Cinderella

Thank you for the kind invitation. It was so great seeing you again.

Brierley Hill Musical Theatre Company kicked off panto season for District 8 with their performance of Cinderella, written by Peter Denyer.

Cinderella was produced by the same creative team who brought Aladdin to Brierley Hill last year, under the skilled direction of Jo Gresswell, Choreography by Sally Evans and with Musical Director Richard Skilbeck who led a well-oiled band, AKA The Magic Pumpkins!

Thank you very much (once again) to Ann Pollard (Box Office) for such a lovely welcome and your hospitality throughout the evening. Also, to Dennis Price (Front of House Manager) who kept the excited crowd of children flowing with expert crowd management control. It was a packed and lively auditorium tonight. Overall, the evening had classic jokes and scenes which were performed with mountains of fun and great touches, with the finale being incredibly memorable, it certainly spiced up my life!

A special mention to “Team Hazelwood” who accomplished an evening full of sleek scene changes and essential backstage support, but they also provided some quick thinking when things didn’t go quite according to plan.

The dancers and chorus were all very entertaining to watch and there were some great stand-alone routines but also some wonderful team work. I always look forward to the Ghost Scene in any pantomime, so when Rhi Luckins cartwheeled and boogied on stage dressed as a ghost, that was definitely something I will not forget!

The title character of Cinderella was played by Meg Luckins who owned the character with ease and confidence. Krystian Wharton played the character of Buttons with lots of energy as he drove the show forward with his comedy timing and playful interactions with the audience. The two Ugly Stepsisters Grizelda (Chris Psaras) and Mona (Steve Taylor) were a sight for sore eyes. No, let me correct that, they made my eyes sore. They were outrageous! They also had some great comedic moments which landed well with the audience, giving the show the much-needed lift it required when they were on stage; other times I felt the anticipation they effortlessly created and this achieved another level of comedy. Chris and Steve achieved a lot together and both were excellently cast. I especially liked the interactions Buttons had with the two Sisters which were quite often silly but one scene in particular armed with a Leaf Blower was again, quite unique and blew my socks off!

The Baroness was played by Matthew Hickman and combined with the Stepsisters it made a truly wicked trio of nasties. What was The Baron (Martin Francis) thinking when he married her? Money can’t buy love! However, I did particularly enjoy the way The Baron instigated and “bravely” joined in some of the jokes when it came to his horrible wife and her two daughters.

The Fairy Godmother played by Rachel Gresswell was also nicely cast and acted out some nice moments. Jessica Skidmore played Prince Charming with the right amount of charm and who also provided some of the props for the show from her business, JHS Props. Prince Charming’s right-hand man, Dandini, was played by the delightful Rebecca Thorne and finally, Zac Psaras impressed me in the production of Cradley Heath Amateur Operatic Society (CHAOS) All Shook Up which I saw at Stourbridge Town Hall last year, so I was delighted to see him on the bill taking the part of The Chamberlain.

As with all the previous shows from Brierley Hill Musical Theatre I have seen so far, there is a great atmosphere and a very welcoming community.

Brierley Hill once again provided pure quality entertainment at The Civic Hall and long may it continue!

Thanks again for a wonderful much needed evening.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.