CINDERELLA

CINDERELLA 
at the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch
05.12.2016
for The Reviews Hub

“Well it's good, but it's not what I'd call traditional ...”
Soundbite from the little old lady just along the row. She has a point.
Andrew Pollard's script has more than a few novel touches. Baron Hardup has expired, leaving his wicked widow free to bully poor Cinders unchecked. Cinders herself is feisty and forceful (and in this company plays a mean trombone). Hard to imagine her knuckling under for long, and indeed she does turn on her tormentors before the happy-ever-after ending. The ugly duckling turns into a bevy of swans to pull the pumpkin coach. No riches to rags transformation, very few pyrotechnics, some witty cultural asides, and the jokes a mixture of the amusingly original and the junior school playground. And, surely a first, the panto song is that old Pat Boone favourite Quando Quando Quando.
But there's a proper staircase for the walk-down, a traditional ghost routine (done to the Ghostbusters theme), and an opening number in the village square featuring the Young Company, one of three teams of ten local children.
Martin Berry's production, a little coarse and raucous for some tastes perhaps, keeps up an energetic pace from the off, only some of the longer songs slowing the action. Most of the numbers, though, were apposite and excellently delivered by the talented company of actor-musicians, with Joshua Goodman the MD. Christina Aguilera's Words Can't Bring Me Down, for example, Dreamgirls' One Night Only or Adele's To Make You Feel My Love, with a great fiddle obbligato from Dandini.
Jonathan Charles is superb in this often thankless role – a poor Italian immigrant, reeling off a stream of Italian names, playing his violin and teaching his master the art of love before changing identities, in a very thin disguise, with Sebastian, aka Prince Charming of Chelmsford (Jamie Noar). His Cinders is played with gutsy charm by Natasha Lewis, with some outstanding vocals, too.
Buttons, the Justin Bieber of Romford, is Alex Tomkins, playing on the sympathy of the audience, and rewarded by an invitation to join the happy couple in their new life together. The Fairy Godmother, her wand a silver flute, is beautifully spoken by Etisyai Philip.
The trio of baddies – all firmly rooted in Essex – are Kylie amd Miley, ugly sisters (Carl Patrick and Simon Pontin) and the Baroness, Hornchurch regular Georgina Field squeezing every last drop of evil from her role, and proving a fine saxophonist to boot. The trombone/sax face-off one of many inspired moments in this innovative production.
Mark Walters' design is sparkly and pretty as a picture-book. His costumes range from the cygnets' feathery drawers through the elegant gowns for Cinders and the Good Fairy to the OTT creations for the Sisters: designer handbags, Christmas gift-wrap, and, cleverest of all, the cocktail dresses.
Shouting out advice, encouraging bashful Buttons, screaming out that Behind-You “meta-theatrical rubbish”, the opening night audience of “children and coffin-dodgers” loved it all, from the “sniffle-stopper” - an ingenious tissue dispenser projecting loo-rolls over the front stalls – to the giant beach balls for the megamix party finale.

production photograph: Mark Sepple

Rave reviews for Cinderella at the Queen's Theatre Hornchurch from Queen's Theatre Hornchurch on Vimeo.

CINDERELLA

CINDERELLA

Made in Colchester at the Mercury Theatre

08.12.2014

The Mercury panto manifesto promises laughs for all ages, audience participation and much more. It could have added a fairytale made in Colchester: the tableau curtain has Jumbo, the Castle and the Italianate campanile of the Town Hall in silhouette, and the script, adapted by Fine Time Fontayne from a version done for the Lyric Hammersmith, includes loads of local references: Buttons from Brightlingsea, Dandini the Dedham Dandy, Fairy Fingringhoe.

And the names are echoed in the auditorium, with primary schools from Finchingfield, Tollesbury, Tendring packing the seats.

This Cinderella is refreshingly traditional in its approach - “you shall go to the ball!” - but with witty bits slipped in: “hemlock and fizz, no cherry” is the Wicked Stepmother's tipple, and Celine Dion's song becomes All By Mice Elf …

The playlist is mostly familiar, but with some unexpected treats and some original music by MD Richard Reeday. I liked the Sondheimlich “Unexpected” for Cinderella and her Prince, and Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm for the ghost routine – nicely done, this, with a twist at the end.

A great cast who know the panto ropes. Familiar faces back in harness this year are Dale Superville working his socks off as Buttons, and Ignatius Anthony and Tim Freeman as the deliciously immature D'Arcy sisters – the three of them showing their expertise in a messy routine involving indistinguishable slap and soup.

Sarah Moss is unusually convincing as Cinders, both in her skivvy's rags and in her beautiful ball-gown. Her Prince, Simon Pontin, looked the part, too, and kept doggedly in character even in numbers like The Best Song Ever.

Dandini is played, Essex-style, by Laura Curnick, who is also the Fairy Godmother, and Basienka Blake gives a memorable Evilla, a sexily sadistic stepmother with “a hornet's nest where her heart should be”, superb vocal characterization and a ballgown to rival Princess Crystal's.

There's a junior chorus – no cute tots here, but assured, talented young performers – who play mice, guests and debs.

The all-important transformation lacks impact, perhaps, though the ballet and the paper horse are effective.

Daniel Buckroyd's production maintains a brisk pace, never over-doing the routines, always looking for a chance for a throwaway gag for the grown-ups amongst the slapstick and the shouting.

