FLAMBOYANT costumes, corny old jokes and men dressed as women.
This can only mean one thing. It’s panto time. The pantomime is as traditional in our family as opening the presents on Christmas Day so when we were kindly invited to Milton Keynes Theatre to see Cinderella as part of the Great Panto Review, my son and I were thrilled.
It opened with a puff of smoke as Anthea Turner arrived on stage playing the Fairy Godmother and we were also introduced to Cinderella (West End star Louise Dearman) and Buttons who was played by the experienced and shall I say comic genius that is Bobby Davro (yes, really).
Anthea had a feather duster as her magic wand, in a nod to her TV programme the Perfect Housewife.
She gave a little rhyme telling us which TV programmes she has been in (Blue Peter, GMTV in case you didn’t know) and set the scene for the start of Cinderella. Cinderella is the daughter of Baron Hardup from Hardup Hall.
They aren’t very rich, in fact quite poor (the clue’s in the name) and poor Cinderella sings and dances around in rags.
She has two sisters, two Ugly Sisters, who have just arrived back from America.
They decide they don’t like Cinderella and when the young Prince throws a ball in order to find the woman he met in the woods, these two sisters decide she cannot possibly go, and make her rip up her ticket.
Poor Cinderella. But brilliant entertainment.
The two Ugly Sisters (Chris Dennis and David Langham) in their fabulously over the top costumes (one of which includes a slice of orange as head wear in an amusing nod to the show’s sponsors, Robinsons) were great.
Some of their jokes are right on the edge but thankfully went straight over my son’s head. This is what pantomime is all about though. Jokes for the children and adults.
Then we have Baron Hardup played by the great Hollywood actor (apparently) Mickey Rooney. I say apparently as I’ve never heard of him (shame on me) but do remember seeing him recently in Night at the Museum.
Every now and again he shuffled onto the stage (bless him) said a few lines then disappeared again.
The Prince was played by Anthony Kavanagh (remember I Can Make You Feel Good?) but will normally be played by Ben Adams of A1 fame.
He was good but I enjoyed the performance of his man servant Dandini (Chris Nelson) immensely, most particularly in a song that got him hit, kicked and covered in soap suds (only in panto!).
Finally there was Buttons. Bobby Davro, well I had no idea.
This comic has been around for 20-odd years and he knows exactly what will make an audience laugh.
Some of his jokes are as old as the hills, some of them just reek of cheese with the addition of up to date cultural references BUT I had tears in my eyes from laughing so much.
Watch out for the fast and slow talking, my son’s favourite bit.
For me the funniest bits were when he was heckled or when things seemed to go wrong. But then he probably meant to do these things, making it look like a hilarious mistake.
Whatever, he still got big laughs.
But it wasn’t just the jokes. The scenery looked magical at times and the prettiness of the end of Act One made me a little emotional. My son also stated that he enjoyed the dancing. For me it was a perfect panto.
Just watch out for the kangaroo.
Fact Box
Cinderella Milton Keynes Theatre Now until Sunday 17 January 2010 Tickets range from £17 - £29 depending on performance time and seating.
This post is part of the Have A Lovely Time 'Great British Panto' Review. Milton Keynes Theatre very kindly gave me, my son and two friends (who loved it as much as we did) the opportunity to see their show and as a thank you I have made a donation to NACCPO. Please consider doing the same as a Christmas boost for a charity which does fantastic work but has very limited resources. You can do this by visiting our JustGiving page.
Comments