There are certain productions, that as soon as you hear the name, you know exactly what to expect. Tinderella, written by Leonard Hatter and Pedro El Toro, promises ‘the funniest, filthiest and most wickedly fabulous pantomime you’ve always wanted to see’- and two out of three ain’t bad.

William Spencer directs this adult-only, riotous romp, and it goes without saying to leave the kids at home. Never have I heard so many euphemisms, puns and direct c-bombs outside of my friends group-chat, but is that where they should stay? Well, I guess not. Many standard pantomimes already tread the line in order to entertain the whole family, with the adults always wishing for a bit more; with this show- you get the whole hog. 

The book, which although standardly panto-thin, takes us on Ella’s journey to find her true love with the choice of two balls to ensure her happy ending. The cast do a fantastic job to involve the audience from the off, with Fairy G (Megan Edmonsdon) setting the scene in a fabulous gown and many an innuendo, and Buttons (Joshua David) asking what names we’d like to be referred by. At the risk of a child reading this, lets just say we were called something which rhymes with ‘punts’. We are further introduced to our ugly sisters- their names will be a surprise for anyone who visits- expertly played by Dale Vicker and Luca Crawford. Their chemistry is infectious and they have the high camp factor that pantomimes are renowned for. Rounding off the cast are Elizabeth Parkin as Prince Charming, a gender-bending surprise which is usually saved for the dames, with Verity Walker as Ella. Parkin tackles the role with gusto and leaves no joke unturned whilst Walker is able to command the audience with a mere facial expression- having us in fits of laughter throughout.

The cast really are a testament to this production, a real standout being in the musical numbers with impressive vocals across the board. CONTENT REDACTED REGARDING SOUND AND LIGHTI DESIGN*. Furthermore, as tacky as the shower curtain like backdrops are, I found a love for the smooth transitions, this was until you could see a production member lifting it up to remove something from the previous scene. This may work in blackout, but not so much in full beam. 

What this show ultimately lacks in finesse, it makes up for with its energy and humour and I’d still swipe right. Yes, parts seem improvised to the point of under rehearsed, but as aforementioned, most things can be forgiven in Pantoland.

Tinderella runs at Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester until January 5th 2025. Further details and booking can be found here.

Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review.

Photography courtesy of the production.

* After receiving contact from the producers of the show, I have decided to remove the critique of lighting and sound design as the production had issues in the theatre during Friday’s performance. Whilst I disagree with the performance going ahead when it’s not at 100%, it would be unfair to negatively critique the creatives who had no control over the situation.