Review: CINDERELLA, Theatre Royal Windsor
Photo credit: Jack Merriman
The Theatre Royal Windsor claims to be one of the longest consecutive year pantomime venues in the country at 87 productions and this year stages a very traditional version of Cinderella, incorporating all of the expected elements in a fast-paced show that concludes in just a shade over two hours. It is the perfect introduction to pantomime for the young residents of Berkshire, and they respond loudly to every encouragement, especially a reference to the internet meme 6-7, which we are sure will feature in many shows this year!
For the adults, Kevin Cruise as Buttons leads a succession of routines based on Eighties music including ‘Come on Eileen’ and ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, an audience participation song in ‘The Hokey Cokey’ and a songsheet of ‘The Birdie Song’ with four children. It creates a party atmosphere, and the regular audience obviously enjoy his personality and stage presence. Equally, the expectation that they will perform the ‘12 Days of Christmas’ means that the chaotic mayhem of their delivery is greeted with delight. In a 97-show run, you simply have to admire the energy and commitment that the routine requires.
The rest of the cast function as an ensemble around Buttons, sharing their moments in the limelight. Michael Praed in the role of Baron Hardup has great fun with a good running gag about being in Robin Hood, and even if you don’t recall him starring in the 1984 TV series Robin of Sherwood, the gag still works. Hilary O’Neil adds to the role of Fairy Godmother with her impressions of Catherine Tate’s Nan in the woods and then a clever routine in a half and half costume as Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman at the Ball. Steven Blakeley as Lav delivers a fun reprise of a Dirty Dancing routine to ‘(I’ve had) The Time Of My Life’ with Cruise, and is joined by Jeffery Harmer as Potti in the ‘12 Days’ and ghost routines. Together, they also have fun with another running gag about a Jet2 holiday advert, which really should have been paid for by the holiday company!
The ensemble of eight dancers are excellent and are well integrated into the scenes with some very good choreography by one of their number, Isabella Everett, from the opening medley though the ‘Masquerade’ opening to Act 2 and a joyous finale. Together with some attractive settings from Evolution, they create the traditional scenes we expect in the title. To add to that, the flying horse and carriage from Burnt Toast SFX earns gasps of delight as Cinderella (Brogan McFarlane) flies out over the front rows of the Stalls.
This is a familiar telling of the story, with little innovation or original ideas and plenty of very old well-worn gags, and the cast acknowledge when one asks, “Where did it all go wrong?” to elicit the response “the script”! They do include topical references to Rachel Reeves, Frogmore, and Traitors and digs at the local areas of Maidenhead and Taplow, but they could have done more. Yet the real test of any pantomime is the audience reaction and the full house, both young and old, clearly enjoy themselves and show genuine appreciation at the end. That shows that the experience of 87 years, the last seventeen with Blakeley and last sixteen with Cruise, delivers a show that satisfies the local audience and will keep them coming back for more.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Nick Wayne
Cinderella plays at Theatre Royal Windsor until 11 January, with further info here.