Abi Kara-Fernandes
Abi reviews this year’s Christmas pantomime Cinderella at the Nottingham Playhouse, available On Demand.
Nottingham Playhouse’s Christmas pantomime Cinderella is the perfect dose of cheesy jokes and magic that we could all use now more than ever. Despite unfortunately having to take place On Demand this year, the cast still managed to succeed in giving a performance that shone just as bright as the sparkling set!
This adaptation of the family favourite Cinderella remains as topical as ever
Kicking off with a rendition of The Greatest Show, the production that followed did not disappoint. Written and directed by Adam Penford, this adaptation of the family favourite Cinderella remains as topical as ever, even having the odd COVID related joke here and there, as well as the cleverly named Baroness Kim (Sara Poyzer) and her daughters Kourtney and Kylie. Portrayed hilariously by John Elkington and Tom Hopcroft, they truly bring a touch of glamour to the usual ugly stepsister name. This of course could not be done without the help of the extravagant costumes they don, designed by Morgan Brind. These include impressive burger and cake suits, as well as matching orange and pink fur jackets for the pair, that I am not ashamed to say made me very jealous.
Brind’s skill at tailoring is further demonstrated when, with a touch of magic, Cinderella (Gabrielle Brooks) transforms in front of your eyes from rags to a beautiful white ball gown, before travelling to the ball in a golden carriage driven by flying horses. And yes, they really do fly! This scene is made complete by Poyzer, who also plays the fairy godmother, and Brooks’ harmonious delivery of Whitney Houston’s One Moment in Time.
You can truly see the cast enjoying themselves
Brook’s vocals shine throughout the show, proving particularly captivating when paired with David Albury, as Cinderella and the Prince give a romantic performance of Just The Way You Are. This is to name just a few of the wonderful songs that make up this hit playlist from musical director John Morton, that perfectly accompanies the captivating acting and choreography, where you can truly see the cast enjoying themselves.
Starting at the Nottingham Goose Fair we all missed out on this year, and with plenty of ay up ducks, allow this pantomime to truly immerse yourself in the Christmas, and Nottingham, spirit. As Cinderella reminds us in a wholesome ending, “look after yourselves and those you hold dear”.
Abi Kara-Fernandes
Featured image courtesy of Pamela Raith (@peachyraith on Instagram) via Nottingham Playhouse. Permission to use image granted to Impact by Nottingham Playhouse.
In article images courtesy of @nottmplayhouse via Instagram. No changes were made to these images.
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