Cinderella at The Plaza In Stockport Review

Reviewed by Rebecca Cross

What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than going to the pantomime?! This year, Stockport Plaza have taken on the classic Cinderella, with well known stars in the cast and the glitz and glamour we have learnt to expect from the traditional pantomime, it certainly did not disappoint (oh no it didn’t…!).

This was the first time I had been to a pantomime at Stockport Plaza. We were able to park relatively close to the theatre (we used the Heaton Lane car park which was free after 6pm). When we arrived the staff were very friendly, helping us to find our seats with a cheerful smile – it was clear they love their job! I loved the art deco style of this theatre with the bright lights on the outside helping us to find our way there. As we waited for the start of the show an organist was playing Christmas songs on a light-up “Mighty Compton Organ” in front of the stage. I loved this as everyone got into the festive mood – with a few people even having a little sing-song! The theatre was also selling light up wands and toys for the kids.

The show itself had the usual pantomime jokes and puns. It started quite slowly and some of the jokes in the first act didn’t produce the laughs they intended. This could be down to the audience on the night, taking a bit of time to warm up. This certainly wasn’t an issue towards the end of the first act and in the second. In my opinion, the actor playing Buttons (Michael Alan-Bailey) was the star of the show – his jokes in the second half had the whole audience in fits of laughter and the audience participation was a great touch that got people of all ages involved. The cast of this years show also included Cheryl Fergison (known to many as Heather Trott in Eastenders) as the Fair Godmother and Phil Mealey as Baron Hardup.

In the second act the ugly sisters’ rendition of “Ghostbusters” was one of my favourite parts of the show – in addition to the gravity-defying magical surprises that left everyone in the audience in awe! Additionally there was a group of dancers that really added to some of the numbers with their synchronised performances. I loved the duets between Cinderella and Prince Charming (played by Sarah Alexandra Brown and Joseph Foyster respectively) – they had the right balance of cheese and passion!

The show lasted about 2 1/2 hours with a 20 minute interval which allowed enough time to purchase a theatre ice cream (which were priced at £3 per pot). Our seats were quite far back in the stalls but we still had a good enough view of everything on the stage.

The jokes were corny, the costumes were eccentric and the show was filled with surprises that kept the kids engaged throughout most of the show! I would recommend if you’re looking for a fun-filled evening with the family – this pantomime has something for everyone!

Rating: 4/5

Tickets cost from £17.05

Cinderella is at The Plaza, Stockport from 8th December 2022 to 8th January 2023, for more information or to book tickets visit https://stockportplaza.co.uk/whats-on/cinderella/ or call the box office on 0161 477 7779.

The Plaza, Mersey Square, Stockport SK1 1SP