Tag Archives: Amber Sylvia Edwards

CINDERELLA

★★★★

Festival Theatre

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CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre

★★★★

“a spectacular night out with family and friends in a familiar venue hosted by our favourite stars”

If it’s glitz, glamour and banter performed by local talent, Edinburgh’s own Cinderella is the panto you’ve been looking for. The Crossroads Production of this much loved Christmas favourite has something for everyone, whether you’re a glamorous gran or a sleepy babe in arms. There won’t be any time for naps or time outs though, because this is a show where everyone gets involved, thanks to the experienced crowd management talents of Allan Stewart (Faerie May), Grant Stott (Baroness Hibernia Fortuna) and Jordan Young (Buttons).

Panto has long been an Edinburgh tradition, even if familiar names and faces retire from time to time. The traditional venue changes from time to time as well. This year’s production is at the Festival Theatre while the Kings Theatre (affectionately known as the Old Lady of Leven Street) undergoes a face lift. This 2024 Cinderella is heavy on tradition too, with familiar jokes about politics at Holyrood, and the state of play at the Hibernian Football Club down the road in Leith. Towns outside Edinburgh are lovingly mocked, but local scandals are also given brief airings, much to the delight of the crowd. In short, this is Panto as it used to be done, with a hefty tribute to music hall traditions, and its variety show talents. This includes some updated songs with the magnificent voices of Cinderella (Amber Sylvia Edwards) and her Prince (Will Callan).

Fabulous. But what about the plot of Cinderella? All the familiar elements are there, including a bit of backstory about how our heroine came to have a horrible stepmother and two ugly stepsisters. Prince Charming is very charming indeed and not above sneaking out of his palace to meet his love in places less stressful than a huge ball with everyone looking on. In this version, an upwardly mobile and career oriented Cinders aims for a job as Royal Advisor to the Prince. There are a number of similar updates, but this is still recognizably Cinderella. But make no mistake: Edinburgh’s Cinderella belongs to Faerie May (aka The Fairy Godmother). If there’s one weakness to all this updating, it’s that the story of Cinders and her Prince is barely sketched in. But given the number of elaborate costume changes that have to take place, it’s not surprising that Faerie May, the villianous Baroness and the ever cheeky Buttons have the lion’s share of time on stage.

But we’re here for a spectacular night out with family and friends in a familiar venue hosted by our favourite stars. And this Cinderella delivers spectacle in spades. There’s Faerie May’s star spangled descent from the rafters at the beginning of the show, and an eye popping end of the first half involving real ponies and a pumpkin carriage. The even more sparkly grand finale does not disappoint— one could attend this production in full ballgown and tiara and not feel overdressed. But it’s the comic talents of Allan Stewart as Faerie May that keep this show down to earth and accessible to all. Whether it’s putting Cinderella at ease, or dealing with a delightful seven year old girl from the audience upstaging him while his back is turned, Stewart shows that panto experience is key, and age is only a number. Grant Stott as Baroness Hibernia owns the stage with his incredible costumes and an attitude to match. And Jordan Young as Buttons pours such energy into his trademark “Hiya Paaaals” that some local business should probably bottle it and make a fortune. All this, and the show still has a Cinderella (Amber Sylvia Edwards) and a Prince Charming (Will Callan) who manage to hold their own despite all the mayhem going on around them. With supporting players Clare Gray and Gail Watson as the Ugly Sisters, and Iain Stuart Robertson as Baron Hardup, Cinderella has a talented and sympathetic ensemble who know exactly how to play to an Edinburgh crowd.

This Cinderella is a show that knows its community, and plays to it well. So if you’re looking for something unique to Edinburgh and its holiday traditions, this Scottish flavoured panto has plenty to please.


CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre

Reviewed on 26th November 2024

by Dominica Plummer

Photography by Douglas Robertson

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

More reviews from Dominica:

U-BU-SU-NA | ★★★★★ | THE CORONET THEATRE | November 2024
LYNN FACES | ★★★ | EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE | August 2024
ASSEMBLY HALL | ★★★★★ | EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL | August 2024
THE CROW, (THE PRINCESS), AND THE SCULLERY MAID | ★★ | EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE | August 2024
OEDIPUS REX | ★★★★★ | EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL | August 2024
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO | ★★★★ | EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL | August 2024
NIGAMON/TUNAI | ★★★★ | EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL | August 2024
SUITCASE SHOW | ★★★★★ | EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE | August 2024
KAFKA’S APE | ★★★★★ | EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE | August 2024
INSTRUCTIONS | ★★★ | EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE | August 2024
JULIETA | ★★★★ | EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE | August 2024
GRUPO CORPO | ★★★★★ | EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL | August 2024

Cinderella

Cinderella

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Fanatical – The Musical – 3 Stars

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Fanatical - The Musical

Fanatical – The Musical

The Playground Theatre

Reviewed – 14th November 2018

★★★

“It all makes for a lively atmosphere, with a cast who seem to be having the time of their lives”

 

For the uninitiated, it’s worth swotting up before a visit to Fanatical. It deals tenderly with the worlds of cosplay, fandom and sci-fi; come prepared with your Lord of the Rings and Star Wars references brushed up. Be in no doubt: what you sign up for here is a heartfelt love letter to sci-fi and fandoms everywhere.

Fanatical is a musical set amidst the high pressure, high excitement atmosphere of a convention of sci-fi enthusiasts – in this case, ardent supporters of the (fictional, but incredibly fully-realised) world of space comic Angel 8. We too are immersed, brought along as newly adopted fans; gorgeously detailed comic art and digital projections of a really remarkable quality sweep us into the narrative.

A comic convention may seem an odd setting for a musical, but this high-energy cast make it all make sense. So high energy in fact that at times, in the relatively small confines of Latimer Road’s Playground Theatre, the volume and sheer vigour of the music felt somewhat overpowering. Audiences should be prepared for the double earnestness of musical theatre and cosplay (a fan-driven world where enthusiasts craft their own costumes) – indeed, kudos goes to those audience members in their own space-themed outfits.

It all makes for a lively atmosphere, with a cast who seem to be having the time of their lives. Especial note must go to Suanne Braun as Trix, who acts as a linchpin in both character and performance. Her laugh-out-loud rendition of ‘Any Moment Now’ was without question the highlight of the night, as Trix attempts seduction with Miranda-esque levels of awkwardness.

Writers Matt Board and Reina Hardy say in the programme that this show has been a long time in the making. It’s clear, with the attention to detail (our comic characters have animated avatars, theme music, life stories), that Fanatical is the result of a labour of love. Perhaps that love may have added to the occasional loss of discernment. The musical could be shorter and some songs, inevitably, are weaker. Overall there is certainly more filler than killer. Coming Up Next and Self-Aware are some of the toe-tappers, with the latter seeing Tim Rogers as Craig going in for some snarling judgement of the geeks. Similarly the lyrics to the excellent Nobody’s Watching, spat out with relish by Stephen Frost as frustrated writer Scott Furnish, are great fun. As ever, the bad guys get the best songs.

With less accomplished performers, this show might just tip into being an evening of self-indulgent geekery. Strong vocal and acting performances avoid this, and the cast’s abundant enthusiasm carries its audience irresistibly along.

 

Reviewed by Abi Davies

Photography by Scott Rylander

 


Fanatical – The Musical

The Playground Theatre until 8th December

 

 

 

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