Although one of the best-known tales of the Brothers Grimm, for almost a hundred years theatrical versions of "Hansel and Gretel" have been children's plays and seldom presented as "traditional" pantomimes. Norman Robbins, in his twenty-first pantomime for Samuel French, has given us a stirring version of, to his mind, a wrongly neglected masterpiece with a strong storyline, a wicked witch (but not too wicked!) and with good triumphing over evil. Set in the village of Pumpernickel, the Forest Fairy and Attrocia, the Witch, battle for the villagers. Attrocia builds the Gingerbread House to entice the children, Hansel and Gretel, but events stop short before they are eaten, although the witch gets her just desserts! Full of fun, comedy routines and laughter, this is family entertainment at its best.
