Theatre reviews: Cinderella | Peter Pan

Cinderella, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh ****

Peter Pan, King’s Theatre, Glasgow *****

They’re calling it “the Fairy Godmother of all pantos”; and there’s certainly a tremendous sense of occasion about this year’s big Edinburgh panto at the Festival Theatre, Cinderella, as the city’s much-loved panto trio of Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young take on the most famous and iconic of all fairytales.

Grant Stott, Allan Stewart and Jordan Young star in Cinderella at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh PC: Douglas Robertson

Their mission – as with all great panto performers – is to both mock the story within an inch of its life, and to celebrate it in an avalanche of sparkling Christmas magic; and this year, they succeed in spectacular style, as Stewart’s middle aged Fairy Mae – the fairy godmother in question – wields her magic despite all kinds of unmentionable underwear problems. Stott, meanwhile, as the terrifying Hibernia Fortuna, almost transforms the show into the Wicked Stepmother of all pantos, plying the audience with a rich diet of Edinburgh jokes about the fortunes of Hibs football club, and the difficulty of finding a wealthy husband who is not a “jam tart”.

There’s nothing fancy about the storytelling, in this Crossroads Pantomimes production scripted by Allan Stewart and Harry Michaels. It’s a cheekily entertaining wheeze, though, to send Young’s hilarious Buttons into the royal palace, under cover as Prince Charming’s servant Dandini; and with Amber Sylvia Edwards offering up a beautiful, spirited Cinderella with a gorgeous jazz voice, and Clare Gray and Gail Watson excelling themselves in their short but vivid appearances as Ugly Sisters Vindicta and Manipulata, all the key elements of the tale are delivered in fine traditional style.

It is slightly strange, at times, to see the show being upstaged by its own blindingly brilliant and spectacular lighting effects, with the stage constantly framed in an ever-shifting, high-intensity light show directed straight at the audience; there are definitely moments – including the spectacular first-act finale, with its flying pumpkin coach – when a little more old-fashioned focus on the performers and their faces would not come amiss. Yet with Ed Curtis’s production belting along at a tremendous pace, Andy Pickering’s excellent orchestra in the pit, and the cheeky humour barely pausing for breath, the show rolls on to its happy ending in grand festive style; with the audience belting out a final roof-raising chorus of Yes Sir, I Can Boogie, before they head off into the night.

The King’s Theatre panto in Glasgow, meanwhile, is celebrating its 60th birthday this year; and there’s a tremendous party atmosphere on stage and in the audience, as a fine Glasgow company throw themselves heart and soul into the story of Peter Pan, as adapted by Alan McHugh for Crossroads Pantomimes. The pace and spectacle is often breathtaking, as the action whirls from the Darling children’s Glasgow home to Neverland, led by Matt Kennedy’s feisty Peter Pan, and Darren Brownlie as a hilarious gay Tinkerbell, all bowler hat and tutu.

Elaine C Smith in Peter Pan at the King's, Glasgow PIC: Danny Kaan

This panto cast has terrific strength in depth, though, as the children – led by a lovely and strong-minded Blythe Jandoo as Wendy – are welcomed to Neverland by Elaine C Smith as kindly ship’s cook Peggy, and Johnny Mac as her hapless but hilarious son Smee, both forced to work for Captain Hook aboard the Jolly Roger; as for Hannah Jarrett Scott as Hook herself, rarely can there have been a panto villain debut that so effortlessly combines glamour, wit, musicality, and a streak of pure enjoyable evil.

The show also offers a flying Smith, a huge animatronic crocodile, and a team of four brilliant acrobats, the Acromaniacs. Some of the jokes are feeble, but nobody cares, as Mac’s ability to send up the show even as it happens becomes bolder by the year. And the show ends in a song sheet, an explosion of gold costumes, and a celebratory 60th birthday cake; while the audience, on its feet and dancing, cheers the whole gorgeous evening to the echo.