REVIEW

CINDERELLA

WEYMOUTH PAVILION

THE Pavvy has upped its game this year, with a real treat of a show. Expect to be laughing and clapping along for much of the two-hour show.

I adored the THREE dames – the gruff one who provided a laugh every time she interjected (Brandon Nicholson), the gloriously childish, bitchy one who drove the action (Luke Attwood), and the Fairy Godmother (Lee Redwood), who bound the tale together with humour, character and charm.

Gwynfryn West – always the star of the show – was fabulous as Buttons, getting the audience to roar back at him (or ahhhh, as we all felt Very Sorry for him as he was rejected by the lovely Cinders (Lexi Pilgrim).

Lexi’s super voice and believability made sure the tale knitted together nicely.

Add in some hilarious comedy routines (the DVD skit was particularly good) and you leave with the satisfying feeling you’ve had a great night (or afternoon in our case) out.

Super dooper costumes – the dames had a different, and wilder get-up in every outing – and magical sets contributed to the feeling we were in another world.

The Wicked Stepmother was a total triumph. Yvonne Patterson was so believable she actually made me feel angry for poor Cinders! Her manipulation of her daughters into bullying her new stepdaughter was fantastically evil and she didn’t miss a beat in her badness.

I loved it when they got everyone up on the stage. I go to a lot of pantos (boy, do I ever) and they seem to choose three or four people to go up each time. But here, they invited allcomers up to dance about (Oh, no, I didn’t).

So if you want to cast off those post-election blues, or even if you’re blue and in the pink, go along – you won’t regret it.

Cinderella runs until January 5. Go to weymouthpavilion.com or call 01305 783225 for tickets.