Cinderella

It’s summer, it’s hot, the kids have worn out all the new Xmas toys and you in the bargain. They’ve seen every movie, used up all their phone credit and they are starting the litany of “I’m boreds”.

You could do a lot worse than introduce them to a good old fashioned panto – a huge dollop of fun, farce and fantasy where they get to laugh, boo, hiss and shout out things in their normal outside voices .

This local production is pitched at all the family and is a barrel of laughs. Joint New Zealand producers Amici Productions and Caught Jesters Theatre Company have brought together a professional cast of seasoned performers with some talented youngsters just starting out in pro theatre.

Cinderella tells, of course, yet another  tale as old as time, but this version by New Zealand Playwright Roger Hall has very cleverly injected a classic with a New Zealand flavor and the modern world with plenty of local references and entendres that will keep the adults amused.

The Ugly Step Sisters, played by Ian Fenwick and Paul Barrett, are now appropriately named Brittney and Angelina and they are suitably ugly, bullying, relentless and very funny.

Rebecca Wright and Cameron Clayton make a beautiful Cinderella and handsome Prince Charming and are refreshingly natural and sing and dance with great style and talent.

Alison Quiganfrom Shortland St weaves it all together as The Fairy Godmother and Clayton Curnow is a standout as part of the hilarious duo FImble and Fumble, aided and abetted in creating mayhem by Joseph Quinn. A solid supporting principal cast of Geoffrey Hughes (Cinder’s long suffering Dad) and a feisty Stacey Musham (Dan Dini), is rounded out by the talented young ensemble who are highly energetic and entertaining.

The cartoonish set is larger than life, the costumes and wigs are suitably glam and the prop cakes made this audience member, who had missed dinner, extremely peckish.

Director Adey Ramsel demonstrates his understanding and obvious love of the genre with a skill only learnt from a wealth of experience as a young actor in British pantomimes. Multi talented Choreographer Val Hemphill, similarly experienced in panto, creates dance that is at times balletic and comedic and of course her signature - a tap number. Music Director Robyn Kennerley is challenged by the lack of an orchestra, which would have rounded out some of the company numbers, however ably assisted by Robin Kelly she succeeds in creating a spirited accompaniment to the show.

Audiences who love interactive theatre will not be shy in participating in the fun. Grab some kids and revisit your childhood and remember the times when we all just laughed because things were silly and life wasn’t such a serious business.

It’s is a challenge to find theatre suitable for the whole family – all generations will enjoy this reasonably priced treat – worth every penny to hear the happy laughter of kids and their adults all sharing  a memorable night of great big fun.

Pauline Vella

Image – Cinderella’s Ugly sisters Paul Barrett and Ian Fenwick. Photographer: Rachel Wiseman.