Reviews

Written for television, with music by Richard Rodgers and a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, this show is based upon the fairy tale Cinderella but with Middle America very much in mind. The story is basically the same, in which a young woman is in a life of servitude to her stepmother and self-centred stepsisters and dreams of a better life. With the help of her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella is transformed into a princess and finds her prince. It was originally broadcast live on 31 March 1957 as a vehicle for Julie Andrews, who played the title role.

The Players’ annual panto is always an eagerly anticipated event, but for various reasons it has been a few years since I actually managed to see it for myself. That was remedied on Saturday afternoon – and wow, was I impressed. Matthew Smith, returning to the company after a ten-year absence, has taken on the director’s mantle and, to my mind, hasn’t put a foot wrong. Incidentally, the panto back in 2007 (when Matt was Chairman) was also Dick Whittington, directed by Matt’s wife, Georgina (current Chairman), so there may be a little competition afoot. Oh yes there may. Anyway,

The intimate setting of the Broadstone Memorial Hall usually manages to evoke a village atmosphere and there is always a good community ‘feel’ to the Broadstone pantomimes. I have enjoyed many of this company’s pantomimes over the last ten years and this one has been written, as usual, by Ron Kite, who appears as Dodgy Wodgy the washing machine salesman – clad in an equally dodgy brown wig. This show sticks to the usual story with the comic addition of Dodgy Wodgy’s ever more desperate attempts to sell launderette products to Widow Twankey (Mike Rustici). Ron has also introduced topical

Director Alan Rimmer has created a lively production, written in very traditional mode by RAODS’s own Bon Heather, full of the usual panto devices to surge forward the increasingly outrageous plot. He has created a lovely place in which to chase away winter chills and blues. Choreography is in the very safe hands of Diane Phippen, light and frothy in execution and design, and perfectly matching the mixed ages and talent on stage. Diane also gets to perform her own spooky demonised number complete with fire effects. Combined with the very talented band under musical direction of Alex ‘Teddy’ Clements

It’s that time of the year – oh, yes it is – when I had the pleasure to sit and be entertained by a very talented group of merry fellas, and one devilishly evil queen, as the ASDS pantomime opened last night. I was delighted to see the excellent Adam Tuffrey, musical director, and his band out front, where the audience can see and hear the fabulous music they perform. From the opening scene, the Queen Malevolent, Debbie Burton, instils fear and loathing into the audience old and young, possessing one of the most spine-chilling cackles that could curdle the

The writers of the show say in the programme: ‘Whilst every effort has been made to stick to Daniel Defoe’s story, we have exercised a certain amount of artistic licence in our interpretation’, to which the only possible response is: ‘You’re not kidding!’ They have imported cannibals (whose leader must be in line for the award for the best invented name in this year’s pantomimes: Chief Chewsumupanspitsumoutum), pirates, a talking parrot and a Man Friday who has returned to his island on a gap year after finishing his degree at Oxford. And such liberties matter not a bit, since they