The Hursley H’ams present ‘Cinderella’
Reviewed by Hannah, a Hursley Hack
Cinderella, the Hursley H’ams stunning sell-out debut production was a fantasy fairy tale of the highest order.
Not least because a very dapper, if slightly wayward, Prince (Sam Victoria) found ‘his’ furry-bosomed, doe-eyed bride (Zoie Brown) and presumably lived happily ever after in a world free from bulging bockwurst and fatty fries, but more because, in Cinderella-la-la land, the flashing speed sign (played by an impressively deadpan Richard Baker) was actually delivered….and even erected before the public’s incredulous eyes.
Michael Arthur’s extremely amusing and highly topical script set in and around the Pelican public house, was brought to sparkling life by producer Bee Welch, director Joe Winchester and a talented local cast of both aspiring and inspiring performers.
Playing to a packed village hall, small (and indeed some big!) kids entertained over 300 people last Friday and Saturday with a lively mixture of traditional tale, modern moves and spell-binding songs.
As the glamorous Fairy Godmother (Alison Bailey) sprinkled her magic, turning Cinderella’s rotten rags into a stunning ensemble of pink polyester, even the hardest-hearted pantomime-goer could not fail to be moved by Buttons’ (professionally played by Steve Powell) dogged, and ultimately unrequited, devotion to his lost cause.
Snapped at every opportunity by resident ‘pap’ (Josh Caywood), a long-limbed Dandini (Poppy Caywood) provided the perfect knowing foil to Prince Kee’s blissful innocence as they set out together to find the elusive and ever-so-slightly whiffy object of his affections.
Adept casting placed the dynamic and, at times, daring duo of Alan Apps and Adam Welch as the ultimate Ugly Sisters, who ‘waxed’ lyrical about their voracious appetites for flesh of both the physical and edible kinds. The seething step-mother was expertly played by a vampish and voluptuous Caroline Norton, (un)happily married to Cinderella’s long-suffering, but oh-so-endearing, father, ‘Bob’ (Neil Taylor), whilst Kate Patterson was beguiling at the ball.
Bearing an astonishing – and somewhat disconcerting - resemblance to our very own Monarchy, the King and Queen (Martin Patterson and Hannah Nash) reflected haphazardly on the concrete realities of rural life over a regal breakfast, whilst the delightfully dreadful Lib Dem councillor (Bee Welch) and her Tory Toff counterpart (Angus Lang) vied for the political spotlight. Mike Watts as Butcher, Freddy Fillet put humour into his ‘meaty’ role, whilst resident village idiots, Ivor Biggun (Ed Hildebrant) and Tommy Tiddler (John Piper) propped up the bar and pepped up the kids with liberal doses of both sarcasm and sweets.
The strong storyline was complimented by hilarious, high-energy inputs from The (rapping) Rats and the JK Crew, whilst the bevy of beauties that was The Girl Band encouraged both enthusiastic panto goers and the Prince to ‘Take a Chance on Me’. Meanwhile the vocal prowess and visual impact of The White Mice left the audience looking not, as suggested, for the interval, but very much on Python and Bee’s ‘Bright side of life’. The highly professional Orchestra, effective scenery and seamless stage management, magnificent make-up and flamboyant costumes were the icing on this theatrically delectable cake.
The pantomime was produced to raise funds for the Hursley Village Hall and as such is bound to be a success. But ‘Cinderella’ raised much, much more than that. It raised the spirits of multi-generational audiences, it raised awareness of local talents hidden under bushels, and most importantly perhaps, it raised the splendid new roof. Congratulations to all involved – both in front and behind the scenes - in the staging of Cinderella.
Let’s hope that we haven’t seen the last of the Hursley H’ams. Or indeed, the flashing speed sign.
ends
