REVIEW
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
THE TOWNGATE THEATRE
& SIMON FIELDING LTD PROUDLY PRESENT
CINDERELLA
FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2023 – TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2024
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
THE TOWNGATE THEATRE
& SIMON FIELDING LTD PROUDLY PRESENT
CINDERELLA
FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2023 – TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2024
Once again the Towngate Theatre Basildon’s pantomime proves that you don’t need a big celebrity name headlining to create a smash hit show.
The theatre, in association with Simon Fielding Ltd, has been producing award winning pantomimes for many years now and frequently boasts a reputation of record breaking Box Office sales. This year would seem to be no exception; in fact I think I can safely say that this is probably one of the best pantomimes I’ve ever seen.
Written by Neil Hurst, Cinderella is the age old fairytale of young Ella, whose father dies, leaving her in the care of her wicked step mother, Baroness Hardup. The Baroness is hanging on for Ella's 18th Birthday, when Ella will inherit her father's money, and then find a way to steal the young girl’s inheritance. In the meantime, Ella is forced to be a servant to her step mother and her two grotesque step-sisters, Anastasia and Fantine (aka the hilarious Annie and Fannie) and clean the cinders from the fire, hence her name, Cinderella.
The introduction to Cinderella’s fate at the top of the show is actually quite a sentimental and touching one that you wouldn’t normally expect from a pantomime. It really tugs on the heartstrings in a beautifully played opening sequence. However, the soppiness doesn’t linger for long and we are soon brought up to date and welcomed to the exuberant Village Square in the Kingdom of Basildonia - where else?
The villain of the piece and a panto constant for the Towngate is Sophie Ladds playing the role of Baroness Hardup and, despite her looking perhaps rather too stunning in some of her incredible costumes, she still manages to ooze enough evilness to warrant the audience into boo-ing and hiss-ing every time she parades the stage with her presence. Ladds’ name is becoming synonymous with that of panto villain and with good reason; she’s flipping good at it. Every nuance of naughtiness exudes from her slender frame and she also possesses the gift of spot on comic timing. Accompanying her are Annie and Fannie the Ugly Sisters and these two are just a joy. The sisters bounce off each other constantly and Ian Hallard and Stewart Briggs who play the barmy pair work brilliantly together. Their costumes - I lost count of just how many they had - were wonderfully wild and wacky. You can’t help but love these two gormless gals.
Of course the linchpin of Cinderella is Buttons and Luke Ward-Wilkinson certainly proves his worth in this wonderfully played role. He reminds me a little of Matthew Horne of Gavin and Stacey fame and portrays some endearing qualities as the guy who is secretly smitten with Cinderella. Cinders of course, is destined to meet her Prince, except, in true panto style, the Prince and Dandini have swapped roles and Cinders thinks that the Prince is actually Dandini when they bump into each other at the Winter’s Fair. Let the confusion commence and a nice little twist in the fate of Buttons and Dandini's love lives too!
Alice Hoult as Cinderella, Jack Speck as the Prince and Aaron Bladen as Dandini are all perfectly cast. Their vocals are all super impressive and every scene will have you wide eyed with wonder at the awesomeness of this production which has been expertly directed by Simon Fielding. Fielding's experience in panto is paramount; he clearly understands exactly what is required to make a good pantomime work, and then goes on to make it even better.
You can’t help but be captivated by the energetic ensemble who all work seamlessly in every dance number. The choreography in this show is just off the scale in every number with seemingly every genre of dance and music incorporated, and some of the slickest choreography I’ve ever seen in a pantomime. Shauna Olley has done an absolutely outstanding job with this talented cast who all look like they’re having a ball.
Talking of balls, as you would expect, there’s plenty of slapstick and innuendo in this panto and oh my goodness, half the fun is watching some of the more risqué jokes fly right over the children’s heads….comments about the Prince’s wonderful balls and how often he holds them plus an hilarious skit with an Alexa which plays songs that pop up in the head of a poor unsuspecting member of the audience (on Press Night it was Frank) will really make you chuckle. I definitely won’t be able to listen to Thumbelina again without having a giggle.
One thing I really wasn’t expecting was to be an emotional wreck at the end of Act 1. The famous traditional transition of mice and a pumpkin to become Cinderella’s coach was nothing short of spectacular, and just so magical; with snow falling from the sky it was utterly captivating. There are a few sentimental touches in this show that will possibly leave the mums, dads, grannies and grandads feeling truly nostalgic and it really reawakens the Christmas spirit and the joy that this season must bring to the little ones.
The Towngate Theatre Basildon pantomime has it all, great songs backed up by a fantastic live band led by MD, Matthew Reeve, fabulous dance routines, knock out performances from every single character and the opportunity for every member of the audience to really get involved. “Oh yes it does!” The script is delightful, costumes are bold and beautiful, as is the scenery and staging, and there are magical moments aplenty which will have you leaving this production of Cinderella with the hugest smile on your face and a warm fuzzy feeling of joy in your heart.
