Cinderella

North Ormesby Minstrels have created an engaging, inclusive and entertaining pantomime experience for all to enjoy. The whole creative team, lighting, sound, set, costume and props worked brilliantly together to give a coherent and flowing performance. Director Marie Turnbull is back for her 25th year of directing the pantomimes and it was just as fresh, new and exciting as ever. Marie states that Cinderella is one of her favourite pantomimes to do, and for such a classic to feel as new and exciting as this production did is a credit to her directing ability.

Choreography was rampant in his production with company and small cast dance numbers happening all over, which showed a fantastic variety of the company's dance ability. The wide range of styles and dances were choreographed by a brilliant team of Alice Maenami, Hannah Burn, Lesley Maenami and Katie Allen supported by Marie Turnbull. 

The Fairy Godmother, played by Karen Coats, started the show with a great opening number, a fun and energetic routine which introduces the company to the audience. Karen sang with elegance and showed the Godmother's kind and gentle nature to the audience. We met second in command to the Prince, the faithful Dandini, who was played by Katie Allen. Katie sang ‘Absolutely Everybody’ and moved with poise and class, as Dandini should. She performed throughout the show as both the loyal servant Dandini and as the stand in Prince. Both her performances were well worked and fit well with the others on the stage, often giving a bit of sanity to the odd scene. Next, we have Prince Charming and what a brilliant prince they were! Performed by Katie Shepherd, she performed with confidence and clarity to bring the prince to life. Katie’s songs were sung beautifully and the scenes felt real with that bit of panto flair sprinkled on top. Interactions with other characters, including some of the smaller company members, were always well thought out and fit with the character well. Katie's portrayal of the Prince was not too on the nose and showed a real and genuine character.

After our introduction to the royals, we were welcomed by the loveable Buttons played by Marty Maenami. Marty worked brilliantly to engage with the audience and establish a strong connection with them from the start. Throughout the show he performed with energy, enthusiasm and just the right amount of silly. His improvisation skills were in full flow with this opening show audience and his wit matched their enthusiasm brilliantly. ‘Opposite Your Smile’ was a brilliant number in the show, sang and performed brilliantly it created and showed the ever-strong bond between him and Cinderella. Speaking of the lady herself, Cinderella was performed by Poppy Short. She performed with the perfect balance of strength at parts and the moments of distraught when needed in the story. Her songs and dances throughout the show were always performed with style and elegance, taking on a role many have struggled with even in professional productions. Poppy’s duet with the Prince was also a highlight of the performance for me, giving a really moving moment for the whole audience to enjoy. Baron Hardup was played by Andrew Buchanan, he played the role of the Baron with a unique and jolly attitude. Andrew showed that even as a man of great stature does not always have to be the character with the most power in the scene, something that unless done with great skill to show the shift in power has the risk of not looking right to the audience. His diversity in the role to switch one second from the ‘man in charge’ to what felt like watching a puppy being yelled at by his lady wife. Lady Devilia Hardup, what a performance. Gita Bhanvra is one very diverse performer. From her recent performance as the drunk and slightly spiteful character in 9to5 to this controlling, manipulative and evil woman was a huge surprise to me and shows her diversity well.

On the topic of mean, bullying and elaborate women we get to Beryl and Cheryl Hardup. Cheryl, played by Zak Forrest was the snappy, yappy sister out of this duo. Often the one to loose her temper Cheryl was performed with a fantastic balance of sass and genuine surprise and confusion. Beryl played by Ed Cook-Smith was the butch, harder speaking, audience member obsessed woman. Ed performed the role with strength while using his vocal skills brilliantly to get that perfect balance of softer spoken and the deep and rougher speech for comedic effect. Their costumes were constantly changing and eye catching, bringing fresh and extravagant looks to each scene. The connections between the characters clicked perfectly on the stage, their relationships to each other were brilliantly shown, whether it was in song or through the scenes. Their ‘get me a man’ section of the performance was an incredibly fun, colourful and engaging performance from them both. They sang, danced and improvised with wit and humour throughout the performance while balancing a brilliant scary and mean side.

The other notable duo in this performance are Snitch and Snatch played respectively by Alan Pickthall & Garry Dring. They were another brilliantly matched duo in their strange, changeable and humorous characters. Their moments on stage were well paced and helped to provide a range of character types that aided to progress the story along.

Behind this cast was, as North Ormesby Minstrels do so well, an incredibly supportive, talented and varied chorus. With the role of dumpling being taken by Lola Micklewright and Isaac Short. Who performed with energy and style. The rest of the chorus were: Lucy Allan, Hannah Burn, Beth Coates, Esme Cook-Smith, Patrick Cook-Smith, Stephanie Dring, Lola Micklewright, Melissa O'Neill, Mya Roberts, Frankie Short, Isaac Short, Marie Turnbull, Laura Weir and Rebekah Wrigglesworth. One honorable mention I must give is to Ava Micklewright who was constantly full of energy, enthusiasm and expression. The show from start to finish was fun, enthusiastic and full of great characters, a brilliant performance for all!

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