It was an enchanting tale that all ages enjoyed.
Yes the Cinderella pantomime at Ferneham Hall in Fareham told the traditional panto story of poor Cinders, a slave and victim to her ugly sisters’ bullying, who falls in love and marries her handsome Prince Charming.
Carly Thoms, Anne Charleston, Mark Siney and Richard Pocock star in Cinderella
There were good performances and tuneful singing from Cinderella (played by Carly Thoms), Prince Charming (Sammy Kelly) and Dandini (Amy Ross).
However, Ben Redfern playing Buttons made the show. His sarcastic one-liners and simple sense of humour coupled with a Geordie accent gave a cheeky performance standing out as the star role.
Ugly sisters Floribunda (Richard Pocock) and Majorie (Mark Siney), with their umpteen dress changes and imaginative costumes, gave a terrific performance with a constant flow of personal jokes and interaction with the audience.
Some parts had a magical feel with the Fairy Godmother’s sparkling dress and waving her wand to create a horse and pumpkin carriage leaving the audience amazed at how she did it.
Anne Charleston – Madge Bishop in Australian soap Neighbours – showed she was no stranger to the panto scene performing her lines practically all in rhyming couplets with ease.
As impressive as the mechanical flying horse and carriage was, the animal’s eerie facial expression slightly dampened the magical atmosphere. (To be honest I was surprised there weren’t more horrified young faces in the audience.)
But that didn’t spoil the show by any means and the fairytale continued in traditional style with a bang – literally, there were many spontaneous sparks and puffs of smoke to make you jump in your seat.
Performances continue until January 6.