Mr Cinders

‘Spread a little happiness’ is the best-known number in this musical and, apart from the war years, there can hardly have been a time when such a sentiment was needed more.  Most will associate it with the 1982 version by Sting or even an advert for margarine but it actually dates from this show’s opening in 1928.   

As the title suggests, this rarely performed Vivian Ellis musical is something of a re-hash of the familiar story, but here with a change of gender.  A somewhat put-upon young man gets the girl and the money after a series of adventures, coming out tops at the end through having the right head for a hat rather than the right foot for a slipper.

The programme notes describe the difficulties of rehearsing whilst Government rules restricted some activities and close contact with others. Additionally, several members of the original cast withdrew for a variety of reasons but none of this was enough to deter the remaining company from finally putting on the show, which had twice previously been postponed.  Although audience numbers were not always large, leaving the effect of the lockdown on such things still uncertain, those of us who made the effort to attend were suitably entertained. 

Connor Canvess in the title role and Tilly Jackson as his eventual bride made a fine couple, one with a twinkle in his eye but his character perhaps needful of a little guidance, the other with the ability to provide that support.  In this show her character is also something of the “Buttons” we see in the more familiar panto, encouraging “Cinders” to stand up for himself and, in the absence of a Fairy Godmother here, to find a way of going to the ball.  Both had good singing voices and delivered their lines with confidence, whilst Tilly had an excellent dance number early in the second act.  Without wishing to detract from their performances in this show, they would make an excellent pairing in Me and My Girl or Kipps/Half a Sixpence, both of which contain similar characters.     

Other parts were well cast: two brothers, not so much ugly as unattractively upper class, were played by Steve Witty and Andrew Clay, both nice chaps really, I’m sure. Each had their own love interest in the form of Minerva and Phyllis, described as “poor relation” and “flapper” respectively, parts well played by Katie Buttner and Claire Edwards.  There was the somewhat evil stepmother, Sharon Wooley appearing suitably domineering towards all and sundry, but particularly her husband, Robin Newman, doing as he was told.  Chris Curtis appeared as P.C. Merks, described in the programme as a “disgruntled copper”, which perhaps explains why his appearance would not necessarily satisfy a costume inspection by his superiors.  Nevertheless, it is his character through whom all is revealed at the end.  The part of Henry Kemp, a millionaire, includes another familiar song (‘She’s my lovely’), originally part of another show by the same composer and here nicely performed by Dave Blaker.       

This was an entertaining production with a couple of unusual aspects.  There were times when “props” were handed to or collected from unseen hands in the wings and in one case to the orchestra pit where a 3-piece band provided good support.  Until the final breakfast scene the not unattractive sets were left without furniture, as a result of which characters had to stand around to deliver dialogue, which I felt a little unrealistic.  Maybe this was a necessary result of the restricted rehearsals mentioned above.  Similarly, the familiar “happiness” song is reprised as the finale and would perhaps have warranted a bigger dance number if circumstances had permitted.   

This was my first amateur production since early 2020 and it was good to see the results of the hard work involved, not least in interpreting what was allowed in rehearsals as rules kept changing. We are grateful to the company for sticking to the task after their setbacks and happiness was certainly spread as a result.  

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