Exquisitely designed, revelling in innocence and full of fun, Cinderella is the deluxe Glasgow pantomime.
As Buttons, Gerard Kelly runs the show, gathering up the children’s sympathy and enthusiasm while Karen Dunbar’s double turn as Fairy Godmother and Wicked Stepmother allows her to play nasty and nice in her own indomitable manner.
The plot seems to be a distraction - if the duets between Kate Robson-Stuart (Cinderella) and her Prince Charming Michael Howard become sing-alongs, their dialogue is ignored. The big dance numbers, like the party that begins Act II, are greeted with roars of delight and the re-interpretations of pop hits are accompanied by the ecstatic audience. The action rattles along, pausing occasionally on the apron to permit spectacular scene changes.
From Ian Waller’s choreography, which is tinged with Scottish country dancing, through to Irvin Duguid’s crafty musical direction, Cinderella is an all-action romp. It doesn’t always leave much space for the actors - the ugly sisters have limited chances to shine and Dunbar’s Fairy Godmother is functional rather than original - but it works the school groups and excited parents, building to the Button’s sing-along and the spectacular finale. Cinderella is great old-fashioned entertainment, nostalgic without loosing a contemporary edge.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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