For the best Christmas treat, not just for the children but for grownups too (let’s face it, we could all do with some extra Christmas cheer this year) look no further than Basildon’s Towngate Theatre and this outstanding production of Cinderella.
The theatre, in association with Simon Fielding Ltd, has been producing award winning pantomimes for many years now and frequently boasts a reputation of record breaking Box Office sales. This year would seem to be no exception; in fact I think I can safely say that this is probably one of the best pantomimes I’ve ever seen.
Written by Neil Hurst, Cinderella is the age old fairytale of young Ella, whose father dies, leaving her in the care of her wicked step mother, Baroness Hardup. The Baroness is hanging on for Ella's 18th Birthday, when Ella will inherit her father's money, and then find a way to steal the young girl’s inheritance. In the meantime, Ella is forced to be a servant to her step mother and her two grotesque step-sisters, Anastasia and Fantine (aka the hilarious Annie and Fannie) and clean the cinders from the fire, hence her name, Cinderella.
The introduction to Cinderella’s fate at the top of the show is actually quite a sentimental and touching one that you wouldn’t normally expect from a pantomime. It really tugs on the heartstrings in a beautifully played opening sequence. However, the soppiness doesn’t linger for long and we are soon brought up to date and welcomed to the exuberant Village Square in the Kingdom of Basildonia - where else?
The villain of the piece and a panto constant for the Towngate is Sophie Ladds playing the role of Baroness Hardup and, despite her looking perhaps rather too stunning in some of her incredible costumes, she still manages to ooze enough evilness to warrant the audience into boo-ing and hiss-ing every time she parades the stage with her presence. Ladds’ name is becoming synonymous with that of panto villain and with good reason; she’s flipping good at it. Every nuance of naughtiness exudes from her slender frame and she also possesses the gift of spot on comic timing. Accompanying her are Annie and Fannie the Ugly Sisters and these two are just a joy. The sisters bounce off each other constantly and Ian Hallard and Stewart Briggs who play the barmy pair work brilliantly together. Their costumes - I lost count of just how many they had - were wonderfully wild and wacky. You can’t help but love these two gormless gals.
Of course the linchpin of Cinderella is Buttons and Luke Ward-Wilkinson certainly proves his worth in this wonderfully played role. He reminds me a little of Matthew Horne of Gavin and Stacey fame and portrays some endearing qualities as the guy who is secretly smitten with Cinderella. Cinders of course, is destined to meet her Prince, except, in true panto style, the Prince and Dandini have swapped roles and Cinders thinks that the Prince is actually Dandini when they bump into each other at the Winter’s Fair. Let the confusion commence and a nice little twist in the fate of Buttons and Dandini's love lives too!
Alice Hoult as Cinderella, Jack Speck as the Prince and Aaron Bladen as Dandini are all perfectly cast. Their vocals are all super impressive and every scene will have you wide eyed with wonder at the awesomeness of this production which has been expertly directed by Simon Fielding. Fielding's experience in panto is paramount; he clearly understands exactly what is required to make a good pantomime work, and then goes on to make it even better.
You can’t help but be captivated by the energetic ensemble who all work seamlessly in every dance number. The choreography in this show is just off the scale in every number with seemingly every genre of dance and music incorporated, and some of the slickest choreography I’ve ever seen in a pantomime. Shauna Olley has done an absolutely outstanding job with this talented cast who all look like they’re having a ball.
Talking of balls, as you would expect, there’s plenty of slapstick and innuendo in this panto and oh my goodness, half the fun is watching some of the more risqué jokes fly right over the children’s heads….comments about the Prince’s wonderful balls and how often he holds them plus an hilarious skit with an Alexa which plays songs that pop up in the head of a poor unsuspecting member of the audience (on Press Night it was Frank) will really make you chuckle. I definitely won’t be able to listen to Thumbelina again without having a giggle.
One thing I really wasn’t expecting was to be an emotional wreck at the end of Act 1. The famous traditional transition of mice and a pumpkin to become Cinderella’s coach was nothing short of spectacular, and just so magical; with snow falling from the sky it was utterly captivating. There are a few sentimental touches in this show that will possibly leave the mums, dads, grannies and grandads feeling truly nostalgic and it really reawakens the Christmas spirit and the joy that this season must bring to the little ones.
The Towngate Theatre Basildon pantomime has it all, great songs backed up by a fantastic live band led by MD, Matthew Reeve, fabulous dance routines, knock out performances from every single character and the opportunity for every member of the audience to really get involved. “Oh yes it does!” The script is delightful, costumes are bold and beautiful, as is the scenery and staging, and there are magical moments aplenty which will have you leaving this production of Cinderella with the hugest smile on your face and a warm fuzzy feeling of joy in your heart.
For the best Christmas treat, not just for the children but for grownups too (let’s face it, we could all do with some extra Christmas cheer this year) look no further than Basildon’s Towngate Theatre and this outstanding production of Cinderella.
