Review: Cinderella at The Brindley Theatre Runcorn

This week, I had the privilege of watching the Brindley Theatre’s pantomime for this year, Cinderella.

I haven’t been to see a panto since I was in primary school, and I was instantly taken back to being a kid with the excitement of going to the theatre for the first time – it was amazing!

The production has layers of humour that appeals to audience members of all ages, and a number of viral TikTok references that are guaranteed to get your kids screaming at the stage and leave you maybe feeling a little confused!

I was lucky enough to have my 12-year-old cousin to explain some of them to me in the interval!

Panto royalty, Eurovision’s Nicki French and CBBC’s Simon Grant, star as the Fairy Godmother and one of the Ugly Sisters respectively, and both are excellent in their roles.

Newcomer Emma Laverty plays the leading role of Cinderella, and looks so comfortable on the Brindley Stage, you would think she’s been doing it for years.

Her singing voice is sublime, and she made some of the songs sound like they were being performed on a West End stage.

However, for me, the standout performance was Matt Dallen who plays Buttons.

From the very beginning of the show until the very end, his energy did not waver, and he kept the whole theatre gripped in the story throughout, with his excellent comedic timing.

The soundtrack is great for all, with a number of old-school hits for the adults, as well as more recent songs, including from the K-Pop Demon Hunters, which made all the kids go crazy!

There was also a nice nod in the second half to Nicki French’s Total Eclipse of the Heart dance remix, which got the adults in the room up and dancing in their seat.

I have to give a special mention to the dancers whose technical performances were fabulous – they really helped to bring each scene to life.

It’s difficult to choose a favourite part of the show, but the performance of the 12 Days of Christmas was definitely a highlight, and one which really boosted the energy of the crowd in the second act!

I won’t spoil any surprises but there are definitely a number of “oh wow” moments that will leave you with a smile on your face, particularly when the Fairy Godmother comes to work her magic at the end of the first act. All I’ll say is keep an eye on the carriage…

Ultimately, this performance of Cinderella is a festive treat which you do not want to miss out on.

It’s definitely worth booking tickets before it closes in January!

• Tickets can be booked from the Brindley Theatre website – the final date of the show is 11^th January.