Cinderella

Theatre Royal, Plymouth

Review: John Lyon

THE most surreal thing ever on a pantomime stage must surely be Julian Clary sharing a bed with Orville the little green Duck.

They were, after all, escaping the scary attentions of, as Orville and his mentor Keith Harris pointed out, ghosties and ghoul… well, you know the rest and it is panto and just another of scores of Christmas cracker jokes served up in this festive treat. But it was a stand-out hilarious moment in a dazzling production.

With Clary as the star in fine trademark camp form has there ever been so many double-meaning one-liners, raised eyebrows and pregnant pauses which say so much, in a traditional pantomime? Naughty but nice.

Mums and dad loved it – you had to make up your own mind how you wanted to round off many gags. And hopefully, most of the mildly mucky stuff flew over the heads of younger ones. They were enthralled by the antics of Orville and the anarchic monkey Cuddles brought to life by Harris, a wonderful ventriloquist. His years of panto experience and easy charm shone through as the ultimate Buttons.

Clary, too, is something of a consummate panto trouper and revelled in the role of Dandini a great excuse to dress up in foppish finery.

No expense was spared in this lavish production with colourful sets and costumes. Seasoned West End performer Rosemary Ashe was a delightful Fairy Godmother with Hannah Nicholas and Dan Krikler making Cinderella and her Prince Charming believable for everyone. Seasoned dames Tony Jackson and Charles Brunton got to wear all the over-the-top frocks and big wigs and had enough mild menace for the inevitable hiss and boo.

The story lacked a slapstick custard pie in the face moment, but it was more than made up for with when fluffy little Orville realised his dream to fly high above the audience thanks to the Fairy Godmother. There's something for young and old in this variety filled family pantomime – catch Cinderella until January 21. Box office: 01752 267222.