This is our review of Cinderella at St. Helens Theatre Royal. So, let’s take a look at Cinderella!
Synopsis Of Cinderella
Cinderella is a beautiful girl that lives her life in servitude to her two ugly step-sisters. With the help of her fairy godmother and friend Buttons, Cinderella is granted an invitation to the grand ball at the palace. With a little magic, she becomes the bell of the ball, but at the stroke of midnight will Cinder’s dreams crumble at the seams?
This show stars Kimberly Hart-Simpson as Cinderella, Jamie Leahey, and Chuck as Specialty Act. There’s also Jon Courtenay as Dandini, Joe Sleight as Prince Charming, and Rachael Wood as Fairy Godmother. Not forgetting Lewis Devine as Buttons and Kristopher Bosch and Richard Aucott as the Ugly Stepsisters.
Analysis Of Cinderella
Regal Entertainment’s performance of Cinderella is a joy to watch. The whole show is hilarious and contains many jokes for parents that go over the heads of the children. One particularly funny moment is during the scene between Dandini (Jon Courtenay) and Buttons (Lewis Devine) when they’re passing a parcel between them.
Between the sound effects and the comedic timing, the actors and audience on press night were in fits of laughter. By the time Jamie Leahey came on stage with Chuck, he was unable to say his lines because he was laughing so much at the pair on stage with him. All the errors within the performance lead to hilarious moments and make the show even more entertaining.
Outfits
The staging and outfits are just as extravagant as you would expect from a pantomime. Alongside this, the choreography is wonderful and performed beautifully by all performers on stage. There are plenty of modern and classic pop songs throughout the show, including TikTok references to keep all ages engaged. Additionally, the characters often reference local areas, with lines such as, ‘the Princess of Parr’, which always gets a laugh from the audience.
Comedy
During the show, the audience is treated to wonderful comedy acts and dance numbers. Jon Courtenay writes and performs his own Christmas pantomime song, and Jamie Leahey and Chuck perform a comedy act and song. The audience is thrilled to support both acts, though obvious favouritism can be seen for new up-and-coming local celebrity Jamie Leahey. There are also appearances from real Shetland ponies!
In the second half of the production, the audience is thrilled to see the return of the alternative version of the Christmas song ‘5 Gold Rings’, reimagined as ‘5 Toilet Rolls’. The technical mishaps and staging of this scene are hilarious, paired with wonderful audience interaction. This is a classic part of St Helens’ pantomimes which is much loved and enjoyed by all.
Summary Of Cinderella
In closing, this production is a wonderful spectacle that captures all the key elements of a classic pantomime. The audience is captivated throughout and leaves the theatre feeling festive and well-entertained. Everyone partaking in the show plays their part well, including the talented chorus. This classic Cinderella pantomime is not to be missed!
