PANTOMIME is a quirky British theatrical tradition where men play women and visa versa, the cast dress up in sumptuous and outrageous costumes and everyone has a good time putting new twists on old tales – all to the delight of audiences who come along to boo, hiss and cheer.
A phenomenon not just confined to the big city stages to watch actors who have been gracing their TV screens all year but also in every town and village where citizens flock to watch and their friends, neighbours and family members slap on the lipstick, powder and paint and do the same in their local acting spaces.
With various degrees of success of course but all with a mission to bond and banter. It all started up in the late 17th century, where we took the posh Italian art of Commedia dell Arte and turned its harlequins and clowns into dames, princes and princesses, witches and wizards ghouls and ghosties.
Bromsgrove is lucky to have the talents of local theatre company ‘All & Sundry Productions’ to bring joy and laughter here for the festive season. All year long our neighbouring towns have laughed at our never-ending roadworks debacles now they can join us at the splendid Cobham Theatre and laugh with us not at us.
A&S Cinderella is directed and produced by Alison Berrisford , ably assisted by choreographer and co-director Martina Posonby who together have sprinkled fairy dust over the whole proceedings.
Audiences’ expectations get higher every year, they are not cognisant of local budgets and want their share of West End tinsel – well safe to say everyone went home happy.
The script has just the right balance of sauciness and sentimentality with catchy songs a few local jokes for the flavour. The costumes and settings were joyous and so were the special effects from a glittering Cinderella’s coach and horses to magical sparkling enchanted woods.
There is a strong cast of principals supported by excellent senior and junior ensembles and strong dancers including many from ‘The Stage Door Academy’.
Melody Hubbard heads up the company in the title role looking and sounding just perfect as Cinderella. Daisy Yarnold pulls it off as Price Charming and Emma Tarling makes a dapper Dandini.
David Mann is flawless as the hapless Baron Hardup, rich in voice and movement and is well served by Beth Ralley as his bossy wife the Baroness Hardup. Their ‘Anything You Can Do song is one of the show’s highlights. Their kids, the Ugly sisters, Fatina and Alitosis are a dumb and dastardly delight from Tony Madden and James Ralley.
Special shout out to Neil Lane who brings a laugh every time he enters as a Bromsgovian Fairy Godmother also, to Tristan Harris as Buttons who makes a majestic stage debut as the perfect ‘Buttons’. He might not get the girl, but he certainly gets the audience – no stopping him now – it’ll be from Buttons to the Bard.
Other parts included Zena Schtyk as Wallace and director Alison Berrisford stepping in as Grimace, Mickey Lewis as Major Domo and Poppy Ralley as Jenny.
Panto may be fun but it’s also very demanding. Putting all the hard work to the test is a daunting first performance debut – this Cinderella a suffered a technical restart which brought out sterling stuff from the All and Sundry troupers – it gained in confidence as the show went on and ended in the triumph, I am sure it will be so for the rest of the run.
Take a bow – in fact take them for the next 10 days – you deserve it
Cinderella runs at the Cobham Theatre at Bromsgrove School until December 23. Click here for times, tickets and more information.
Review by Euan Rose
Euan Rose Reviews
