★★★★

“an eye-popping, feel-good extravaganza”

Theatre Royal Stratford East leads its audience on a magical mystery tour with its vibrant retelling of the Pinocchio story, blessed with neon colours, funky beats – and a fairy to die for.

Sizzling with energy and dressed like an atompunk seaside arcade, this classic tale of the wooden puppet who wants to be a real boy has zip and a dazzling bubblegum aesthetic thanks to set and costume designer Stewart J Charlesworth, who deserves to take the applause alongside the admirable cast.

The story, under the direction of Omar F Okai, draws directly from Italian writer Carlo Collodi’s 1883 classic.

Pinocchio, a mischievous wooden puppet carved by the kind-hearted Geppetto, comes to life. He is impulsive and rebellious, leading him into a series of misadventures. He runs away, skipping school to attend a puppet show. He is soon swindled by the deceitful Sly Fox and Miss Cat, who convince him to gamble away his money.

He joins a group of troublemakers who take him to Playland where he is transformed into a donkey and sold to a circus. After a series of humiliations, Pinocchio is thrown into the sea and swallowed by a shark. Who Pinocchio meets inside the shark finally persuades the puppet to change his ways.

Playland, a chicken farm, a shark’s belly, a workshop, a dark circus – what a confection of opportunities for set design, lighting, choreography and fun.

Everything relies on the winning power and prowess of Pinocchio and Dylan Collymore delivers, with disco moves, soulful tones and a cheeky presence. The music, courtesy of Trish Cooke and Robert Hyman, calls on an eclectic range of global styles and puts everyone through their paces.

The cast is gleeful and charming. Special mention to crowd pleasers Nicole Louise Lewis as Krik Krak (“I say Krik, you say Krak”) and jolly jack of all trades Tok Morakinyo who turns up all over the place in different guises.

Saving the best till last though, cutting through the sugar-rush flim-flam is veteran Michael Bertenshaw as the Blue Rinse Fairy who has sharpened his vaudeville stylings and dry badinage into a formidable comic weapon. With his sardonic eye rolls and wry world weariness, his exasperation might go over the heads of the little ones, but he speaks directly to the grown-ups.

While the exuberant cast sweat buckets in elaborate street-smart dance routines, laconic Bertenshaw merely needs to deadpan to the stalls to have us all in hysterics.

Minor quibbles: the story is picaresque and episodic so it’s easy to lose track of progress; and the evil pair of Fox and Cat could indulge in more obvious crowd-riling villainy – giving everyone more opportunities to boo. Still, the dance numbers landed, the storytelling was upbeat, and everyone left the theatre cheerfully singing a refrain about believing in themselves. Job done.

What an eye-popping, feel-good extravaganza.

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.

PINOCCHIO at the Theatre Royal Stratford East

★★★★

“an eye-popping, feel-good extravaganza”

PINOCCHIO at the Theatre Royal Stratford East

Reviewed on 30th November 2024

by Giles Broadbent

Photography by Craig Fuller

Previously reviewed at this venue:

PINOCCHIO

PINOCCHIO

CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre

★★★★

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

CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre

Reviewed on 26th November 2024

by Dominica Plummer

Photography by Douglas Robertson

More reviews from Dominica:

Cinderella

Cinderella