If there is one title that defines Christmas pantomime, it is the classic story of Cinderella, which has all the essential elements of a great comic character in Buttons, a strong narrative around the principal boy and girl, and the best transformation scene of any title. We know every aspect of the title so you meddle with the narrative at great risk as the families returning to see the show have clear expectations of what they will experience. Iain Lauchlan, the script writer of this year’s Crewe Lyceum Cinderella, does not take many risks but his key element of combining the Fairy Godmother with a dame, who plays chef Fanny and beauty consultant Nicola to give local favourite Malcolm Lord (in his 7th consecutive at Crewe and 35th career pantomime) more stage time, works brilliantly. He does dispense with Baron Hardup and reduces Baroness Hardup to a voiceover but these characters are often superfluous.

Malcolm Lord is magnificent in all three roles demonstrating all his experience in engaging‘ the audience in gentle adult innuendo, knowing glances and moreover, knowing when to step back in the routines to let others have their comic moments, and timing his own interventions perfectly. His little wave to the audience on every entrance in a different guise is a lovely touch. He works well with Ste Johnson, returning to the venue, as Buttons who has an easy charm, engaging the audience who respond beautifully to audience shout outs. Together, they deliver an amusing chocolate bar pun run, pointing and revelling in each gag. They also work well in the slosh scene applying a beauty serum with the two Ugly Sisters, Eleanor Burke as Aroma and Jordan Cambridge-Taylor as Flatula, with plenty of exaggerated sliding across the stage to generate the laughs. When Buttons joins the Sisters on the conveniently placed bench in the haunted woods, it is refreshing to have a different ending. And, of course, it is a delight to see Buttons chatting to four kids in the traditional songsheet, which not every show has reintroduced post Covid. These essential pieces of comic pantomime business are delivered with charm, are carefully paced and provide memorable highlights of the show .

Eve Parsons makes an impressive professional post drama school pantomime debut as a Scottish Cinderella looking every inch the part and matching up well with Matt Terry’s Prince Charming, especially in ‘Starlight’ and ‘Shut Up and Dance’. As they should be, the essential scenes of the carriage to the Ball, midnight clock strike and slipper trying on are all traditionally staged with just enough magic to be special. The transformation from kitchen into the carriage is simply and elegantly staged, with the flying mechanical horse and carriage to end Act One beautifully lit to create the illusion.

Throughout, the Adult and Junior Ensembles are well integrated into the storytelling and are used to cover scene changes including a lovely mouse ballet for that transformation. The Junior Ensemble also combine well with Buttons in a charming moment of ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’. No one dominates the production but together they create a team feeling with one intention: to entertain the Crewe audiences and they achieve this in a very well judged running time of just under two hours excluding, as Buttons says, the best bit in the middle, the interval! It is indeed a magical family pantomime.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Nick Wayne

Cinderella plays at Crewe Lyceum until 31 December, with further information here.