Cinderella At Nottingham Theatre Royal REVIEW

Photo by Robert Day

It's the most wonderful time of the year and NOTHING, not even a humongous dose of this season's must-have sniffle virus will spoil panto for us, and, it turns out, being drugged up to the eyeballs on Lemsip and cough sweeties only makes the Ugly Sisters' uber-psychedelic costume changes even more mind-bendingly out-there and gloriously over the top and the festive slap your thigh toilet humour nose-squirtingly funny at Nottingham Theatre Royal's Cinderella.

Starring Three Degrees legend Sheila Ferguson as the Fairy Godmother, who belts out her solos with dazzling superstar glam and sass, and ex-Eastender, West End darling and yummy eye-candy for the big girls (and some of the big boys)  John Partridge as a delectably delish and superbly voiced Prince Charming, the show is a madcap riot of gags, glitter, gorgeousness and goody bags all heartily enjoyed by a guffawing audience.

Stealing from the audience and throwing toilet rolls, doing unspeakable things to birds (not real birds!) and suffering unmentionable stool-related injuries together with an unbelievable for-all-the-wrong-reasons Cher impression are the unashamedly milking it and overdoing it comedy duo The Grumbleweeds, whose relentless larking about and dressing up together with a seemingly insatiable desire to get their kit off at any random opportunity will get even the most hardened humbug chortling in spite of themselves.

With singalongs, a snow-covered audience and a flying horse to take our lovely Cinders to the ball it's a fun, festive family night out, so don't waste your Christmas washing every grain of salt in the salt cellar and giving the kitchen floor that third scrub, go along and ooh and ahh and shout and boo and fill up your boots, Christmas panto style.

Cinderella is at Nottingham Theatre Royal until Jan 13 2013. Full details and ticket prices can be found on their website here.

You can also read interviews with John Partridge and Sheila Ferguson in our Nottingham Confidential Cinderella panto launch article here.