Cinderella

With a lovely warm welcome at Lochaber Showstoppers, I sat back and enjoyed a great pantomime.  With excellent singing from all the principals and strong ensemble singing and vocal harmonies, we were entertained from start to finish.  A funny script written and directed by Ryan Flay took us on the journey to pantoland.  Like all good pantomimes, as well as telling the story of poor Cinderella, we were entertained with jokes and fun.    All the elements of a good panto were there with a Prince, Princesses, a wicked stepmother and on this occasion a stepsister who was supportive of Cinderella.  Buttons gave a lovely performance, and the wicked stepmother played by Natalie Lynch portrayed the nasty character with strong vocals and great acting.  Prince Charming played by Leah Burns and loyal servant Dandini played by Jenny Taylor worked well together, and we enjoyed some lovely singing from both of them, as well as fun and storytelling.  Cinderella played by Rhona MacNeil had excellent vocals and acting, and alongside the wide range of principals brought the story to life.  The Fairy Godmother played by Jane Poulton made sure that Cinderella got to the ball in all her finery.  It is worthy of note to mention the five divas who delivered a great collective performance. Their impressive costumes were designed and made by students from the local college, and this was a great platform in which to celebrate a local collaboration.  Cinderella opened into a simple but effective set and the palace which was revealed in Act 2 was an impressive backdrop for the ball.  The singing was strong throughout the performance from the opening number to the finale.  The audience also got their chance to join in with I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)  and the audience left the theatre having enjoyed a great night out.   The talents of Director Ryan Flay, Musical Director Liz Falconer and Choreographer Hannah Calder were evident in this production and supported by Shona Thumpston, Assistant Director along with costumes, props, and the technical team the pantomime ran very smoothly.  There were some lovely effects and touches throughout the performance and the magic was there when we saw the transformation of the Irn Bru can into the beautiful carriage that transported Cinderella to the ball.  Pyros and confetti brought this great panto to its finale and the audience left the theatre having enjoyed a great night out. Well done!         

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