All photo credits: Carmel Jane Photography
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Ask the Audience
Lailaa, 9 years old, from Tilbury told us, "I really, really loved it so much. Can I come back again tomorrow and see it please? I thought it was brilliant and better than when I went to see Frozen in London!"
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Following the 5-star success of last year’s The Panto Adventures of Peter Pan, the Towngate Theatre’s spectacular panto for 2023-24 will the fairytale story of Cinderella! They’ll be sure to sweep you off your feet with magic and have you rolling in the aisles with laughter, with their sparkling fantastical tale for all the family!
The popular Essex theatre is renowned for producing award-winning, critically acclaimed pantomimes, with their talented panto team winning multiple Great British Pantomime Awards over the years and receiving 5-star reviews across the board on previous productions.
Co-Producer and Director, Simon Fielding, said:
“The festive season is nearly upon us, and I am so excited that we will be bringing Cinderella to the Towngate this year. This is my 18th Pantomime at the Towngate and I’m proud to be Cinderella’s Co Producer and Director; working alongside our dedicated and brilliant panto production team, we promise to bring another non-stop musical extravaganza which the whole family will love!”
Rehearsals are now underway, and it promises to be another award-winning show - with musical numbers more spectacular than ever! Comedy routines even funnier! They’ll be defying gravity and taking the Towngate panto magic far beyond the reach of anywhere they’ve been before!
The Towngate’s legendary supervillain, Sophie Ladds, will be back on stage for her 16th Towngate panto, this year playing the iconic character of the Wicked Stepmother. And the Towngate’s resident dame – the super talented, Ian Hallard - returns for his third year running. He’ll once again be popping on his fabulous frocks and wacky wigs as one of the Ugly Stepsisters.
Joining Sophie and Ian will be Stewart Briggs as Ian’s fellow Ugly Stepsister, Alice Hoult as their fairytale Cinderella, Luke Ward-Wilkinson as cheeky Buttons, Jack Speck as dreamy Prince Charming and Aaron Bladen as mischievous Dandini.
Towngate Theatre Manager, Simon Scott-Pearce said:
“The panto season is always the most magical time of the year for the Towngate team, we can’t wait to welcome back audiences for their traditional family seasonal treat!
Year-on-year we continue to break all Box Office records, with over 19,000 tickets sold already for Cinderella! If you haven’t booked your tickets to the ball, you need to be quick, so you don’t miss out on what promises to be our most magical and spectacular panto yet!
Cinderella runs at the Towngate Theatre from Friday 24 November 2023 – Tuesday 2 January 2024. To book tickets, visit www.towngatetheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01268 205 300.
LISTING INFORMATION
PRODUCTION: CINDERELLA
DATE: FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2023 – TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2024
The popular Essex theatre is renowned for producing award-winning, critically acclaimed pantomimes, with their talented panto team winning multiple Great British Pantomime Awards over the years and receiving 5-star reviews across the board on previous productions.
Co-Producer and Director, Simon Fielding, said:
“The festive season is nearly upon us, and I am so excited that we will be bringing Cinderella to the Towngate this year. This is my 18th Pantomime at the Towngate and I’m proud to be Cinderella’s Co Producer and Director; working alongside our dedicated and brilliant panto production team, we promise to bring another non-stop musical extravaganza which the whole family will love!”
Rehearsals are now underway, and it promises to be another award-winning show - with musical numbers more spectacular than ever! Comedy routines even funnier! They’ll be defying gravity and taking the Towngate panto magic far beyond the reach of anywhere they’ve been before!
The Towngate’s legendary supervillain, Sophie Ladds, will be back on stage for her 16th Towngate panto, this year playing the iconic character of the Wicked Stepmother. And the Towngate’s resident dame – the super talented, Ian Hallard - returns for his third year running. He’ll once again be popping on his fabulous frocks and wacky wigs as one of the Ugly Stepsisters.
Joining Sophie and Ian will be Stewart Briggs as Ian’s fellow Ugly Stepsister, Alice Hoult as their fairytale Cinderella, Luke Ward-Wilkinson as cheeky Buttons, Jack Speck as dreamy Prince Charming and Aaron Bladen as mischievous Dandini.
Towngate Theatre Manager, Simon Scott-Pearce said:
“The panto season is always the most magical time of the year for the Towngate team, we can’t wait to welcome back audiences for their traditional family seasonal treat!
Year-on-year we continue to break all Box Office records, with over 19,000 tickets sold already for Cinderella! If you haven’t booked your tickets to the ball, you need to be quick, so you don’t miss out on what promises to be our most magical and spectacular panto yet!
Cinderella runs at the Towngate Theatre from Friday 24 November 2023 – Tuesday 2 January 2024. To book tickets, visit www.towngatetheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01268 205 300.
LISTING INFORMATION
PRODUCTION: CINDERELLA
DATE: FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2023 – TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2024
