'Cinderella' Review
Venue: Richmond Theatre
Dates: 03 Dec 2021 - 02 Jan 2022
Tickets: From £13
OUR VERDICT:
Anton Du Beke was always going to be a stylish choice for playing Buttons in Cinderella.
The comedic bridge between the action, galvanising the audience and mollifying the Ugly Sisters on stage, his special brand of genial charm, seen to such good effect recently as a judge on Strictly deployed to delightful effect here, in his panto debut.
Pining with unrequited devotion to Cinderella at Hard-Up Hall, ( a charming Oonagh Cox, fresh from drama school) Du Beke has a naturally droll manner, pitch-perfect for panto land, oozing so much benevolent good humour that even the Ugly Sisters ( a suitably monstrous David Dale & Bobby Delaney) thaw towards him in the second half.
He has a great skit here acting out song lyrics fed by the Sisters and is on naughty, sparkling form, bopping and gyrating away to his heart’s content; its energy replicated in the frenetic Twelve Days of Christmas routine which seems to be a modern panto staple as half the cast race around the stage complete with assorted bizarre objects, belting out a vaguely recognisable version of the festive favourite. Swinging toilet rolls aloft with Rosemary Ashe’s fizzy Fairy Godmother and the gleeful Sisters, Du Beke is on fine form.
It’s a streamlined, slickly directed version of Cinderella on offer this Christmas, complete with magical snow falling as Cinders reaches the Ball and a pair of enchanting miniature white ponies on hand ( or hoof!) to pull her coach towards its fairytale destiny. Everyone in the cast performs with real gusto: Prince Charming (Edward Chitticks) is suitably heroic, the Ugly Sisters proclaim “we’re drop-dead gorgeous we are” to great mirth in their succession of increasingly outlandish apparel; full of fun and seasonal cheer, it’s an all-round winner.
