I need to do it once…just to get it out of my system…..Cinderella is on at the Bristol Hippodrome….where is that….It’s behind you. Right…I promise there won’t be any more! 

Julian Clary as Dandini, Henry Luxemburg as the Prince (from Hollyoaks) and Laura Evans as Cinderella (from The Basil Brush Show) are all slapping their thighs and entertaining families in Cinderella, this year’s family pantomime at The Bristol Hippodrome, and what a treat it is.

The traditional Cinderella story is there, but with plenty of additions and changes, thus giving the Prince and his right hand man Dandini much more to do, and in turn keeping the traditional tale fresh and relevant to a modern day audience…and making sure that the parents who’ve seen this show loads of times are still surprised by the story. The tight script brings a perfect amount of interaction, double entendres, love and merriment, and keeps this show running at a smooth pace, so it can’t fail to delight. 

The most magical of sets and costumes are a feast for the eyes, Julian Clary’s costumes being everything you’d expect from a pantomime. The beautiful ballroom scene is jaw-dropping and I’ve never seen a transformation as magical as the one in Cinderella. Horses, lasers, snow and stretching rooms all make it truly inspiring, and send you into the interval full of Christmas cheer and with magic in your heart.

Julian Clary is the perfect star whose entrance was treated like that of a rock star, he brings enough comedy to keep the adults happy, whilst the kids sit there completely unaware. He minces round like he owns the place, and judging by the laughter, he certainly does! He gets involved in everything that is panto, and is never far away from a joke or two. He also milks, for all it’s worth, his recent performance on Strictly Come Dancing, and yes…don’t you worry, he does a dance or two for you!

Henry Luxemburg makes a charming Prince, and is a perfect straight man to Julian, the beautiful Laura Evans, brings a whole new dimension to the character of Cinderella, with her striking singing voice, stunning good looks, and real acting talent, she makes Cinderella the princess she should be, and the chemistry between her and the Prince makes this magical tale as much about love then anything else. The rest of the cast are faultless, with Mark Jones’ Buttons keeping the kids happy and David Hill and Tony Jackson’s ugly sisters having the right mixture of laughter and menace.

This is a real treat; it’s a perfect little pantomime and is magical in every sense of the word. On all their advertising material they say, “the greatest pantomime of them all,” and I wouldn’t dispute it.

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