Cinderella – Liverpool Everyman

Writer: Luke Barnes

Director: James Baker

Perhaps it is due to last year’s production of Red Riding Hood (arguably the worst panto the venue has produced in recent times) that this year’s production of Cinderella penned by Luke Barnes and directed by James Baker feels a little too safe – it’s certainly heading back in the right direction but what it has gained in slickness, it has lost in its ability to bring comic danger to proceedings.

It’s without question that between Barnes and Baker there is a partnership ready for growth, and with more time together (Baker being a last-minute replacement for the quickly departed Suba Das) some of the ideas within the production could have been more fully realised and played with, there are key ingredients here that have become almost synonymous with the Everyman Panto and it’s perhaps the feeling of needing to give nods to these things rather than totally re-inventing the Hope Street staple where the feelings of the show being “safe” comes into force.

The creative team do well to bring a fresh twist to the storytelling and the play on gender and masculinity adds a great layer to proceedings, and the overall message of “being yourself is more important than romance” is a powerful one to take home, especially when the “Happily Ever After” comes to the Fairy Godmother not the eponymous heroine… despite all the good in representation on the stage, it’s incredibly noticeable that all bar one small cameo role of Humpty Dumpty all the voices on stage are not Liverpuddlian and all speak with an RP tone – something that – for this reviewer makes connecting to the characters on stage even harder.

Those choices aside, the cast provide plenty of energy and the vocals are stronger than ever… Ben Welch returning as the dame showcases some powerful vocals, as does Grace Venus as leading lady Ellanora. Zoe West as Mr Ooglay is a fresh re-imagining of the panto villain, although one just wanted them to push it even further, a little more evil, a little more menacing. Folarin Akinmade and Rebecca Levy as Dench Ooglay and Judi Ooglay are more “mean girls” than menacing step-siblings but it doesn’t feel out of place from the context of the show. What is great to see is Adam Keast in his 21st year in the Everyman Panto brought back into the spotlight after being woefully underused last year… Keast really understands the rules of panto and when he is allowed to go off-piste the sense of true panto really shines strong and ensures laughter is rung out from the audience. Keast is starting to build a good rapport with Welch and it’s only a matter of time before that partnership becomes as strong as Keast and (dame of old) Francis Tucker.

The production is played out on Isla Shaw’s rather bland set design, a wooden pumpkin that resembles a build your own wooden ornament, than a bold, colourful and glittery Christmas set – which is in complete contrast to her bright and colourful costume designs. That said Ryan Joseph Stafford’s stunning lighting design ensures that the stage is never left without shards of light reflecting across the set, almost akin to cathedral-like stained glass filling the space.

There is plenty to enjoy in Cinderella – the storytelling twists bring a fresh perspective and the cast are uniformly strong – one hopes that next year the team take that extra leap of faith and really deconstruct the rock’n’roll panto in a bigger and better way!

Runs until 20 Jan 2024