Cinderella

TO be truthfully honest, pantomime has never really been my favoured form of theatre, despite my own humbled beginnings starting in said format.

However, after watching Huddersfield Light Opera Company's "Adult" version of Cinderella, I believe I may have to re-think my previous viewpoint.

This was only the second year that the company decided to offer up something  for  mums and  dads, without the encumbrance of their little  darlings, and what a massive success it has turned out  to be. 

For once, the LBT was packed to the rafters for this one night only performance, with the curtain going up at 9.30pm, by which time it was obvious that large sections of the audience were definitely  up for a bit of 'sauce.'

And boy did we get it - by the bucket-load!

The basic storyline of course remained the same, but with plenty of 'embellishments' which went down a storm.

The bulk of the adult humour  came from the experienced Neil Broadbent as Buttons, along with ugly sisters Chris Brearley and Dom Moccia who played Hysteria and Listeria Hardup, none of whom held anything back when it came to delivering plenty of not-too-subtle smut.

Robin Walsh added much to the mucky mirth as the camp Chamberlain, while Jayne Davison added her two pen'orth as the Baroness.

Zoe Clarkson as Dandini was determined not to be left out and even Ella Midgely as the dashing Prince Charming got in on the act, although whether her hilarious  spoonerism was by accident or design I wasn't  sure, but it certainly caused  the rest of the cast to 'corpse'.

Full marks also have to go to Gemma Armitage as Cinders, who miracuously managed to keep a straight face as chaos exploded around her, as well as Sharon Whitehead as the Fairy Godmother.

The evening was definitely  a huge success and it would  be very surprising  if the company don't  repeat  the experience  again next year - book early!

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