Cinderella at The Gaiety.
A review by Kate O’Brien.
We went to the panto! Oh yes we did!
The other night we went to the beautiful Gaiety Theatre to see Cinderella. It was such a fun evening. We had a ball, no pun intended. A long time ago I wrote a piece about the community atmosphere that is created in the theatre. I love the idea of a group of people coming together to experience the same show and yet everyone will leave with their own perspective and opinions. That is one of the best things about live theatre.
Seeing Cinderella in the Gaiety was no different. It was really lovely to be part of one of the earlier audiences for this show. Seeing kids get so excited and have such a great time was really fantastic. There is still a long run left so if you get a chance to go to the 150th Gaiety panto, I’d highly recommend it.
Before I talk about the show itself, I want to take a moment to talk about why I love the story of Cinderella. I’d also like to briefly talk about the impressive history of panto.
I’ve just submitted my master’s dissertation, and I won’t go into too many details about that, but I will say that the entire project focused on Cinderella tales. It is probably very obvious that I am a big fan of the tale. I’ve always loved the story of Cinderella. It has been my favourite fairy tale since I was young. I know there are hundreds of adaptations, and I know the story has been criticised in many ways throughout the years (my dissertation touches on these topics), but I think overall, it is a story that is filled with more nuance than it is often given credit for. It is a simple tale that has the potential to carry a lot of depth. It is a story that is filled with magic and hope. The rags to riches scene will always be one of my favourite scenes. It is pure magic.
When I was a drama student sitting yearly speech and drama examinations, one of the requirements was that we had to have a broad knowledge of theatre history. We studied many different time periods, looking at how theatre has changed and developed through time. The history of panto or pantomime is a fun subject to learn about, and I highly encourage doing some research if you’re interested in learning more about how pantos came to be.
Pantomimes can be traced back to the 16th century. The origins of pantos are often linked back to Commedia dell’Arte, an Italian form of theatre. This type of theatre took place outdoors, and featured dance, music, and masked characters.
I would argue that the following five features can be classed as conventional staples of pantomime …
- Slapstick comedy
- Music and dance (usually incorporating popular music from the year the piece is performed).
- Stories are usually fairy tales and folktales that have been adapted to include pop culture references
- Repeated character tropes that audiences are familiar with (for example, every panto has a dame).
- Audience participation (particularly call and response) is encouraged. Young kids are encouraged to boo the baddies and cheer for the goodies and they have to let the characters know when there is trouble ahead. “She’s behind you!!!”
What is a panto dame?
The panto dame is a brilliant part. It is an extremely over-the-top, comedic, female character that is traditionally played by a man. In The Gaiety’s 2023 production of Cinderella, the dame role is filled by the larger-than-life Nanny Scrumptious, nanny to the Prince. Played by the amazing Joe Conlan.
Panto is so much fun. It is, in my opinion, one of the best kinds of theatre. I say this because I believe that for a lot of people, going to the panto is their first time to ever go to the theatre. So many people have told me that some of their favourite Christmas memories involve going to the panto in the winter. It really just sets off the festivities. It is fun, it is loud and unpredictable. It is a type of theatre that encourages singing along and shouting back, which is a great way to get the young kids in the audience excited. Pantos are also a fantastic way to get young kids engaging with a story. They really connect to the characters onstage, and due to the talented casts drawing them in, they become utterly enchanted by the goings on in panto land. They boo the wicked stepsisters, they cheer for Cinderella, they eagerly and earnestly shout out to help the Prince find the girl who left her glass slipper behind. Pantos encourage pure joy and wonder, and I hope to always love them as much as I always have.
The other night in The Gaiety was magical. The entire cast was absolutely fantastic.
I want to take a moment to mention Michael Joseph as he was just brilliant in the role of the lovely Buttons. Buttons is a great character. He is lots of fun, and full of heart, and Michael has an incredible voice. We especially loved his performance. Ciara Lyons is lovely as Cinderella. Her voice is sweet and strong, and she had a very charming presence onstage.
We were rooting for her to get her happily ever after.
Bravo and congratulations to the entire cast and crew who make the show happen every night. It is no easy feat. The show is non-stop, high energy, and filled with magic from start to finish. Every member of the cast was brilliant. The dancing from the ensemble was full of energy, they really brought the show to life. We loved seeing everyone having a great time onstage, especially the younger members of the cast. The kids were just fantastic. It is great to see young people who clearly love what they’re doing brimming with talent.
I couldn’t recommend going to see Cinderella in The Gaiety enough. It would be a perfect family night out, ideal if you want to bring your young children to something magical this Christmas. I would also recommend going with friends or for a date night like we did. I wanted to see the show because of my love for the story, and to mark the end of an era in my life after studying different versions of Cinderella for so long, but all of that aside, it was great fun to just be big kids for a few hours.
If you get the chance to see it, go and have an absolute ball!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram @katelovesliterature if you don’t already for all updates about what is #ComingUpNext on Katelovesliterature.com.
Katelovesliterature.com 