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Kirsty Mann as Cinderella
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Cinderella (Tabard)

Venue: The Tabard Theatre
Where: Outer London
Date Reviewed: 5 December 2011
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Bold, slick and bright, this excellent production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella has verve, spirit and panache.

What this fringe venue's in-house musical lacks in budget for costumes is amply made up for with superb casting, a top sound rig and imagination by the pumpkin-load.

Backed by a cracking live band, there are strong vocal performances all round, but special mention goes to Helen Colby, versatile as Cinderella's cranky stepmother coaching her unfortunately named daughters to capture the Prince's heart, also doubling up as the heartwarming, wry cockney Fairy Godmother.

Cinderella's stepsisters themselves - the lisping, scratching, poetry-spouting Grace (Lydia Jenkins) and empty-headed Joy (Kate Scott) - make the funniest onstage double act I've seen in ages.

Kirsty Mann's earnest Cinderella is charming and when she meets nice Prince Christopher (Vlach Ashton) at the ball they harmonise well and share a simple, touching chemistry.

There are also good comic turns from the Prince's mother (Sarah Dearlove), father (Brendan Matthews) and manservant (Josh Carter).

Director Alex Young crafts moments of real magic - the pumpkin carriage, the mice into horses, the dress! - that make this a Cinderella show itself - quality clad in (not quite) rags. Here's to hoping it gets the packed out audience it richly deserves.

- Vicky Ellis

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Reader Reviews

Score	Comment	Date
	This isn��t a panto, but a made-for-TV musical by the masters of the form. It starred Julie Andrews and when it was aired in 1957, some 100,000,000 watched �C 60% of the US population! Though it has been on stage before, outings are rare. I saw a lovely production at Bristol Old Vic almost exactly 8 years ago, but I��m not sure it has been in London in the 30 years I��ve lived here. So off to Turnham Green we go��.. They haven��t changed the age-old story, but it��s stripped down to nine characters, with an excellent Helen Colby here doubling-up as the Stepmother and the Fairy Godmother, and an ensemble of two! The music isn��t their best, but better than much (and certainly better than any panto version I��ve seen) and its played really well here by a 5-piece band (which sounds a lot bigger). Christopher Hone��s design is superb, working wonders with the tiny Tabard Theatre space in very inventive ways that themselves make you smile and Alex Young��s direction is very sure-footed indeed. Kirsty Mann and Vlach Ashton are excellent romantic leads and Brendan Matthew & Sarah Dearlove very good as the King & Queen. I loved the interpretation of Cinderella��s sisters �C Kate Scott as a somewhat manic Joy and Lydia Jenkins with rather more ��attitude�� as Grace. The prince��s Steward Lionel was given a bit of a camp makeover by Josh Carter to good effect. Given the time of year (and this was a matin��e too), this somewhat sophisticated entertainment was played to rather too many young children I��m afraid and the seat kicking, crisp & sweet eating and fidgeting rather wore me down. This is far too good for kids (and in my opinion certainly not suitable for under 7��s) and maybe an evening performance would have been better. That said, congratulations to the Tabard for quality alternative seasonal fare. - Gareth James	06 Dec 11

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