Cinderella theatre review: The excitement of a Christmas pantomime is thrilling, the delight and expectation of what is about to happen in are palpable. The murmur of children’s expectant chat about the princesses, singing and dancing, the costume and the thrill of seeing a pantomime as they wait for the auditorium lights to dim is great.
Credit: Ian Olsson Photography
The production is colourful and packed with songs, dance and comedy. The set is appealing as the scene moves from town square to the forest, to kitchen and palace combined with the costumes you have a stage that is a riot of colour and energy.
Sophie Isaacs portrays a beautiful Cinderella who will fulfil every girls’ dream of what a princess should be like. Prince Charming (Oliver Saville) and Dandini (Chris Jenkins) were perfectly cast and Prince Charming and Cinderella’s scene in the Enchanted Forest was very entertaining and they worked perfectly together. Baron Hardup (Paul Chuckle) and Buttons (Phil Butler) worked the audience skillfully and carried the adults and children along with him with their eager responses and ready laughter. The jokes were good, touching the boundary of innuendo but raising lots of laughs with great comic timing. The Fairy Godmother (Lila McConigley) shimmered from head to toe as she enabled Cinderella to fly off to the ball in a truly fairytale silver sparkling coach and horses.
Craig Revel Horwood is entertaining and fabulous as he embraced the role of the slightly villainous Baroness Hardup. Unfortunately, the audience was not treated to the delights of his dancing until after the interval. The only minor point was that the comedy between the ugly sisters and the Baroness missed occasionally.
This was a very enchanting pantomime, which had a very strong cast who created a magical story. The cast worked hard to engage with the audience and they generated lots of laughs. This production had all the hallmarks of a good pantomime and one that children will definitely enjoy.
Cinderella is running at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking until Sunday 6th January 2019.
