Pantomime

Cinderella

King’s Theatre, Glasgow

Mary Brennan

four stars

YES, yes – there really are wee ponies on-stage, and a glittering fairy-tale coach to take Cinderella to the ball, just like in the story we know and love. And yes – the Ugly Sisters (aka Gregor Fisher and Tony Roper) are every inch the ridiculously gruesome two-some we know and love to laugh at, before they become thoroughly boo-worthy pantomime baddies. As for Des Clarke’s Buttons – there are no flies on this lad. He might act the galoot, but he’s no slouch at the punning patter, has a lovely way of just bouncing about and a breezy, good-humoured way of keeping the audience involved from start to singalong cloot.

Those Uglies, meantime, are like a breath of splendidly antique air, reminding us of when Dames had a growl of five o’clock shadow in their voices and mega-bahookeys that bootylicious celebs would envy. Fisher and Roper are a well-matched treat we don’t actually get enough of, so cherish the naughty fun of their double-act (and entendres), and the dark, scary menace they exert when bullying Cinders. Enjoy, too, the glimpses you get of Gary Lamont’s comedy flair as Dandini, though his main opportunity to shine comes at the ball when he gets in a frisky groove with “I wanna dance with somebody.”

If there’s no shortage of effort and energy on-stage, there is nonetheless something lacking in what should be the most enchanting and romantic of pantomimes. Music choices relentlessly crank up the volume on rock and pop and it looks unnecessarily garish. If only the Fairy Godmother (Elaine Mackenzie Ellis) could have toned down the pound-shop glitter spree and the purple that reigns over the royal palace – the Prince deserves to woo Cinders without the burden of a hat that looks as if a mauve ostrich is nesting on it.