Cinderella at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre Review

DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW

Reviewed by Jo Tebbs

Situated in the heart of Bournemouth’s town centre, is the historic Pavilion Theatre, currently home to UK Productions Ltd… Cinderella! Presented by Martin Dodd and in association with BH Live.

Travelling to Bournemouth couldn’t be easier, whether it be via car, bus, train or even plane.

The A338 will bring you directly to the centre of town when there is a multitude of parking available to choose from. The Pavilion has its very own car park with 185 spaces and 8 accessible spaces. Cashless ticket machines are located throughout the car park or in our case, payment was made via the RingGo app. This even conveniently allowed for us to extend our parking time by a further hour, all from the comfort of our auditorium seats whilst the show continued. After all… the show must go on! Meaning, no one missed a single marvellous minute of the performance.

If you wish to avoid any car parking dilemmas or difficulties, then public transport options might be the best way to go. With a constant stream of buses coming in and out of the town centre, in the flick and whoosh of a magical wand (and a short walk!) you’ll arrive at your pantomime palace.

It’s been many a year (in fact over 25 years!) since I’ve enjoyed the festive frivolities that a Christmas pantomime brings, but when presented with the opportunity to take my very own little princess to see her first ever theatre show (let alone Pantomime!), my heart swelled anticipating the excitement and giggling that she would soon experience. A little nostalgia with a sprinkle of whimsical delight, this is what magical memories are made of! And oh boy… Cinders did not disappoint!!!

Did we go to the ball?… No, but we did go to the most phenomenal pantomime of the year!!

On arrival at the Pavilion entrance, one could feel an electric excitement hanging in the air. Programmes and light up wands (of varying design) could be purchased from pop up stalls. After a short queue at the entrance to our allotted seating area, tickets, whether digital or hard copies, were scanned providing entry into the auditorium itself. Seats were easily navigated to, with clear numbering and isle identification. The red velvet, cushioned chairs provided us with comfortable thrones fit for royalty, as we eagerly prepared for the start of the show.

An enchanting adaption of the infamous Cinderella, this pantomime delivers belly laughs by the bucket full, stunningly spectacular, sequin studded costumes, dazzling dancing, clever choreography, beautiful back drops and a line up of stars delivering enthusiastic performances for all the family to enjoy! This show was aimed as much at the children as it was the adults. There were certainly puns and innuendos galore, all would wash over the heads of the younger crowd but certainly resonated and firmly landed for us ‘bigger kids.’

Whether we are talking a hero or villain, the actors traded smiles and winks with the audience, ensured that there was constant gallery interaction and inclusion to assist in keeping everyone amused and engaged!

With a fabulous line up including Melanie Walter’s (Gavin and Stacey’s very own Gwen) as the wonderful, wand waving Fairy Godmother, to the terrible two; Jamie Morris and Tarot Joseph as the dramatic and diabolical Dame duo, the cast kept us all spellbound for the duration of this spectacular spectacle!

For me personally, Neil Brody (aka Buttons) was the superstar of the show! With impeccable comic timing and improvisation, he used a combination of witty one-liners, brilliant gags, and effortless charm from start to finish. With rapturous applause from the audience, he delivered the most fantastic pantomime performance.

As our local resident Pantomime performer (returning for his 11th year), I’m thrilled to say he’s already announced he’ll also be starring in next year’s (2027) pantomime adaptation of Aladdin! The fun shall continue on a magical carpet ride… and you can already go and book your tickets now!!

Cinderella herself was brought to life by the vivacious Olivia Birchenough who managed to encapsulate all that we know and love about our charismatic Cinders, in an effortless yet captivating manner, making her the perfect heart of this pantomime.

She was the perfect partner to the charming Prince played by West End’s leading man, Jack Wilcox. He not only had the sophisticated, suave of a confident royal but he brought the voice of an angel to showcase too.

For my little girl, pure pantomime joy came from the silly chaos, playful jokes and the “Oh, no it isn’t!” to the “Oh, yes it is!” But… just when you think things couldn’t get any better, Cinderella’s carriage was pulled along by real life ponies!!! Nothing could compare to the sheer delight and joy on my daughter’s face when she saw this spectacle!

She even noted how inspiring it was to watch all of the young performers from Stage Door School of Dance and Steppin’ Out Academy of Performance, as they twirled and danced their way through the production.

At roughly 2.5 hours in length including a 20 minute interval where we could pay a little visit to the ‘powder room,’ grab some snacks and ice cream from the refreshment stall, or purchase an alcoholic beverage from the bar (they catered for all tastes and requirements), it was a great afternoon out for the family!

I would rate Bournemouth’s Cinderella Pantomime 5 out of 5.

Rating: 5/5

Ticket prices range from £19 – £38.50 (plus a £3 transaction fee)

Running from Sat 6th Dec through until Sun 4th Jan only, don’t miss this opportunity to book your tickets to Cinderella at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre by visiting www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk or call the box office on 0300 500 0595.

Address of the Theatre:
Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, Westover Road, Bournemouth BH1 2BU

Social Media Handles;
Facebook @bournemouthpavilion @ukproductionsltd @noelbrodie @UnitedTaxisUK
Instagram @bournemouthpavilion @ukp_ltd @melaniewalters2025 @olivia.birchenough @tarotjohn @bonnielablue @noel.brodie @jack.wilcox_ @unitedtaxis