Cinderella at Richmond Theatre Review
Written by Steph for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The fairy godmother of all pantos has sprung into Richmond with a bushy tailed boom boom!
Directed by Gary Wilmot, we see poor Cinderella from Richmond try to achieve her dreams while living which her father Lord Basil Brush, her evil stepsisters Hernia and Verucca and best friend Buttons. Can she find true love and escape the drudgery of her bullying step sisters? Of course she can, this is Panto after all.
It’s rare to find a family show that feels so genuinely wholesome and sprinkled with genuine festive magic. The story unfurls with a fast and engaging pace which keeps everyone highly engaged. There’s less audience interaction this year but the pace is more measured because of this to a brisk hour for each interval.
The updating of the storyline to give Cinderella more empowerment is also a welcome addition to the plot as well. The cast are brilliantly quick witted and delightfully cheeky together on stage. Hope Dawe returns as the titular character again and shines with warmth and poise. Tom Major was captivating and playful as Prince Charming. Micheal Lin was vibrant, witty and magnetic in his dance off as Dandini. Helen George was hilarious and warm as the fairy godmother. Stephen Guarino as Verucca Hardup and Jak Allen-Anderson as Hernia Hardup were sparkling and hilarious villains in this panto and had the audience in delighted boos and giggles with every turn on stage. Charlie Stemp as Buttons was absolutely hilarious. Clearly having learned from Clary, he delights in cheeky ad libs and his phenomenal physical and verbal comedy skills had their full moment to shine with the audience loving every moment.
The absolute highlight of the panto for myself however was seeing Basil Brush on stage in full witty charm and silly jokes that all the children adored. The ensemble of Lucia Coleman, Luke Jarvis, Hannah Morcos, Rowan Newsome, Emily Rose-Davis, Sienna Walker were fantastic dancers and added much warmth, style and joy.
The set is beautifully larger than life and brilliantly colourful. The children will love the sparkling depiction of the palace, forest and village. The production effects, including pyrotechnics and lighting cues, were brilliant. The themes of the original fairy tale are translated well to the stage along with more modern themes of self confidence and caring towards your friends.
Cinderella is a very family friendly affair but filled with plenty of witty jokes to keep parents laughing just as much. Stemp’s and the Hardup sisters cheeky chemistry especially will keep you laughing and giggling the whole way through.
I genuinely adored this production and my chest hurt from laughing so hard. Cinderella is sparkling, heart warming, and absolutely bursting with fairy tale magic. If you’re searching for a fabulous family night out which will bring a sprinkling of Christmas magic to your holidays, sweeps adults off their feet, enthralls children, and ensures you leave filled with joy and giggles then this is the festive pantomime for you.
Plays until Sunday 4th January 2026.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
