Start Your Engines Cinders!

First theatre outing of 2020 (no CATS doesn't count!) - and something completely different...!

For the first time ever on Theatre Scribbles, I will be talking about a pantomime (almost can't believe I've said that!); but this isn't the family entertainment you're used to.... This is a very ADULT pantomime.
Oh no it isn't 
OH YES IT IS!!!

For my friend's birthday, we went along to the Manchester Dancehouse, a venue I had never been to before, and is home to the Northern Ballet School no less; for Sinderella - the classic tale of Cinders with a naughty twist...

Just how naughty you ask? Well, it was just as, if not cruder than The Book of Mormon - and that is saying a lot. When Buttons said "It's only going to get worse boys and girls" after only the first couple of minutes, everyone's thoughts were something like this: "F***ing Hell, we're in for a ride tonight..!"

So with that in mind, I have been struggling to think what to write or HOW to write it..... so I hope that got the message across....

Onto the people in the company, and the big name was Ru Paul's Drag Race UK runner-up Divina De Campo as the Stepmother!
I didn't realise she was in it until not long ago and I was so excited when I found out, as Drag Race UK was my guilty pleasure last year! She was utterly fabulous, a true diva! As you would expect, there were Drag Race references a plenty, including many a jibe at The Vivienne... Good luck guys when the show goes to Liverpool.....

The star power just kept on coming with Stacey Lane Matthews as the Fairy Drag Henny, Ibiza Weekender's David Potts as Dandini, and Jamie Campbell, the true Everybody's Talking About Jamie as one of the Stepsisters, the other by Troy Harris.
As well as Divina, the one I really looked forward to seeing on stage was Britain's Got Talent contestant Rob King as Prince Charming - he has an incredible voice.
Oh, and of course Buttons (F*** OFF BUTTONS!), played by Davey Hopper.

The writing was not the best I have seen, especially leading into the songs, and the whole thing was cheesier than a pot of melting Stinking Bishop. But it didn't matter one bit.
Yes it is completely crude, and my parents would have blushed at even the first couple of jokes, but I couldn't stop laughing all the way through, whether it be intentional or not. Some of the actors kept forgetting their lines, but it shows the true professionalism to just carry on - must be a good thing they CAN break the 4th wall etc when they c**k up.

Divina De Campo...!

I thought it had reached its peak when one of my friends got heckled back... But then his brother won the audience participation competition before the Finale. He won a signed programme (and a couple of condoms) by making a banana look sexy again.... The crowd went NUTS.... 😆

If you think this is up your alley, then 100% INVESTIGATE! The company is going to be putting on The Little Mermaid in the Autumn, and Big Dick Whittington 😐 in 2021, with dates and venues yet to be announced.
There's already talk among my mates of THIS being the yearly panto tradition, we loved it THAT much!

If you want to beat the January/February, date depending, blues, then you cannot really go wrong with this. It was perfect for a Saturday night with a load of mates and a drink or two in your belly. Just like any panto I guess, only with a LOT more adult jokes than the usual ones that go over kids heads...