Cinderella (Birmingham Hippodrome)

It’s Panto Time again and Birmingham Hippodrome already have the bar set incredibly high after recent years, so there is a big challenge for Qdos Entertainment to bring something bigger, better and bolder than before. Can they do that would have been the question and the answer is .......... of course they can with everything from a flying horse carriage to a star-studded cast this is a couple of hours you should seriously take to lose yourself in the entertainment phenomenon that is pantomime.

Back for his fifth appearance and with a sixth already sealed is the spectacular comedy appeal of Matt Slack, if anybody was put on this planet for pantomime it’s Matt, audience appeal, quick witted responses and a hit with the youngsters (even if the odd joke goes straight over their heads).

You can’t stage a show of this stature without a top class songstress and they don't come with a higher pedigree than this Fairy Godmother in the form of soul diva Beverley Knight. Along with song must of course come dance and Prince Charming is the immensely popular and talented Danny Mac, able to show off his ‘strictly’ talents throughout the production (special mention to Samantha Webb from the ensemble cast who partners Danny in the big dance numbers, proving what a depth of talent there is in the dance profession).

Suzanne Shaw brings a whole world of charm in the title role, nobody can fail to empathise with her position under the thumb of her disagreeable sisters, played with delightful despicability by Ceri Dupree and David Dale adorned with some out of this world costumes that require a special talent to sport.

Stalwarts of the World of Panto as The Broker’s Men are The Grumbleweeds, now just the original himself Robin Colvill and his new partner in crime James Brandon, these guys are a perfect partnership with the insanely funny antics of Robin and some golden vocals from James (anybody who can hold his own in a duet with Beverley Knight has a classy voice).

Directed by Michael Harrison, Choreographed by Alan Harding and with Musical Direction by Robert Willis, this is a Panto that has raised that bar as high as the flying horse-drawn carriage that Cinders goes to the Prince’s Ball in and runs until 28th January 2018.


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