And Juliet Shillingford's designs are elegantly simple – a massive dungeon kitchen with its smoky stove, and a ballroom dominated by a strikingly ornate clock.

production photograph: Pamela Raith

CINDERELLA

CINDERELLA

One From The Heart at the Civic Theatre Chelmsford

07.12.13

for The Public Reviews

This fast and furious family panto is focused on giving everyone a good night out, and especially on drawing the kids in the audience into the action.

So Simon Aylin's offering this year has Kerris Peeling as a no-nonsense Fairy Godmother – Go-Mo to her fairy-friendly chums – who enlists our aid in getting Cinders to the Ball and ensuring a happy-ever-after ending for everyone.

Suzie Chard comes on like a size twenty Sharon O, hurling ever more inventive insults at the audience in return for boos and hisses. And Lewis Barnshaw, as a delightfully bashful Buttons, plays for sympathy as well as laughs, and leads the youngsters in a familiar singalong – The Music Man, an excellent choice not often heard in panto nowadays.

The strikingly ill-matched Ugly Sisters are Neal Wright's Gusty Gail [dumpy and aggressive] and Richard Foster-King's Windy Wendy [seven foot nothing without the heels and the ostrich feathers] – constant bickering and frequent flatulence, plus some really impressive frocks and the flair to wear them well.

Sophie Camble is a svelte, demure Cinders; a strong singer and pleasingly assertive in adversity.

Tom Parsons' dishy Prince proves a fine vocalist, and his Dandini – Rhys Rice – is a great little mover in his spectacular dance routines. In fact almost everyone gets a good number to showcase their talents – as well as Adele [Someone Like You] and the inevitable but appropriate One Direction [We Danced All Night] we have a disco medley, something from The Wiz, that old chestnut Friendship and, for the brassy Baroness [and four chorus boys], Reciprocity from Chicago.

Richard Peakman's choreography is crisp and inventive, with the cast of eight boosted by energetic ensemble players from Laine Theatre Arts – It's Raining Men [for the Sisters] with oilskins and brollies for the boys. The transformation, done with stars and mirrors, is impressive, and what a treat to see real Shetland ponies pulling the coach …

Almost all the favourite panto features are in place – a ghost routine [with ghouls all around the auditorium], custard pies, water pistols, old jokes [“Nothing's that funny ...”] and a victim from the audience, Max on this occasion, who was unwise enough to sit in row B with his shorts and his woggle.

The Brentwood Beavers and the Writtle Rainbows loved every minute – possibly the loudest, most excited audience ever. They've probably bought their tickets for next year already, when the same team will be bringing Peter Pan to the Civic.

this piece first appeared on The Public Reviews

CINDERELLA

CINDERELLA

Arc Theatre at the Broadway, Barking

07.12.2012

for The Public Reviews

We're all living in Hardup Hall these days; arts venues know this better than most.

And to be honest, Cinderella at the Broadway has shoestring written all over it.

That said, it's a brave, and mostly enjoyable, attempt to keep the panto flag flying in this multi-purpose community venue.

Director Carole Pluckrose, making her first panto, seeks to create an original piece of musical theatre, "woven through with all the recognisable delights of panto". Indeed the music, in the experienced hands of Barking veteran Phil Gostelow, is an undoubted strength of the production – a succession of singable, melodic numbers embracing a variety of genres: chirpy Tommy Steelery for our pearly Buttons in A Little Bit Of Mischief, Lionel Bart lite for If I Was A Lady, Lloyd Webber for the dry-ice love duet and a cheeky nod to David Rose and his Stripper for the Clenchbutt sisters and their raunchy fashion parade.

More disappointing is the staging – I like the idea of the revolving mini trucks, but the execution is frankly amateurish, and the black tab curtain does nothing to enhance the mood.

Some good costumes – Rubella's lady-in-red dress, the headgear for Nefaria and Lascivia. But not everyone can run to a change for the wedding, though I liked the two-sided suit for Dean Kilford, who plays twin brothers Buttons and Dandini.

The seven principals work hard; because of its musical comedy ambitions, Clifford Oliver's script gives them several contrasting styles to cope with. Dandini and his Prince have a retro feel to them, with nicely judged dialogue, and the best [or worst] line in the show from Dandini as he advises his master how best to meet the girl of his dreams: "You could try holding one of your balls, sir …"

Sharif Afifi is a charmingly clueless Prince, with a pleasant light singing voice; Kilford is excellent as his batman, with his stash of spare moustaches; his alter ego Buttons enjoys most of the interaction with the noisy audience. An original take on the local council's Fairy Godmother by Sally Fisher, nicely down-to-earth and just a tad incompetent.

Barbara Jaeson makes a cold, steely stepmother; her Act One costume continuing the period theme. Andy Gillies, a punkish big-boned bruiser of an Ugly Sister rather overshadows her rival, Ian Crowe; both performances are suitably bold and brash. And a brilliant début for young Amy Green, in her first professional role, as Cinderella.

The pros are ably supported by an eight-strong juvenile chorus. They certainly prove their worth, shifting the scenery, singing and dancing, even delivering some dialogue. All very polished, especially perhaps Sam Willmore [the night I saw the show] as a knowing, confident Spud.

Some good effects ingeniously done – the wobbly flashback, the transformation, with Cinders' dress changed in a shower of gold. But, for a panto, and probably for a musical, there was too much dialogue, and the kids might sympathise with Lascivia as she shouts "Don't start singing again!" And as for sniffing the slipper …

this piece first appeared on The Public Reviews