[Ad- gifted experience] It’s Christmas time, which in England means there are tons of pantos. Last year, I went to my first ever panto and had a wonderful time. Cinderella had a lot of the same actors from the previous panto I saw at The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, so I was well excited to see it. Cinderella is a classic story, but like most plays, this one felt unique and with a twist.
Cinderella herself was played by a hard of hearing actor, and one of the main storylines were that she signed while she spoke some of the time, which her ugly step sisters made fun of. The prince, of course, found this to be adorable! Cinderella, often called Cinder, did a fantastic job of combining both singing and signing, teaching the audience signing at times and at other times, using sign to have side conversations that the audience had to pick up on by vibes.
There were other characters to the story as well; Buttons, Cinder’s best friend, is a brilliant inventor and a funny character. The two ugly step sisters, all dressed up in drag, have references to social media and are obsessed with their image. They aren’t that cruel to Cinderella, but are funny enough. Cinderella’s fairy godmother, acting as the narrator to the show, also did a fabulous job pausing the play, talking to the audience, and bringing us through the story. Everything felt beautifully presented on opening night, and everyone was well researsed.
As with pantos, there were a lot of moments that felt quite random and there for audience participating. There was lots of laughing moments, moments to shout out loud, and that bit where they keep getting interrupted in their song and so they have to start it again now won’t we?! The two sisters spent a lot of time talking to the audience and when one of them tripped on stage, they really recovered well and made it into an entire funny point. There were a lot of jokes throughout the play that had double meaning, making them very funny for adults, along with audience participation with some of the dads in the front row.
As with most performances at The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, the stage was fantastic. From the sparkling Cinderella holding screen to the front, to the number of backdrops going deeper and deeper into the stage, everything was perfect! One of the main outdoor backgrounds even had the theatre in the background, which is always a nice touch. Many of the actors in this performance could also play a number of instruments, adding a lot of fun and depth to the story. Dann and I really enjoyed Cinderella – it was a little different and so much fun.
You can check out our other Days Out to see what else we’ve been up too!
omg I’ve never seen Cinderella as a play, this must have been an amazing experience, so so cool…
I can’t think of a better story for a play than Cinderella. It’s a simple story, but it has so much emotion. I’d love to see this!
I’ve not been to a panto for many many years. I love the idea of the singing and signing, and especially if she was teaching the audience some signs.
Watching my first ever theater play with Cinderella would be a very nice dream come true! I grew up with Disney princesses and so as my nieces!
I want to watch this show with my family. My sister is an avid fan of Cinderella.
I love to watch a panto and I feel like it would be a wonderful experience. Cinderella as a play sounds awesome.
I love going to see a good panto at this time of year. Cinderella was one of the first ones I ever saw as a child. Theatres do such a great job with their stage, props and costumes.
I would love to go see this, I love watching these types of theater performances. I wonder if they have one going on near me so I can enjoy as well!
I’ve not been to a panto in years, and every year I say I’ll book, but then I get too busy. Looks like so much fun (although more so if you’ve got kids) x
I would love to see it. I love all things Cinderella.
We love a good panto at this time of year , it’s reminded me to get one booked in for next month
This looks so well done. Sounds like a great performance to see! The food and snacks also look great. A nice night out, I’d love to go sometime!