I watched the musical “The Dwarf Who Loved Snow White” with my classmates at the Samsung Hall at Ewha Women’s University on December 19th, 2013.
The musical was a remake of a play of the same name that gained popularity in 2001. It is based on the classic Grimm Brothers fairytale “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. In the forest, seven dwarfs live in a small house. One day, Snow White, who ran away from her evil stepmother, comes to visit the dwarfs. Bandal, the youngest dwarf who can’t speak falls in love with Snow White at first sight. As Snow White continues to fight against her stepmother’s schemes, Bandal’s love for Snow White deepens.
Snow White’s happy times end when she falls into a deep, magical sleep. To save her from her stepmother’s curse, Bandal goes on a life-threatening voyage to bring a prince from a far-away land to save the princess. He vows to confess his love by dancing. However, the prince and Snow White fall in love with each other. They live happily ever after in the prince’s palace. When Bandal dies, he asks to be buried in the baby’s breath forest, where he first saw Snow White. Eventually, Snow White learns about Bandal’s devotedness through the magic mirror.
As an avid reader of fairy tales, I also like reading variations of the classics, such as “Wicked (a spin-off of “The Wizard of Oz”)”. They deliver the story of the underdog, those who have always been shunned due to the dazzling main characters. When people think of Snow White, they hardly give a glance to the dwarfs, who played vital roles in helping Snow White meet the prince.
At first, I was skeptical about the musical. It seemed like a shallow, kid’s tale too old to interest teenagers. But after seeing it, I realized the power of fairytales and music. There is a reason why fairytales still gain the love of people of all ages. They contain messages that are valued at every age. But by adding the enduring voices of the actors, I was absorbed by the stage.
The musical was carefully thought out, so that all the actions blended together smoothly. What was especially interesting was the spinning floor, so that even though the actors themselves were not moving, it made them look like they were. There were various props, such as the mirror on the wall, the sea and ladders that all built a fairytale-like atmosphere.
Even though ‘The Dwarf who loved Snow White’ has a sad ending, I thought that the message it delivered was hopeful. Bandal, who was speech-impaired, was able to convey his feelings more effectively than other people through his inspired dance. Thus, he was able to convince the prince to go to the forest with him and save the princess. The entire audience was mesmerized by his gestures, and after the performance, he received a standing ovation.
Along with Bandal, the most memorable character was the eagle that couldn’t fly. His parents were killed when he was just a baby. Although he learned to feed and fend for himself, he never learned how to fly. Eagles learn how to fly naturally by falling off a cliff. Yet he was too afraid to learn how to let go. He kept reappearing throughout the show. Eventually, he was taken care of by Snow White and with her help, learns how to fly.
It also subtly hinted about various problems depicted in our society. Snow White clearly knew that Bandal had a crush on her, yet she fell in the love with the prince, who she saw for the first time. This shows the sad reality that looks are the highly valued in our commodity. Also, humans treated dwarves and eagles are mere toys, and items to sell for profit. Even those who were more sympathetic could not understand Bandal’s motions and merely talked to him as if he was incapable of comprehension. Yet by carefully wrapping all of these dilemmas in music and dance, it delivered its message clearly, but without any burden.
I could see how ‘The Dwarf who loved Snow White’ is a good choice for everyone, children and adults alike. It asks “Have you ever thought about the people whose love you take for granted? Have you ever done something, even unintentionally, to hurt them? Then, go and give them a hug, and tell them that you are sorry.” This is an important lesson for everyone.