This year's big panto in Bristol in Cinderella at the Hippodrome starring Louie Spence as Dandini (the Prince's aide de camp!) and Andy 'the perfect panto performer' Ford as Buttons. With a combo like that up front what could possibly go wrong?! Actually, I must admit to having approached this with some trepidation, Louie can geta bit much (!), but you know what, it's panto and it works!
Cinderella is played by Suzanne Shaw and the Prince by Andrew Derbyshire while Liz Robertson provides the Fairy Godmother role and David Roper the Baron. Played to fabulous effect are the ugly sisters (Graham Hoadly and Paul Burnham) who steal every scene their in, quite a feat when you look at what they're up against.
Big sets, a traditional story and plenty of good loud music make this a high octane panto with hardly a dip ... the shetland ponies worried me as one stumbled amid gasps from the audience, and I also felt that eight dancers is a small chorus, thank goodness the yworked hard and the girls and boys of The Bristol School of Performing Arts helped this huge stage look full.
What can one say, this is a proper panto with a great cast - for once there were no passengers, everyone pulled their weight and gave a great performance. Go and enjoy it, I certainly did!
