CINDERELLA AT THE ARTS THEATRE
Wayne Sleep and Ensemble in dazzling form
Cambridge Arts theatre has a daunting pantomime tradition to live up to.
Christopher Biggins enjoyed being a Dame so much he colonized the role unstoppably and predecessors go back down the generations. Last year’s Aladdin was so successful, small children still talk about it, the bar just gets higher and higher. Now Cinderella takes to the stage for the theatre’s entirely home generated grand production ( the theatre manager Dave Murphy is the producer in the great historic style), freighted with expectation and with a heavy load of invidious comparison to contend with.
Good job the company is well up for it.
This year’s show is even more professional, glitzy and gorgeous than last. And if it misses the ventriloquist surprise hit of last year’s newbie star - a talking monkey, it compensates with an overload of fun and some stunning performances. And lashings of glamour. The first half closed with a sleigh drawn by a flying horse ‘ The National theatre would have been proud of those magical mechanics.
Only in Britain would accomplished actors, trained in the high art of dramatic expression spend weeks of the year in pantomime.
Remember Liza Goddard in every light comedy on telly? She is clear voiced and gracious as the beautiful fairy godmother in this panto (Liza must love Cambridge she has just finished her role as a leading lady in Oscar Wilde’s A Woman of No importance) and Matt Crosby, now hoofing about with once world leading ballet star Wayne Sleep, has also recently starred in Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and film and TV roles galore. Yet the fun of the show has drawn him to Cambridge for 14 years running and he lends his leading comedy parts the confidence of an accomplished stage and screen performer. It really helps. Everyone loves the local gags ‘ Don’t send me to that dark and lonely place where no one every goes – not Cambridge North’ or the jokes about Eddington and its bleak Sainsbury’s and Argos and nothing else. And even the national ones “ Yes, I spotted Prince Andrew in Pizza Express’’ This is Matt’s first Ugly Sister role ‘ the prettiest of the two’. He is grotesque in large- bottomed sports gear and an almost unwatchable belly. Twinned with the elegant Wayne Sleep ( who naturally steals the show in his tap dance sequences) this ugly sister is constantly hilarious, brilliant at slapstick and introduces a level of covert bawdy behaviour teamed with Baron Hardup Cinders’ hopeless father Kevin Kennedy, another professional in charge of the comedy crackers. For Corrie fans he was Curly Watts for years in that national soap institution. A sense of dangerous fun follows his boozy appearances in most scenes. And to top his career his is a professional musician signed by Simon Cowell and now Warner Brothers. I shall be looking out for his album Present Kennedy. The talent doesn’t stop there. Cinderella, Charlotte Kennedy (surely no relation) has the most glorious voice, like a young Julie Andrews, her many lovely songs are a delight. If you think there are possibly too many (although I loved the duets with a talented Prince Charming, Emily Squibb) the level of glorious assured performance cannot be faulted. For more comedy, handsome Isaac Stanmore’s Buttons means laughs for everyone .I loved his slick routine for all the children to follow and I would have liked to see more of him. The fun sequence as Buttons and Ivanka - yes the other ugly sister is Melania – splash potions all over the in the beauty salon, needs a bit more space and scope to hit the comedy hilarity of yesteryear, I would vote for more of these comic capers.
The six Ensemble dancers do lift this pantomime into the professional dance sphere and their youthful teams of child performers add a joyousness that no heavy over wrought show could convey.
It is all hugely enjoyable and a rollicking, enchanting night out. – for everyone.
Wayne Sleep ( dimunitive centre) shows the delightful young ensemble dancers what a star he still is.
