THEATRE REVIEW: Mansfield Palace Theatre serves up a festive treat with Cinderella

Panto season is now in full swing and this year the Palace has a real festive treat for all the family.

Packed with all the usual rib-tickling, slapstick humour, Cinderella has everything - including plenty of audience interaction this year too.

The star of the show is undoubtedly Dave Benson Phillips who plays Button.

Back at the Palace after an absence of six years, Benson Phillips is an old hand at playing to the audience with some good old fashioned panto gags.

And to be fair to theatre-goers inside a packed Palace, they gave as good as they got in return!

A cry of ‘I love you’ from one audience member brought the house down as Buttons stumbled over his words with ‘sweetheart’ Cinderella.

There were also traditional gags about local places - with Chesterfield, Shirebrook and Ladybrook the subject of some harmless mickey-taking.

And as well as a good songs and dance, fantastic costumes and a fabulous set, it was also a treat to see two stunning white ponies on stage to take Cinderella to the ball.

Ruth Madoc was superb as the Fairy Godmother, and took some of the older audience members on a trip down memory lane when she appeared in her Hi-De-Hi outfit during one scene. There was also great performances from the rest of the cast.

Martine McMenemy brought some glamour to her role as Cinderella and was the perfect foil for her Prince Charming, played by Jamie-Ray Hartshorne.

And Bobbie Kent (Ga Ga) and stand-in Damian Hutchinson (Gertie) had the audience in stitches as the Ugly Sisters.

Once again the Palace has served up a true Christmas cracker with a real feel-good show for everyone to enjoy.

l Cinderella is on at the Mansfield Palace Theatre until 5th January.

For ticket details contact the box office on Mansfield 633133 or visit www.mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre.

Elsewhere in Nottinghamshire, local favourite Su Pollard is joined by former Baywatch and Knight Rider star David ‘The Hoff’ Hasselhoff in Peter Pan at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal from now until 12th January.

For ticket details contact 0115 9895555 or visit www.trch.co.uk.

And Nottingham Playhouse is staging Jack and the Beanstalk, which runs until 18th January.

This year’s Playhouse production is the final run for stage legend Kenneth Alan Taylor, who has written, directed and starred in pantos there for more than 30 years.

The Playhouse is also celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk can be bought via 0115 9 419419 or www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk.