Cinderella The Fairy Godmother of all Pantos.

New Wimbledon Theatre’s Christmas pantomime for 2023 is Cinderella The Fairy Godmother of Pantos starring Craig Revel Horwood as the Wicked stepmother Baroness Demonica Hardup along with magician and performer Pete Firman as Buttons and the beautiful fairy Godmother, Alison Jiear.

Prince Charming (Solomon Davy) falls hopelessly in love with the beautiful downtrodden Cinderella (Cassie Compton) after their first encounter. The storyline of the original folk tale remains the same. Compton’s voice in a couple of solo numbers was incredibly powerful, she gives a strong performance throughout the pantomime.

If you are an avid fan of the long-running BBC show Strictly Come Dancing you are in for a treat. There are references throughout and the famous scoreboards make an appearance too. Horwood’s portrayal of the wicked Baroness plays to the audience and actively encourages them to “boo” and “jeer” at him. He wants you to dislike the character. Although each costume changed Horwood looked amazing and had “plenty of junk in the trunk” their words, not mine.

Firman appears to be having a blast onstage. His wit and magic tricks entertain the children and adults in the audience throughout the performance. Towards the end when a group of children are invited onto the stage to join in with the song, he puts them at ease. The role of Buttons requires an abundance of charisma which Firman certainly possesses.

Choreography by Lizzi Gee is outstanding. The routines were all delivered with flawless precision. Each of the ensemble members gave an enthusiastic and energetic performance. Horwood’s dancing in those heels left me in awe of him (I can’t even walk in them).

There’s been no expense spared on the staging and costumes. From the scullery kitchen to the opulence of the castle, set designer Ian Westbrook has created a wonderful “fairytale” landscape. Alongside the creative costumes by speciality costume designer Mike Coltman. The finale outfits especially has left a lasting impression.