A palpable sense of anticipation rippled through the New Wimbledon Theatre as the curtain came up for the evening performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The air crackled with the infectious excitement only children can muster and adults vaguely remember.

Ross Kemp put in an admirable turn as the evil Henchman, chipping away yet again at his mould and demonstrating the versatility and range of his acting abilities. Aimie Atkinson as Snow White and Arvid Larsen as her Prince both proved to have impressive vocal talent, however it was Rae Baker’s delightfully Wicked Stepmother who had the audience on the edge of their seats and truly stole the show.

Disappointingly, there was no sign of the traditional pantomime Dame and despite Bobby Davro’s best efforts to compensate, there was a feeling that a vital ingredient was missing from the potion. In fact, tradition was pretty much thrown out the window, what with the thoroughly modernised script and motley crew of politically correct dwarfs.

This didn’t deter the audience from a chorus of cheering, hissing, booing and all the other usual forms of participation. Altogether a most enjoyable evening’s entertainment was had by all at this cosy family-friendly venue. The magical atmosphere, achieved in no small part due to some excellent special effects, spectacular set designs and beautifully ornate costumes, more than made up for the missing traditions and modified storyline.