that fly over the audience as a spectacular effect amid constant rapport with the capacity audiences and no wonder this show sells out as the entertainment value is first class. A bigger stage, bigger production, and a bigger reaction from the pantomime lovers of all ages.