Review: Cinderella (Pantomime) At Richmond Theatre
This Christmas you shall go to the ball.
The rags-to-riches tale of Cinderella is familiar to all, but as with any pantomime, the story takes a backseat to the music, comedy, and traditional antics that make the genre so beloved.
Award-winning actress Helen George, best known as Trixie in Call the Midwife, makes her pantomime debut as the Fairy Godmother. Having followed her career for fifteen years—from Call the Midwife to My Cousin Rachel and The King and I—I was eager to see her here, and I’m already planning to catch her in High Society. She sweeps in with pyrotechnic wand flourishes, dazzling gowns, and a mischievous smile, showing off her vocal talents. George nods to her TV role with a witty “call the midwife” line, and references her Strictly Come Dancing stint with a disco ball and sequins during “Walking in a Winter Wonderland.”
Musical theatre sensation Charlie Stemp is a delight as Buttons, bringing bubbly comic relief and impressive tap routines alongside Michael Lin’s lively Dandini. Hope Dawe charms as Cinderella, just as she did last year as Belle in Richmond’s Beauty and the Beast, while Tom Major makes a dashing Prince Charming. West End stars Stephen Guarino (in his panto debut) and Jak Allen-Anderson revel in outrageous costumes and tongue-twisting comedy as the Wicked Stepsisters, gleefully encouraging the audience to boo.
For many, though, the highlight was TV icon Basil Brush. Growing up in Australia with a British father, I knew the image but not the catchphrase—yet his famous “Boom Boom” drew cheers from adults and children alike, proving he’s still going strong sixty years on.
The ensemble – Lucia Coleman, Luke Jarvis, Hannah Morcos, Rowen Newsome, Emily Rose-Davis, and Sienna Walker- adds energy.
There are clever musical twists too: the Prince’s slipper search set to ABBA’s “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) . ‘(Everything I Do) I Do It for You’ had us chucking as Prince and Buttons kept pulling each other off the stage. ‘I’d Do Anything’ was fun also fun. The comic “Hard-up Hall” number where Helen quips she’d be a midwife has us chucking.
The standout spectacle comes at the end of Act One: Cinderella’s transformation for the ball, complete with a sparkling carriage, snow effects, and real horses. Teresa Nalton’s shimmering costumes add to the magic. The set glitters with castle backdrops and snowy bridges, while pyrotechnics and disco lights heighten the enchantment.
Written by Harry Michaels and Alan McHugh, the show is directed by pantomime legend Gary Wilmot, with choreography by Stephen Mear. Though audience participation is lighter than in some pantos, the production remains family-friendly, festive, and full of fun.
Richmond Theatre’s Cinderella proves that tonight ‘belongs to us’.
Performing Sat 6 Dec 2025 – Sun 4 Jan 2026. Tickets from £15.
Address: Richmond theatre, 1 Little Green, TW9 1QH.
Telephone: 0844 871 7615
Website: https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre/
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Written by Caitlin Neal
