Feel-Good Cinderella in Huddersfield

An opera, ballet, film, musical, or even a cartoon of Cinderella is one of the most loved-to-riches tales.

Andrew Pollard’s excellent script is pure traditional pantomime, played as it should be, with some lovely Yorkshire touches.

Director Rachel Gee’s production is a gutsy, well-thought-out production that travels at high speed and is full of sparkle, vitality, in-your-face comedy, and audience participation.

Sets created for Lawrence Batley pantomimes are always creative, fresh, well-lit, and look as if they have come from the pages of a story book, and this year is no exception.

Cinderella literally explodes on stage when the ebullient Fairy Godmother steps out on stage and immediately whips up some well-thought-out audience participation. Shorelle Hepkin brings some great comedy as a 'reet Yorkshire’ fairy but doesn’t destroy the magic or wonder she creates.

Alyce Liburb’s Cinderella is storybook traditional but with a modern miss profile! She captures that childlike innocence that makes her believable to the younger kids while wearing funky trainers and going to the ball on a skateboard high above the clouds, giving her 'street cred’ with the older ones.

Liburb blends beautifully with Daniel Lacey’s Prince Charming. Together, they have charisma and chemistry between them, while their voices blend beautifully in the vocals.

It is difficult to play a good Buttons needs high-octane energy to dispense fun and a boisterous connection with the audience. Add to this the ability to show tenderness and pathos when he loses Cinderella and Thomas Cotran, and he nails the character to perfection with a standout performance.

Uglies James McLean (Rastrick) and Pete Toon (Brighouse) are bold, brash, and grotesque, but it's McClean who excels with his barbed one-liners, movement, and facial expressions, giving a superb portrayal, while Toon seems to struggle at times.

Sonia Wrightson is tasked with a difficult and unusual role as Dandini—no spoilers here, though—but Sonia does it wonderfully.

Cinderella is a great family pantomime that dispenses a great Christmas feel-good factor that will last all through the holidays. .