CINDERELLA To 3 January.
Basingstoke.
CINDERELLA
by Andy Ryan.
The Anvil To 3 January 2010.
Runs 2hr 35min One interval.
TICKETS: 01256 844244.
www.anvilarts.org.uk
Review Mark Courtice 11 December.
Christmas staple.
Cinderella's origins are in a rather more gruesome tale than the panto favourite we most often see now. The Grimm brothers included such charming details as the sisters cutting slices off their feet to fit the glass slipper, and birds pecking their eyes out. At Basingstoke there is little fear of such rough stuff in this bland version of the family staple.
Writer Andy Ryan uses the plainly told story as a frame on which to hang the usual routines and some decent singing of modern pop numbers that are sensibly not allowed to go on too long. Things are efficiently delivered, although the transformations could have a bit more excitement.
Jamie Rickers and Anna Williamson are colleagues on children's TV so they are instantly recognisable to their young audience and they do well in making contact with them; unusually the cringe-making front cloth scene with youngsters from the audience is here handled with tact and skill. Both sing well, and work hard; and while he is more than capable as the cheeky chappie, she gives Cinderella warmth and charm and, despite being hampered by a broken ankle when I saw it, energy.
As the Ugly Sisters Byron Mondahl and David Ball are physically perfectly matched, the former almost spherical and the latter tall and as thin as a whip. Both are authentically horrible; like their outlandish costumes they are loud and brash, but there isn't much irony or warmth here.
While the sets are workmanlike, the costumes have real pizzazz. Often splendidly flouncy (Sam Cassidy’s charming Prince Charming has some that define the word camp) they are all glittery, detailed and glamorous. Director Ian Good creates effective moments on stage that make the most of these visual resources.
With a Dandini who really can sing, and a Fairy Godmother who doesn't take herself too seriously there is capability in depth here. There are live musicians and real ponies, also an energetic and bustling company - however in the end this re-telling of an old favourite is more competent than spectacular.
Fairy Godmother: Sonia.
Cinderella: Anna Williamson.
Baron Hardup: David Oakley.
Ugly Sister Lily: Byron Mondahl.
Ugly Sister Daisy: David Ball
Buttons: Jamie Rickers.
Prince Charming: Sam Cassidy.
Dandini: Gavin Lee Rees.
Villagers: Hannah Cove, Will Keith, Jamie Papanicolaou, Hannah Piasecki, Lydia Thompson, Victoria Walker.
Children from The Basingstoke Academy of Dancing and Kelly Hopkins Theatre Arts.
Director Ian Good.
Musical Director: Martyn Cooper.
Choreographer Graeme Henderson.
2009-12-14 01:17:53