No business like snow business (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

No business like snow business

5:42pm Friday 12th December 2008 in Search By Helen Taylor

A delightful little show has just blown into Watermans for the festive season. The excellent theatre company Tall Stories is presenting The Snow Dragon in Brentford until December 23. It runs for about an hour and is blissfully aimed at the tinies - anyone aged three years and up.

Very small children are often upset at full-blown pantomimes. I have seen real distress at the appearance of someone like the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk - too big, too overpowering. The Snow Dragon is a much gentler affair.

Three actors work their socks off in this production. The story centres on a family of goats - Mum, Dad and young Billy, played by Louise Mai Newberry, Ross Sutherland and Andrew Simeon respectively.

With terrific energy and much panache these three set the scene - the snow dragon will come on New Year's Eve and deliver a present for Billy but first he must be placated with a gift. In this case berries are the thing and so Billy sets off on a search.

Along the way he is diverted by a hedgehog and a pig and is somewhat bullied by a couple of wolves in grey furry capes. But the story is only a small part of the enchantment. The trio of actors present all the animals without dressing like any of them - it's all done with marvellous mime, lively dancing, some jolly songsand silly jokes.

Of course there is some great audience participation a la pantomime - shouting out answers and swaying to the music. There's even a salutory lesson - do as you would be done by. During the run of the show there are some special workshops which should add to the fun.

The Snow Dragon, Watermans Arts Centre, 40 High Street Brentford TW8 0DS, until December 23, for showtimes, ticket prices and workshop information visit watermans.org.uk or call 020 8232 1010.