Cinderella review
Superlative traditional pantomime grounded in romance and drama
Actor, producer and director Simon Fielding may have stopped performing in his pantomimes three years ago, but his productions have lost none of their energy or invention. This one, written by Neil Hurst, continues the trend.
It’s a romantic saga in which we meet Cinders, restyled as Ella, both as a child at her father’s funeral and years later, meeting the disguised Prince. These moments become turning points in a story that plays out in vivid colours, dynamic choreography and song. Fielding doesn’t shy away from investing in the inherent drama of the story. But that’s not to say there aren’t also moments of stupendous silliness, mainly thanks to Ian Hallard and Stewart Briggs, both glorious as stepsisters Annie and Fanny.
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The romance between Alice Hoult’s winsome Ella and Jack Speck’s Prince is earnest, playful and drives the narrative. There is also a surprising, tentative tenderness between Aaron Bladen’s Dandini and Luke Ward-Wilkinson’s achingly earnest Buttons. It’s beautifully written and played, weaving another layer into the fabric of the tale and rendering it even more engaging.
Tthere is perhaps no better pantomime villain than the inimitable Sophie Ladds, and as the Baroness, she conjures a restrained menace that is utterly chilling, her tongue almost as sharp as her comic timing. With music ranging from Sondheim to Dua Lipa and a transformation scene guaranteed to fill the kids with wonder, this is a shining example of how old-school pantomime can still enchant modern audiences.
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