This is no ordinary Cinderella
Gaiety’s perfect panto has it all, even a (very brave) flying fairy!
The Gaiety is celebrating its 150th year with what looks like a budget-busting whopper of a panto that’s a non-stop colourful parade of every trick in the panto trade, with a whole album-full of popular songs of all genres, exhausting dance routines, splendidly dressed villains to boo and good guys to cheer. And for once they don’t overdo the ‘He’s behind you’ stuff.
There’s a warning in the programme about flashing lights, noises, smoke, haze and pyrotechnics that might startle some, but those surprising eruptions seem the very thing the audience enjoyed.
The delights start early with the arrival of fairy godmother Emma Wigglesworth floating in from on high, a genuine gasp-inducing touch, that demands considerable
QUICKCHANGE ACTIVITY KEPT EVERYTHING MOVING AT
TOP SPEED
trust, not to mention courage, from the flying fairy. It’s the sort of speciality that makes the Gaiety panto so special.
The sets are a wonderful combination of painted backdrops, a seemingly endless variety of colourful and imaginative back projections, taking in everything outside and inside the village, the palace and surroundings.
Overall the show is a visual jaw-dropper.
The costumes by Pauline McCaul along with the wigs by Maeve Readman are a remarkable feat of creativity, colour and design. And it’s all supported by quick-change activity that kept everything moving at top speed, particularly in the Cinderella magical transformation scene, with a literally sparkling horse and carriage – no couple of performers inside a horsey suit get a look-in nowadays.
Ciara Lyons is perfect casting as the winsome Cinders, bullied and bossed by her snarling, audience-threatening stepmother Nicholas Grennell and a wicked couple of ugly sisters (Linzy Cowap and Aisling Breen enjoying their grisliness) while Cinders is supported by the chirpy Buttons of Michael Joseph who loses out in the romantic stakes, and Stephen O’Leary’s Dandini.
David Crowley’s self-assured Prince Charming is determined to pick his own bride, despite parental orders and he and Cinders are not the usual soppy couple, but are given plenty of character in Daryn Crosbie’s entertainingly updated script.
As usual the dance routines choreographed by the multi-tasking Crosbie are brilliantly executed, involving eight main dancers and a group of 16 boys and girls from the perennially awesome Billie Barry group in routines that are prolonged and fiendishly demanding. The evergreen Joe Conlan is back as usual, taking a less boisterous role than usual as Nanny Scrumptious, keen on a romantic liaison herself, but the show has so many characters, including King Charming and a delightful Sister Charming (Carly Kane) that nobody’s allowed to run away with the plaudits, and Joe gets to lead the congratulations at the end.
If there’s a flaw in the show it’s the length, edging towards three hours, including an interval and final round-up sing-song – possibly the Gaiety’s determination to make this anniversary memorable, but there’s room for some pruning without damaging the overall effect.
n In other news, the touring musical Charlie And The Chocolate Factory runs at the Bord Gáis Theatre until January 7.
n You Belong To Me, written by Rory Nolan, better known as Ross O’Carroll Kelly, is on at Smock Alley until December 21. Liam Carney and Clara Simpson star.