Review: CINDERELLA, The Alban Arena
Photo credit: Pamela Raith
It’s pantomime time Besties, and with not one, but two panto dames gracing the stage at The Alban Arena this year, Cinderella delivers laughs-a-plenty.
St Albans favourites Golding (yes he’s back!) and Kirkby do not disappoint as the Ugly Sisters. Their outlandish costumes, physical comedy, and punchy one-liners certainly set the pace for this humour packed show.
The whole cast look like they’re having great fun. The sisters are joined by the warm Oliver Scott as Buttons, and zany Damian Patton as Dandini; his familial link to the Chuckle Brothers evident from the off as he ricochets around the stage.
Bessy Ewa shines as Cinderella with a powerful vocal, well matched by the talented George Shelley. Their duets are a highlight and Shelley’s version of ‘Feeling Good’ is show-stoppingly good. As Prince Charming, he has the youngsters in the audience rolling with laughter with his ‘skibidi toilet’ and ‘sigma’ quips. It’s funny to see a joke going over the heads of the older audience members for a change (with many the other way round too, of course!)
Samantha Womack, as Fairy in Training, is a steady Narrator; her dry humour keeping the story on track with the help of the talented band led by ‘Uncle’ Matt Mellor and the ensemble villagers, who showcase their impressive dancing skills.
The real triumph in this panto is the script. Whilst remaining faithful to the well loved plot-line, the panto is brought right up to date with a wonderfully modern and much more realistic twist. There’s also some empowering messaging reminding the predominantly young audience that a woman doesn’t need a man to validate her existence. It is delivered neatly, without a hint of preachiness, and lands well. Husband and wife team Paul Hendy and Emily Wood are the brains behind these smart tweaks, bringing the well loved rags to riches tale up to date, without losing the heart of the story.
Packed with plenty of traditional panto gems (who doesn’t love a ghost gag bench) and the welcome modern twist, this version of Cinderella delivers upbeat songs, strong vocals, and gag after gag after gag.
An absolute masterclass in panto!
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Cara Brazier
Cinderella plays at The Alban Arena until 12 January 2025, with further info here.