absolutely through to the audience's last glimpse of the performers. The short version: once the highly accomplished and throughly enchanting Kelli Young first (puff!) appeared, setting everything into motion, my friend and I found ourselves turning to each other every few minutes, pure delight on our faces, grinning continually in uncritical appreciation as we never have before. and decided to make it one of this year's pair. Sticking pretty much to the classics ('Dick', 'Cinderella', 'Aladdin', 'Snow White,' 'Jack,' Puss'), while sampling a wide range of theatres, styles and approaches, we've traveled the city's compass points and even beyond. And that, over time, we began indulging ourselves to the extent of picking two different productions to experience annually, not just one. It also needs, here, to be said that a good friend and I have been 'panto pals' - as we call ourselves - for at least twenty years now.
Creatively conceived and executed - with so much warmth, charm and good humour - this 'Cinderella' is now to be the gold standard by which I'll judge every future panto I attend. Rollicking along, with neither a boring moment nor an uncharismatic player, it benefits equally from a tight, simple vision completely at the service of the classic goings-on ups on stage.
