Cinderella
After a rather pedestrian outing in 2024’s Beauty and the Beast—which I described as “perfectly fine” (and I think I was being generous)—it’s a pleasure to report that Cinderella is a joyous, festive trip to the ball.
Under the direction of showbiz legend Gary Wilmot, Cinderella has a pleasantly old-fashioned, almost vaudevillian charm. We get a great mixture of pop songs reworked to fit the setting (Petula Clark’s Downtown, transformed into Richmond, is a terrific opener) and musical-theatre numbers that lean into the show’s theatricality. A particular highlight is a rendition of Bryan Adams’s seminal hit Everything I Do (I Do It for You), performed alongside a simply hilarious slapstick routine in which our heroes—Cinderella, Buttons, and the Prince—keep tumbling off a wall. Panto is all about pace and energy, and it’s to Wilmot’s credit that even in its sincere moments, the gags and momentum never let up.
The production as a whole is boldly designed. Huge credit must go to the costume design work, which has a regal and classy feel to it. Meanwhile, the set design has a traditional feel with its elegant ballrooms and quaint panto villages, but it is designed with an almost forced perspective: the enchanted forest looks like it can go on for miles. Hugely accomplished work.
As far as performances go, Hope Dawe bags herself a much better role than the title role in last year’s pantomime. She provides stellar vocals, particularly in the Act 1 finale Tonight Belongs to You. Tom Major plays things admirably straight and channels his inner Prince Eric with a charismatic performance as Prince Charming. I would also like to highlight the sterling work of Stephen Guarino and Jak Allen-Anderson as the Ugly Stepsisters, who embrace every boo and hiss with just the right amount of self-awareness.
In terms of its marquee names, Hope Davies shines in her musical sequences as the Fairy Godmother, with an opening musical motif not unlike her Wicked counterpart. Another highlight is her Christmas medley shared with Charlie Stemp as Buttons (more to follow on him). However, I did find her performance rather prim and proper for the role to truly captivate its younger audience. This is perhaps a send-up of her role on Call the Midwife, but I’d have liked a lighter touch to help her truly achieve magical status.
However, the star of the evening was West End leading man Charlie Stemp. Having proven himself to have a true comic streak as Bert in Mary Poppins and in his most recent Olivier-nominated performance in Crazy for You, Stemp’s performance harkens back to classic showmanship in his musical sequences, and he is also truly at home with his audience interaction. Not only were the audience members relaxed around him, they were in the palm of his hand. I particularly enjoyed his tap dance routine shared with Michael Lin’s comically astute Dandini. On the whole, the choreography by Stephen Mear, perhaps best known for his work on Mary Poppins and the 2010 Hello, Dolly!; is slick and gradually builds in complexity. Huge credit must go to the ensemble, who perform each routine with aplomb.
I’ll admit, I went into this with a great deal of trepidation after my response to last year’s show. I wished for more magic, and Wilmot and the company delivered it and then some with a charming, cheeky, and comforting production. This year, the slipper is a perfect fit.
This show was reviewed on the 10th December at Richmond Theatre, Richmond where it runs until the 4th January 2026. Tickets available here: Cinderella (Pantomime) Tickets | Richmond Theatre in Richmond | ATG Tickets
Review written by Alex Farley
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Photo credit: Ian Olsson
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