At the top of the world lives the Snow Queen who is supposed to control the weather.
But the seasons aren’t behaving. The world is getting warmer. And it hasn’t snowed for years….

Lumi gazes up at the stars and worries about the world. The adults don’t seem to have noticed that the seasons aren’t behaving, or that it hasn’t snowed for years. This is an emergency! So, it’s time to take the issue straight to the top (of the world) and find the Snow Queen she has heard so much about…

On the long journey ahead she’ll meet a host of fabulous new friends – from an overworked elf, to a pompous polar bear – as she learns that small changes make a big difference! But first she is determined to make it SNOW!

Blimey it was cold on Sunday afternoon. Possibly made worse by a gap in the trams that I managed to find which meant that I was stood on the impossibly open platform that is Cornbrook, for half an hour, waiting for my connecting tram to Sale (still love you Bee Network).

But it was just cold. It wasn’t sunny, it wasn’t snowing, it was that rubbish, damp cold that just serves to make you feel a bit fed up rather than festive and full of the joys of the season.

Snow, especially at this time of year, holds with it many magical connotations. Had it be snowing that fateful Sunday (it wasn’t fateful, but for dramatic effect), yes, had it been snowing that fateful Sunday, would we have noticed the cold? The harsh conditions as we stood shivering at Cornbrook station, willing the Altrincham tram to come that bit (a lot) quicker?

Why no! Well also yes (and the tram would no doubt have not come at all). But you get the gist.

And so to The Snow Queen where the young, inquisitive Lumi, (Amy Tara) also longed for snow but for less aesthetic, romantic reasons than perhaps myself.

For this family show had an important ecological message behind it, but told through charismatic characterisation, snappy song and musical interludes, and all with a side of sass and fabulousness.

Step forward, Madge, the keyboard/trumpet playing Snow Queen (Richard Priestley)! Looking fabulous and truly owning that stage, as they sashayed across wearing a white satin jumpsuit that one can only dream of getting away with wearing – with silver glittered platform heels that wouldn’t look out of place on a certain BBC ballroom show. With lines such as ‘there’s only one hon who controls the sun’, this blogger sat forward and took notice.

My plus one (in theatre and life) and I attended the show, without accompanying little ones, and were keen to take in not only the production on stage, but of that off stage, by the multi-generational audience surrounding us. And so, I was watching proceedings in split-vision, if you like. Half on what was to enjoy as an adult, and half what was likely to appeal to a child (whilst no authority on the latter, as such, I did actually used to be one…).

As like all the pantomimes that have come before, and countless children’s films and television programmes, it’s helpful to score on both fronts – engage the adults with a few double entendres, knowing asides, and looks to ‘camera’, whilst enthralling the children with bright visuals, catchy tunes and some new friends to latch onto along the way.

The eco messaging was strong and imaginative. We had the hoarder tortoise, sort of halfway there with collecting lots of consumables in their trolley, but dropping the ball on their reluctance to engage with the actual consuming, reusing and recycling.

We had the polar bear who did a mean line in hip hop and was all about the technology and energy wasting.

Finally we had the overworked elf in the North Pole, in a workshop that was less Santa’s grotto and more zero-hour contracts.

As Lumi visited each (all played admirably and energetically by Molly-Grace Cutler), each were shown the error of their ways. I think the spectrum of how the eco-messaging and symbolism landed with the audience was probably quite wide-ranging.

For adults, one would hope, a reminder of what we should already know. For older children, I imagine they could have probably written the script themselves, those ecologically-sound scallywags, them… and for younger children? I suspect not so deeply, but the funny voices, cute costumes and flashing lights will have been enough to captivate their minds.

Small change make a big difference, and young voices speak the loudest truth…

Back to my voyeurism in the audience, the mums and dads seemed to warm up as the show moved on, with smirks, titters and laughter breaking through as appreciation was shown for Madge’s oh so very extra (and so very intended) performance. Similarly the children’s laughter broke through mostly in response to visual prompts and triggers, as you would expect. But even more telling from the younger ones, ironically, was the relative silence – clearly captivated by the magic of the relatively simple but still sensory treat taking place, with flashing, twinkly lights, engaging performances by the actors and, (spoiler) the eventual snow cascading down.

Not a tear or tantrum to be seen or heard, unless you count me.

In short, as an adult, attending with another adult, I really liked this show. It’s different, imaginative and for 60 minutes works hard to entertain, educate and make you laugh. Whichever camp (and it is gloriously so) you fall into, there’s something to take away and enjoy.

The Snow Queen is at Waterside Arts, Sale until 30 December.

For more details visit https://watersidearts.org/whats-on/3382-the-snow-queen/

To learn more about Wrongsemble theatre group along with cast and crew details, visit https://www.wrongsemble.com/snow