Cinderella & Rockerfella

The Bethel Crowd hand over to the youth in this different take on the Cinderella story. Billed as panto-tastic musical by Mark and Helen Johnson, Script by Sue Langwade.

The stage is bare, with raised area at the back with large white lettering Upstage Centre saying Cinderella & Rockerfella. Backstage Right is a large grandfather clock also drawn in white on the wall with hands. Various tables and props are brought on to help enhance the scenes. With roving lights on the stage as we walked in. Lighting and Sound all added to enhance the show. Sound Aaron and Stacey, Lighting Design Alan Dodd and Lighting Operation Caitlin Owen.  Everyone got the chance to participate in the dances and even help with Choreography. The team was Helena Carter, Zoey Tattersall, Mairead Coburn, Luke Harvey, Verity Coburn, Martha Fallows, Josephine Holmes, Phoebe Scot-Walker, Frey Dunn, Lydia Thompson, Thomas Coburn and Bryn Willaims.

Helen Carter is the Director with Assistant Directors Zoey Tattersall and Caitlain Owen. With a cast of nearly 30 young actors it is clear to see everyone is given a chance to shine. Whether it be in choreography, character or supporting a scene. The cast certainly gave their all and looked to be enjoying every minute on stage. Credit to the team with a large cast allowing everyone their moment. There is not a credit in the programme to the costume department, which I think would also be team effort? But there were some lovely touches like the Fairies in wellies and the continuation of the tutus and the villain being in a black tutu. Rockerfella’s outfit was great too. It had a cohesive feel.

The ensemble worked well and supported the scenes. I do not think I have ever seen plastic bowl choreography before. Hilarious. I cannot mention everyone but be assured you did well. Loved You’re Going To The Ball.

Faith Ross playing the Magic Mirror loved it done like a telephone call centre. Cuteness overload with Elijah Goddard as Stage Right Inspector and Nancy Paxford as Stage Left Inspector as jobsworth roles. Giving us a great French accent and attitude was Bruno Fortuna as Monsieur Bunn the chef. Martha Fellows as Teaser and Verity Coburn as Naughty Kitty got the chance to show us their acrobatic skills.

The light and shade was Fairy Godmother by Phoebe Scot Walker helping Cinders get to the ball, trying to stop her was Fairy Nastyboots played by Josephine Holmes. The warm up people were Harry Leigh playing Warm Up Person 1 and Violet Mead playing Warm Up Person 2 working well together and getting the audience warmed up. Also was cheeky Town Crier played by Clark Mitchell.

The fairies keeping an eye on the action and commenting, hoping to gain their wings were Ella Ford as Fairy Nuff, Ella Greenough as Fairy Cakes, Lily Calland as Fairy Liquid and Tilly Jane Pilkington as Fairy Sajollygudfellow. Working well as a team and bringing the magic.

Luke Harvey played Dan Deeny a preoccupied sort of manager with phone in hand. Lydia Thompson played Buttons in love with Cinderella and supports her against her horrid step sisters played by Bryn Williams playing Anastasia and Thomas Coburn playing Augustina. suitably mean and working well together - great hair!!

Cinderella was played by Freya Dunn, a modern day princess she loses a glitter ankle boot not a glass slipper but eventually finds her own Rockerfella played by Mairead Coburn, who fitted for the part and commanded the stage with great vocals thrown in too.

The Bethel Crowd must be very proud of this production and congratulations to all the back stage staff including the chaperones to get this show on. Thank you from my guest Angela and I for the invite and hospitality. It is so lovely to see the future of Bolton Amateur Theatre with such a happy horizon.

 

Liz Hume-Dawson

District 5 Rep

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