Cinderella
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Sneak Peek at Cinderella

Even before the show has opened this year’s pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle, has broken box office records with advance sales reaching the million pound mark ahead of previous years.

With the opening of Cinderella on Tuesday December 1st Michael Harrison, writer and director of the show invited Whatsonstage North East to sit in on rehearsals, which we were pleased to accept. This Cinderella is a new version and totally different to the production five years ago which first brought Clive Webb and Danny Adams to the Theatre Royal. Each year since Michael has brought Clive and Danny back and smashed the previous box office records, year after year.

The success is due to the fact the North East audiences know that Clive and Danny deliver a first class pantomime and Michael ensures that each one is better that the one before, which is no mean feat.

From sitting in the darkness of the Grand Circle, with Michael directing from a seat a few rows in front I watched Act Two start to take shape. While I would never betray the trust the cast and crew put in me by revealing any secrets, especially as Michael allows me access back stage, I am pleased to report the years pantomime looks glitzy and the ballroom set literally glistened under the lights. As usual the costumes looked sumptuous and Chris Haywood’s costumes as Baroness Rita looked as gorgeous as ever. The magic performed by Clive and Danny left me totally amazed and I am still trying to work out how they did it.

With the promise if an animatronics raven, flying horse, water sloshing around, special effects and a fairy flying without wires I cannot wait to see the whole show as it already promises to top last year’s magnificent Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates. Booking for next’s years pantomime, Robin Hood, opens on this week and Danny and Clive will be back in what promises to be another Michael Harrison spectacular.

- by John Dixon

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