Cinderella

Report

Author: Roger D. Buist

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, it’s panto time! And this society brought their wonderful fairy tale production to the stage. There were some very clever touches to this traditional story line and this made the telling of this tale extremely refreshing. Cheers were reserved for the appealing and attractive Cinderella, played tenderly and lovingly by Ellen Ryder, who looked the part and, cheers also, for everybody’s hero, the likeable Buttons, who won the audience’s heart but, alas did not win the heart of Cinderella! Keiron Bole was at his boyish best in this role and carried it off with great self-confidence. More cheers were kept for Prince Charming and his side-kick, Dandini. Both Fiona McRobbie and Zoe Glenn were truly traditional panto Principal Boys, and both were strutting and striding around and slapping their thighs in time-honoured tradition. Of course, everyone should like the Fairy Godmother and Tamsin Holbrook was a vision of loveliness in traditional white dress and tiara complete with the ubiquitous magic wand. And Hamish the Dancing Horse (Sharon McLaren and Ewan Cassidy) received the plaudits too. Then there were the boos! They came loud and clear for the gruesome twosome, the Ugly Sisters, two pains who came in the formidable shape of Ewan Phillip (Haemorrhoid) and Thomas Richmond (Verucca). They cavorted about the stage in all sorts of manner with ghosts, custard pies, and, hilariously, at the Royal Ball when attempting to impress Dandini! These “girls” got up to all sorts of comic nastiness, aided and abetted by the equally bad stepmother, a slimy, sneaky, Jude Vandecasteele, who also took great delight picking on her husband, a hen-pecked Baron Hardup (Nick Browne). Panto is a great way to introduce youngsters to the stage and the society had them in abundance. All showed their prowess at the Royal Hunt dressed as foxes and, later, the older ones showing their ballet talents. The traditional transformation scene was an absolute cracker – the audience had to wear special 3D glasses in order to watch the scene unfold brilliantly before them to a beautifully costumed white and red winter scene complete with Royal Coach. We all had sore throats as we left the theatre after a magical night out. And that’s what panto is all about!