It’s panto season again. Oh yes, it is. Oh no, it isn’t. And a packed Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond laughed its Santa-themed socks off for two hours of festive fun and frolics.#
Written by theatre chief executive Jo Mawhinney and her son Jake, Cinderella is a timeless classic of the panto season.
Cinderella was actually an Italian or French folk tale from the 17th century although there is plenty of evidence to support the claim that it was originally an ancient Greek story, first penned before the birth of Christ.
When it was written isn’t important, but what is remains the enduring tale of a poor, young girl forced into servitude by her cruel stepmothers and stepsisters. But with a sprinkling of magical help provided by Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother she gets to attend a royal ball, where the handsome Prince, usually a charming one, instantly falls in love.
Cinders (Lucy Booton) has to be home by midnight and loses a glass slipper in her dash from the ball, only for the Prince to find the shoe.
Needless to say he eventually locates the rightful owner as only Cinderella’s dainty foot fits the slipper. All is well, with our heroine saved by her Prince, except this ending has a different twist.
Also directed by Jo Mawhinney, Cinderella had plenty of modern-day gags more in tune with today’s audiences including several belters, with perhaps the best when Cinderella flees from the royal ball on the stroke of midnight. “But Wetherspoon’s is open until 1am,” insisted Prince Charming (Jack McGarry).
The Fairy Godmother (Sally Ann Staunton) and Buttons (Matthew Fordy) work in tandem for Cinderella’s benefit, taking pity on her during the early stages of the story.
And of course there is the Wicked Stepmother (Dan Cockett) and the Stepsisters (Joshua Payne and Aidan Macfarlane), with the latter duo also supplying the accompanying music.
The Wicked Stepmother is roundly booed every time she takes to the stage by a sold-out audience which loved the characters and truly got into the spirit.
A touching moment was when a little girl from the crowd was invited to the stage to help with a musical number. She came from Ireland and when asked how old she was, replied as only a child could. “I’m five…… and three-quarters,” she said. Cue aaahhhs all round.
We travelled from the enchanted forest to the Wicked Stepmother’s kitchen to the rooftops before the Prince held his shindig at the Grand Ball. There Cinderella and the Prince meet before the wedding finale with a difference.
Costumes, lighting and choreography were all excellent and the clever touch of mobile phone messages from Cinderella’s father (Dominic Goodwin) added a little more magic to proceedings.
Go and attend and get ready for a fairytale adventure. Oh yes, it is.
Comments are closed.
The cast and writers deserve credit for updating the standard panto format. Although the show did miss the Scouse wit of long- serving Dame, Mark O’Connor, who’d been a fixture at The Georgian, – a skillful double act by Prince Charming and Buttons kept the show sharp, funny and modern. There were some lovely touches – carefully scripted but also some clever and subversive ad libs. Prince Charming – Jack McGarry- in particular brought a touch of class and polish to the production. He has star quality in spades. And the children who came with us absolutely loved the hard-working ugly sisters , who doubled as the house band and added some wacky comic touches – almost as if Vic and Bob were mucking about in the orchestra pit. We loved it : a very different vibe to previous years, but it felt modern, relevant and enormous fun whilst staying faithful to the spirit of a traditional panto. A great show and a big hand to all involved.