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Strictly Meets Cinders in a show packed with spectacle and sparkle!Summary
Rating
Excellent
Cinderella once again headlines at New Wimbledon Theatre this Christmas, and this is a show packed with spectacle and sparkle. It ticks all the familiar boxes: Cinderella (Cassie Compton) falls in love and with the help of her Fairy Godmother (Alison Jiear) she and the Prince (Solomon Davy) live happily ever after. That’s not to say the show is at all predictable. Crossroads Pantomimes have put their own spin on this classic, delivering unexpected surprises and incredible technical feats. They most certainly take the crafting of pantomimes seriously – even if they want the audience to laugh all the way through.
At two hours and twenty minutes in length, it’s impressive how quickly the show flies by. Much of it is filled with well-choreographed numbers and entertaining tricks by the talented magician Pete Firman as Buttons. There is also a marvellous moment of technical wizardry that has the audience totally wowed. For that alone the show is worth watching.
Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood plays the wicked stepmother Baroness Demonica Hardup and exceeds expectations in this hilarious portrayal. He delights the audience with his tango and belts out melodies with surprising ease (he’s a really good singer!). Leanne Jones and Catherine Morris as the wicked stepdaughters are equally panto-grotesque and make for a perfect trio with Horwood, serving up lashings of meanness for the audience to freely boo at anytime they are in sight. The sisters are great as the pesky minions scurrying behind the Baroness, but it would have been nice to see them have a little more stage time.
Compton and Davy do well as the wholesome couple who find love. They are endearing and just cheeky enough to feel relatable and not too ‘perfect’. Daniel Norford gives a decent performance but disappointingly feels a little out of place and doesn’t quite shine in the role of the well-loved character Dandini. The star of the show is undoubtedly Firman as the lovable Buttons. He holds the stage with confidence and gravitas, and the audience engaged heartily with his skilled banter.
The wonderful thing about pantomimes is their tradition. It’s what draws audiences each year and inspires communal bonds. Tonight it was affirming to see such an array of different communities under one roof and it is a testament to the popularity of New Wimbledon Theatre to achieve such inclusivity. Traditions though, like many things, may sometimes require reconsideration. The casting choice for the sisters is one of them. The aesthetic trope of a full figured actor for a ‘wicked/ugly’ sister has long been utilised for decades. It potentially becomes problematic when it is consistently associated with being reflective of a deficit in character. Perhaps this a little too political for something as buoyant as a panto, but it is worth considering (even just a little bit) this age old tradition’s impact.
That being said, this Cinderella is a slick, well performed and enchanting production that even the ardent non-panto lover can find entertaining.
Directed by: Michael Gyngell
Produced by Crossroads Pantomimes
