You might not believe this, given the regular content around here, but we love a panto. When you think about the array of theatre experiences, panto is an entry point for thousands of people; for many kids it is their first experience of the theatre. A panto is silly, irreverent, funny, weird, and wonderful at its best.
This year’s offering from The Watford Palace had an enjoyable premise; riding the current 90’s trend, it sets Cinderella in 1990’s Watford. There are discmans, political references, and a magical furby. Some elements of this work well — the ugly stepsisters as Britney and Xtina (with Xtina in drag) are very funny, if uneven performances. Cinderella as the future popstar bringing future music is great. However the music choices do not consistently fit the theme, and at times the story and performances as a whole flag — the overall slingshot energy of the show through to the end needed work.
Overall though, the children (and lets be honest, most adults) in the audience had a delightful time that will stick with them. And isn’t that the point?