SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Howard Blake: The Snowman – The Stage Show:  Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Jeremy Young (musical director), Peacock Theatre, London, 9.12.2010 (BBr)

For the 13^th year the Peacock Theatre opens its doors to one of Christmas’s brightest events – The Snowman. This show grew from the original cartoon film, commissioned by Channel Four in 1982, which grew into an hour-long ballet and was then expanded into this 80-minute show, which embraces all forms of dance, movement and mime. All the events from Raymond Briggs’s charming book are there, plus a bit extra to give dramatic weight to the second half. Basically, a little boy builds a snowman and flies with him to the North Pole, where Penguins live. He meets Santa; the Snowman does battle with Jack Frost for the hand of the Ice Princess; presents are distributed and the morning after returning the boy finds that the Snowman has melted but, on putting his hand in the pocket of his dressing gown, he finds the present Santa gave him and we all know that it really happened.

There is so much to enjoy here. For the children it is just a magical experience and they call and shout for Santa, boo for Jack Frost and marvel at the Snowman’s flight. All these events also work for the adults in the audience, together with our own wish to fly and meet Santa. The majority of the work was tonight undertaken by Elliot Reeve as the boy and Brad Madison as the Snowman. All the action revolves round them, and a small cast undertake a variety of parts from humans to animals. The show is made up of set pieces, all of which show a different kind of learning curve, which the Snowman undertakes when he comes to life. There’s a dance for three fruit from the fridge; a trio with a cat; and - surely one of the most memorable scenes on the London stage since Peter Pan first took to the air - the magical scene of the boy and Snowman flying to the accompaniment of the song Walking in the Air. The first half of the show ends with this enchanted panorama and one can really believe that a Snowman can fly! The majority of the second half involves Santa, his reindeer, the Ice Princess, several Snowmen from different places, a Chinese, a Cowboy, a Fred Astaire and so on - and the evil Jack Frost. There’s much ensemble work here and a real highlight is the jealousy tango where the Snowman and Jack Frost vie for the hand of the Ice Princess. Then it’s home again, but we cannot have a sad ending so Blake has created a big dance extravaganza which serves as a curtain call and reprises some of the material heard earlier.

This show is a delight and cannot fail but to please everyone. The stage action - I have no idea what one can actually call it for it is so varied - is excellent, colourful and vibrant, and the music, played by a band of five, is performed with gusto and great verve. This is a wonderful night out in the theatre and I have no doubt that it is the happiest show in town. It runs until 9 January next year and it’s the most fun you can have with snow without getting cold or wet.

Bob Briggs