Cinderella

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Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, Wednesday, December 12

SINGING, dancing, a lot of laughs and a pinch of sparkle – add a healthy dash of cheese and you’ve got yourself a perfect recipe for a classic Christmas panto.

It’s a recipe that the creators of Eastbourne’s Cinderella have perfected, and this year’s festive offering is a brilliant way to get into the Christmas mood for all the family.

Hilary O’Neil sparkles as the Fairy Godmother, who introduces the show with charm and humour.

Her impressions, sprinkled like fairy dust throughout the show, resulted in some of the biggest laughs on Wednesday night, and her homage to Catherine Tate’s Nan is perfection.

Eastbourne comic Tucker is a likeable and warm-hearted Buttons, whose cheeky ad-libs add some genuine chuckles from both the audience and his fellow cast members.

Adding to the cheekiness is Martyn Knight and Scott St Martyn as the Ugly Sisters – a dynamic duo of double entendres and suggestive asides that provide some extra giggles for the adults present.

Their rendition of Beyonce’s Single Ladies, complete with black leotards, straightened hair and dance moves from the video, is an image that will stay with me long after the last mince pie is eaten.

Cinderella herself is played by Laura Baldwin, who put me in mind of Amy Adams in Enchanted.

She delivers a sweet and innocent portrayal, with a strong singing voice that is suitably Disney-like to impress both young children and adults alike.

Indeed, the magical moment at the end of the first half where she climbs into her sparkly carriage, which then takes flight with the help of a winged horse, could have leapt straight off the screen of any classic Disney film.

It’s easy to be blase about pantomimes, but to see the enjoyment they bring to so many really does remind you why they still play such a valuable role in the run up to Christmas.

This was the first one my daughter has seen and the wonder and excitement she experienced throughout was a real Christmas treat for all the family.

Thankfully, the joy and spirit of Eastbourne Theatre’s offering has ensured that it won’t be the last.

Laura Gooch