Biggins' big-hearted panto triumph (From Bournemouth Echo)

Biggins' big-hearted panto triumph

11:34pm Tuesday 9th December 2008 in

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Cinderella: The Musical Pantomime - Mayflower Theatre, Southampton This is a bountiful, big-hearted show. A classic piece of feelgood escapism designed to cock a snook at the credit crunch with a timely reworking of the world’s most famous rags to riches fairytale.

It opens with star turn Christopher Biggins airlifted direct from the Australian Jungle to financially beleaguered Southampton. Magical flying Fairy Godmother (Stefanie Powers) decides to deliver some medicinal theatre, casts him as Buttons and the traditional tale unfolds.

From then on it's pure panto with the time-honoured tale of poor Cinderella (Rachel Stanley), her love for the handsome Prince (Craig McLachlan) and desperate attempts by her grotesquely ugly stepsisters - an extraordinary double-act from Matthew Kelly and his son Matthew Rixon - to claim the Prince for themselves.

The joyous romp that ensues is a slickly executed mixture of knockabout panto, heart-warming romance and musical theatre with good eventually triumphing satisfyingly over evil.

There’s plenty of comedy and outrageous costumes. Biggins and the two Matthews are an absolute hoot. Powers is definitely several cuts above the average pantomime fairy and McLachlan makes a suitably square-jawed version of fairytale land’s most enduring foot-fetishist. There are stunning special effects too, with not just a flying Hollywood actress but a winged horse and airborne carriage as well. The sets are big on impact and the lighting is hugely effective. Oh yes, and just to remind everyone that it’s the festive season there’s the best version of the Twelve Days of Christmas ever.

Cinderella: The Musical Pantomime runs until January 17.