CINDERELLA. Theatre Royal Nottingham to 18 January.
Nottingham.
CINDERELLA.
Theatre Royal To 18 January 2009.
Performance times: Varies, 1.30pm, 2pm, 2.30pm, 5.30pm, 7.15pm (check with box office).
no performance 8, 11, 18, 25 Dec, 1, 5, 12 Jan.
Audio-described: 2pm 4, 7.15pm 9 Jan.
BSL Signed: 2pm 11, 1.30pm 14, 7.15pm 16 Jan.
Captioned: 2.30pm 17 Jan.
Runs 2hr 30min One interval.
TICKETS: 0115 989 5555.
www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk
Review: Alan Geary 6 December.
Laughs, glamour, spectacle and song and dance: it’s a great show - with reservations.
You have to have some important reservations, but this Cinderella is, on the whole, everything a pantomime should be. There are truly lavish costumes and sets, and amazing variety as it moves from one engaging scene to the next.
There's no time for a messy routine but all the other tried and trusted elements are in place. For instance, Peter Robbins and Nigel Ellacott treated us to a splendid pair of Ugly Sisters, Trinny and Susannah.
Brian Conley, as Buttons, is billed as the star and undoubtedly is. His performance is polished, beautifully timed, funny, and knowing. Like many good comics, Conley has a camp grace: he is a guttural-voiced combination of Tommy Cooper, Bruce Forsyth and Bob Monkhouse.
With its innuendo and sexual references, this Buttons seems to be pitched mostly at adults. “Why don’t you grow up, Stupid?” asked Cinders, to which he replies “I have grown up stupid!”. But you feel he's far from stupid.
Conley is often on the edge of being a confrontational stand-up. When some chosen kiddies are up on stage your toes curl for fear one of them, or Conley, would swear or something. He moves his charges about and looks at the audience much as Hughie Green used to do on the telly.
Also not massively likeable is the Fairy’s (Denise Pitter) throwaway Deep South accent, which, particularly during an over-noisy opening scene, becomes almost impenetrable. Nevertheless, in a show with some super musical numbers, Pitter’s singing voice is outstanding.
Dawson Chance, as Baron Hardup, partnered by Willy the Turtle, is great entertainment as a bad - actually very good - ventriloquist. So are Dean Chisnall and Eaton James as Prince Charming and sidekick Dandini. They are full-blooded individuals; at one point treating us to an excellent piece of swordplay.
Importantly, Michelle Potter’s Cinderella is also a strong, well-defined character, who in her ball-gown looks a lot like Grace Kelly.
At the risk of sounding reactionary though, whilst the earthy bits of the script go safely over the heads of the tiniest tinies, too much of it is inappropriate for older children.
Buttons: Brian Conley.
Fairy: Denise Pitter.
Baron Hardup: Dawson Chance.
Cinderella: Michelle Potter.
Trinny: Peter Robbins.
Susannah: Nigel Ellacott.
Prince Charming: Dean Chisnall.
Dandini: Eaton James.
Villagers, Guests at Ball etc: Tony James Anderson, Lorna Bullivant, Gemma Formaston, Sergio Giacomelli, Aaron Sweeney Harris, Nathan Holliday, Jessica Hosken, Hayley Ellen Scott.
Juveniles: The Theatre Royal Babes (arranged by Greer Shepard).
Director: Paul Elliot
Lighting Design: David W Kidd.
Musical Director: Jon Ranger.
Co-Director/Choreographer: Paul Robinson.
2008-12-08 00:39:16