Just when there is a risk of pantomime fatigue, a spell is cast that blows away any such fear of fading enthusiasm.
Lesley Joseph brings more than a hint of mischievous Dorien Green to her wand-waving Fairy Godmother - not suffering fools gladly as she works her magic on both Cinders and the audience.
Along with the whole cast, Joseph is having a ball in this high energy production which strikes a perfect balance between comedy and spectacle.
From her glamorous arrival on a crescent moon to the hilarious hypnotising routine with Buttons and disguise as Amy Winehouse, Joseph maintains a mesmeric stage presence. Here is no saccharine-sweet Fairy Godmother, but one not afraid to play the comic card.
Matt Slack makes a dynamic Buttons whose anarchic antics blow away both kids and adults. Slack’s high voltage performance constantly hits the peaks of hilarity, with quick witted ad-libs, and a flair for accents allowing him to have fun with “Plymuff”.
Slack is nothing if not a robust cheeky chappie, and therein is his appeal - opportunist impishness on tap as he is saucy to everyone from the Ugly Sisters to the audience.
Laura Evans is an engaging Cinderella with a fine voice. David Robbins and Martin Ramsdin are the Ugly Sisters setting out their agenda from the start with their anthem A Man After Midnight, while Trevor Jary is Prince Charming and Kevin Brewis Dandini.
The cast’s chaotic and physically demanding take on The Twelve Days Of Christmas a comic gem in a jewelled production.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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