Cinderella

Liverpool Everyman, Hope Street
2nd December 2005 - 28th January 2006

Reviewed by Colin Serjent

Not having been to a pantomime since I was a kid this performance of Cinderella surprisingly proved to be a lot of fun at a packed Everyman. The two hours of the production contained a multitude of jokes and general tomfoolery, which had the audience - who participated in the time-honoured fashion of pantomime, for instance constantly booing the evil Baroness Pandora Bootles (Zita Frith), who despises her stepdaughter Cinderella (Kate Pinell) - in constant peals of laughter.

The pantomime - which is set in Bootle (!) - featured a brilliant comic turn by Adam Keast as Baron Basil Bootles, defender of his daughter Cinderella in defiance of his ogre-like wife. But all the actors played a key role in making this superb entertainment for all the family.

One unusual aspect of the panto was the use of all the actors in performing live music, either playing instruments or singing, when they were not otherwise engaged in their individual roles.

Special tribute should also be paid to an outstanding lighting design (courtesy of Douglas Kuhrt), which evoked many atmospheric moments, as well as a notable sound design by Sean Pritchard. The sound effects he produced at times were hilarious. Get away from the boring telly over Christmas and see this panto - it's a lot of festive fun!