Whether you are five years old or a hundred and five years old, I think it is nearly impossible to watch Jeremy Webb’s pantomime production of Cinderella without feeling complete and unbridled joy.
In the British Christmas Pantomime style, Webb takes the story of Cinderella and infuses it with pop music, a few topical local reference jokes, and spins the story in a more modern and empowering direction to create a funny and sweet feel-good musical that is full of silliness for the sake of silliness and heart for the sake of heart. Cinderella (Samantha Walkes) lives with her dad, Old Jim, (Troy Adams) and her two stepsisters, Citronella (Ann Doyle) and Deetah (Becca Guilderson). Her father is hardworking, but the family is struggling financially. Cinderella works as a mechanic and also has a slew of other career opportunities. In order for the household to run smoothly all four family members would need to contribute to the household income and maintenance, but Cinderella is the only one of the children willing to help their dad. Citronella and Deetah are lazy, selfish, and vain, although you do get the sense that, unlike their Disney counterparts, deep deep down they just might love their dad and their sister after all. The family are all invited to the Prince’s 21st Birthday Ball, but Cinderella doesn’t have anything appropriate to wear, so her father feels it might be best if she stay home. Secretly, though, she wishes that she could join them. That is when she meets her Fairy Godmother (Martha Irving), who, despite still being In Training, manages to whip up a dress and carriage for the ball. Magic, romance, and chaos ensues.
The show is literally packed with show-stopping music from Troy Adams’ stunning rendition of Brown Birds’ “Fingers to the Bone” to Andrew Prashad (as Boutons)’s impressive tap dancing masterpiece of “Moves Like Jagger” to renditions by Doyle and Guilderson of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and “Call Me Maybe.” Samantha Walkes has a powerful, soulful voice which strikes the perfect chord for Cinderella, while Guilderson’s pop star vocals are especially well suited to sassy Deetah. Conversely, Martha Irving’s “Firework” (Katy Perry) is so hilariously unexpected that it also works effortlessly for this exuberant Fairy Godmother. Stephanie Graham’s choreography brings the additional energy of a 90s pop band’s music video to the show, which makes Cinderella’s villagers way cooler than Belle’s.
I loved the sweet relationship between Adams and Walkes as Old Jim and Cinderella. In this story Cinderella is rooted at home, so you don’t get the sense that she is simply running off with the first man who pays any attention to her. Her first meeting with Prince Charmin (Ryan Brown) is less than ideal because he gets social anxiety around women, and his attempts to get their friend Boutons to help him go quite awry. Brown does a lovely job at oscillating between Princely charm and falling (metaphorically) on his face. Prashad is so endearing as Boutons, though, that I was honestly torn about how I wanted the story to end. Prashad won the Merritt Award last year for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and it’s not very hard to see why. Martha Irving is adorable as an overzealous, but not quite proficient Godmother. She reminds me of if Abby from Sesame Street was a grown up. Ann Doyle gives a gigantic performance as Citronella; she and Becca Guilderson as Deetah really capture the pantomime spirit in a fun and hilarious way. Samantha Walkes turns Cinderella into a real person, someone who exudes kindness and strength of character, someone who tries her best to help and connect with people, even when they are rude to her, someone who tries to see the best in those around her. Walkes gives Cinderella a feistiness and sense of humour that is refreshing, and grounds her in a self confidence that is beautiful. She is someone that little girls and boys can look up to.
Cinderella was adapted by and directed by Neptune Theatre’s Artistic Director Jeremy Webb, and from the very beginning of the show, which cites Star Wars, there is so much of the silliness and the delightfulness that is distinctly Webb. I credit the two small Webbs, Jeremy’s sons, as well, as I’m sure they informed their dad about what is funniest for the five to ten year old demographic, and there is a lot in this show that will make young kids laugh. It is truly a show for the whole family.
When I moved home to Halifax after living in Toronto for awhile one of the things I knew I would miss was the Ross Petty Pantomime at Christmas. I didn’t dare dream back then that one day we would have our very own Pantomime at Neptune. If I had written this review back in December, when this show premiered, I would have ended this review asking that the Pantomime become a regular holiday feature here, but now I have Peter Pan to look forward to! You know what they say, “Have faith in your dreams and someday/Your rainbow will come smiling through/No matter how your heart is grieving/If you keep on believing/The dream that you wish will come true.”
Cinderella plays at the Neptune Theatre Fountain Hall Stage (1593 Argyle Street, Halifax) until August 18th. Tickets range in price from $30.00-$76.00. For tickets visit this website, call the Box Office at 902.429.7070 or visit in person at 1593 Argyle Street.
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