'Cinderella' Review
Jane McGowan enjoys a show that brings more than touch of wonder to Woking.
Venue: The New Victoria Theatre. Get directions.
Our verdict:
A pantomime at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking is always something to celebrate and this year’s offering does not disappoint.
Starring comedy legend-turned-musical-theatre-star-turned-EastEnders bad boy Brian Conley this is traditional festive fare at its best that kept the audience laughing, clapping and groaning in equal measure.
The plot follows the one we all know and love and thankfully, there are no deviations to shoehorn in a special effect or particular cast member’s talent.
As Buttons, Conley may be at the more mature end of the spectrum, but his affection for Cinderella is played as that of a friendly (but not too friendly) uncle, rather than a thwarted lover.
Pantomime is one of the areas that has had to reassess its format in recent years, with many aspects feeling outdated in today’s society.
And I have to admit, a couple of scenes and lines raised the eyebrows of my TikTok-schooled teenage daughters.
But, having said that, they are not the target audience and the almost capacity crowd at the Woking venue lapped up every single minute.
In these bleak times, the love, light and laughter that poured from each and every performer was something to warm the heart, and I would say that this panto is the perfect way to brush off the winter blues.
Neal Wright and Ben Stock as Ugly Sisters Tess and Claudia had the most fabulous outfits I have ever seen and were suitably nasty throughout, garnering boos with each and every entrance.
Jenny Gayner was a sweet Cinders, well matched by Prince Charming, Samuel Wilson-Freeman. Dandini (Steve Leeds) helped to keep the action moving but was a little underused, I felt.
The night, however, belongs to Conley who delivers a high-energy performance for the full two-hour show. His jokes hardly ever failed to land and if they did he made sure the follow-up stormed home.
He was also happy to make himself the butt of the joke as and when the script called for it.
One of the highlights of most pantos is the interaction with the children and the section where younger members of the audience are brought on stage was a definite winner.
Here we saw Conley at his old-school best as he ad-libbed and riffed off their responses to great comic effect.
Like the rest of the show, it was snappy and swift, a 10-minute section that brought the house down.
The live band was also an added bonus and each and every song and dance number was vibrant and polished while the costumes, set and lighting design were all impressive.
All-in-all, this is a fabulous show. Embodying the true spirit of panto, it brings more than a touch of wonder to Woking.
Running until December 31. Tickets from: £13.50; atgtickets.com
