Salisbury Playhouse took a 12 months off in 2021 from Pantomime and subsequently Cinderella was their first within the venue for 3 years. They borrowed the script from the inventive staff behind final 12 months’s Newbury Corn Exchange Pantomime, Clare Plested, Adam Brown, and Amanda Wilsher with its contemporary tackle the Ugly Sisters as social media “influencers” Hashtag and Viral and the Prince’s aide renamed Deldini. Curiously and disappointedly, they dropped the character Buttons from the present, a normal of Cinderella for years who normally provides comedy and pathos to the present. This locations extra weight on the shoulders of the Dame, Uglies, and Deldini with combined outcomes. For some motive, Deldini, initially written as a Del Boy character with plenty of reference to Only Fools and Horses, retains only some catchphrases like “plonker”, “lovely jubbly” and “cushty” however drops a lot of the different profitable enterprise from final years present together with the good bar fall.
The Dame, Daniel Goode, is filled with nice facial reactions enjoying it as a person in a costume (as the very best custom of Dames requires). It Is full on with out a lot variation in tone however will get a very good response from the viewers as does Alex Crandon as Deldini, tenting up, breaking the fourth wall, and searching like he’s having fun with himself on stage. In one other twist, he for some motive falls for the Dame!The actual stars of the present are Jade Johnson as an American Fairy Showbiz whose position has been upgraded with the absence of Buttons and newcomer Jasmine Triadi because the diminutive, candy Cinderella. Their entrances, the Fairy flown in on a taking pictures star singing “No business-like show business” and Cinderella in an incredible opening quantity with a splendidly well-dressed ensemble routine get the showcase to an excellent begin. Cinders is an inventor, and we see two of her spectacular innovations within the boudoir scene and kitchen scene, though the comedy enterprise with each might have been extra absolutely developed. Oddly her assembly with the Prince is lowered to a really brief scene and we by no means actually see her relationship with him (George Olney) develop and her stem punk googles appeared curiously misplaced, I suppose an indicator of her inventor standing.
The music decisions by Josh and Aron Sood are glorious together with the 1979 hit “We are family”, Kate Bush’s current rerelease hit “Running up the hill”, the 1996 hit “Champagne Supernova”, “You drive me crazy” and “Oh what a night”. They are all well-sung and create a celebration environment. The 2020 viral hit “Raining Taco’s” makes a enjoyable music sheet which the younger viewers adores.There are good units by the inhouse workshop staff of Tim Read and Daniel Gent with engaging pastel-coloured units, a high-quality starburst false proscenium arch, a easy however magical room clean-up scene and a creepy forest (used to provide a brand new twist to the Ghost bench scene with Pitchfork Pete). The huge transformation on the finish of Act 1 with a considerably telegraphed ball robe drop and a floating coach lacked the actual magic and spectacle of an even bigger price range.
As all the time Salisbury is providing a very good household pantomime, well-staged with vivid vibrant and well-made units and costumes, a energetic younger forged that appears like its having fun with entertaining the household viewers and this 12 months a very good central message about “life is not in there (the mobiles) but out here” and calling for screen-free Sundays which can resonate with so many mother and father! And the Ugly sisters find yourself being good to Cinderella. What is to not like? Lovely Jubbly.
Review by Nick Wayne
Rating: ★★★
Seat: Stalls, Row F | Price of Ticket: £28