Cinderella - New Wimbledon Theatre (Review)
Review by David Munro
SHE’S back on Broadway – well Wimbledon Broadway – that rags to riches star of the Christmas Pantomime, Cinderella, after a two years absence; still looking good as new and just as appealing!
On this occasion, the fairytale princess is personified by the delightful Joanna Page, who not only plays the part delightfully, but also – praise be – has a sweet, clear, true voice so her singing is a delight also.
She is partnered by Gareth Gates who is hardly the dashing virile persona that John Barrowman was in the last production but more the prince next door, the sort of prince you could safely take home to meet your mother; nice but not threatening.
Perhaps when the weeks pass, Mr Gates will feel more at home in the part and bring to it a more positive air rather than just singing passably and delivering his lines with a diffident smile.
The third name above the title, Alistair McGowan, is famed more for his impersonations than his comedy. In fact, he makes a very charming Baron Hardup and if his impressions are shoe-horned into the plot it didn’t really matter.
The grotesquely overdressed Ugly Sisters were played by Andrew Ryan and Graham Hoadly in the time honoured tradition of slapstick and deafening dialogue. The children loved them and they performed their ritual unpleasantness without causing offence – not the best I have seen but they did what was required of them well.
Louise Dearman was an obtrusive Fairy Godmother who kept appearing incongruously clad in a peach coloured crinoline, which seemed to surprise nobody. She also had a fair share of the songs presumably to justify her existence and to excuse her ill-timed interferences.
The effect was overall inclined to dull the magic of her appearance in the climatic scene where she fits Cinderella out for the ball, which I thought was a pity.
The surprise of the evening was Ronn Lucas, an American ventriloquist, who played Buttons and was a sheer delight. He had two dummys – a dragon and a raucous cowboy – whom he manipulated brilliantly and was extremely funny in the character delineations without resorting to silly gags or smut.
He culminated his performance by attaching a dummy’s mouth to a member of the audience and turning him into an inanimate dummy, with whom he carried on a surrealistic conversation; a brilliant act and one I would welcome seeing again.
The final member of the main cast, Dandini, was not played, as is usual, as a foil to the prince but in James Thornton’s hand became a character in his own right and when impersonating the Prince for purposes of plot was, I am sorry to say, far more convincing in the character than Mr Gates.
The sets and costumes were nothing to write home about; a sign, I suppose, of the credit crunch, although the eight strong chorus fulfilled their multiplicity of roles efficiently and with the required gusto.
This was, in effect then, the usual efficient and professional pantomime that one has come to expect from the New Wimbledon; apart from Mr Lucas, there was nothing particularly special about it, but it’s certainly worth visiting as it is perfect for children even though the mums and dads may have a feeling of deja vu.
Cinderella by Susie McKenna.
Director – Peter Denyer.
Choreographer – Gerry Zuccarello.
Lighting – Tim Mascall.
Sound – Chris Mace for Orbital Sound.
Musical director – Warren Wills.
CAST: Gareth Gates; Joanna Page; Alistair McGowan; Ronn Lucas; James Thornton; Louise Dearman; Andrew Ryan; Graham Headly; Joe Nolan; Luke Bartholomew; Callum Francis; Aaron Parker; Jennifer Davison; Chaaris O’Connor; Charlotte Watts; Danielle Wreford.
Presented by First Family Entertainment .
New Wimbledon Theatre, The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1QG.
From Dec 5, 2008 – Jan 18, 2009.
Evenings: 7pm (Sun: 5.30pm)/Matinees: 2pm (Sun: 1.30pm).
Box Office: 0870 060 6646.