Reviewed by Bliss Warland-Edge
Disclaimer: tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
Disclaimer: tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
Nottingham Playhouse’s dazzling 2023 production of Cinderella packs an incredibly festive punch with sparky puns, gravity defying special effects and electrifying musical numbers that cast a spell on the audience. This is not your grandmother’s pantomime!
Jewelle Hutchinson and Young Chorus on stage in Cinderella. Photo by Pamela Raith. |
Redmond’s extensive acting career is obvious from her bold and captivating stage presence in not one but two roles- not to mention elegantly carrying off a green and zebra print get-up with matching green headdress in a surprisingly casual manner. If one team had to be commended from this production, it is without doubt the Costume team, supervised by Emilie Carter. The crown jewels in those designs have tobe summarised with only two words in describing the stepsister’s costumes in this production: show stoppers! Not only would Inspector Gadget feel envy for these incredible feats of engineering, but the chic style and elevation revealed by the hilarious Rose and Violet would inspire Ru Paul’s queens for decades to come.
John Elkington and Tom Hopcroft on stage in Cinderella. Photo by Pamela Raith. |
The golden shining thread tying this production together from start to finish has to be in the humour; from the fun call-and-response for the kids, to the witty puns for the adults, all the while throwing in regular high-brow and low-brow topical references to uproarious laughter from the audience. It is clear that Writer and Director Adam Penford knew how to meet the comedic needs of every type of audience member, with a packed theatre warbling along and chanting the panto phrases by the end, with adults laughing at the most childish low hanging fruit, due to the jovial lightness and the thoughtful local references within the production.
After an understated entrance, our Cinderella wows the audience with effortless powerful renditions in Act Two and a quick-change moment that would rival a runway reveal. In addition to visions of the splashy psychedelic set designs, these memorable moments culminate in a breathtaking, had-to-be-seen-to-be-believed flying horse and carriage being literally lifted to fly over the audience, Hutchinson and Hendrix and all! Forget shiny lycra and campy extravagance, this high class, high budget, innovative and high-brow panto literally reminds the audience what truly makes the magic of theatre.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cinderella plays at Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 13th January 2024. Tickets are available from https://nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/
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