Cinderella

Johnstone Phoenix were delighted this season to have “come home” to their spiritual haunts, namely the new Johnstone Town Hall after having “played away” at other venues while the new theatre was being built.   Their resident scriptwriter Roy McGregor again obliged with his version of “Cinderella” with its many local jokes and illusions but without straying too far from the traditional story loved by successive generations of theatre-goers. Add to this an exhuberant production by Carol McLaughlan and the music of Cat Clark and all the ingredients were there for an excellent show.
Alyson Lamond played the downtrodden but charming Cinderella and Jim McPhee and Stuart McCue-Dick were exceptionally well cast as her Ugly Sisters Philomena and Anastasia. Barbara Churcher shed her former persona as always being the “goodie” to play the role of the nasty Baroness Hardup and got away with it pretty well! Hazel Keay in the role of Cinderella’s cruel mother made a return to pantomime after having seemingly played briefly in a professional pantomime some years ago. Daniel McDonald clearly revelled in the role of Buttons and Jillian McCall appeared magically every so often as the Fairy Godmother. The hero of the piece is, of course, Prince Charming – dashingly played by Keenan Anthony Schaefer aided by his Assistant Dandini played by David McDonald. Ross White played the essential Major Domo and a Company of around ten chorus persons completed the cast.
The highlight of the show was a real, live pony and star spangled coach to transport the Princess. This was another success for the Group and an interesting version of the traditional show.                                                                                         

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