Hackney Empire Cinderella Pantomine Review

Hackney Empire decided that their 2006/7 Christmas pantomime would not have any low level celebrities, such as ex-soap opera stars or reality TV show rejects, but instead would focus on producing a spectacular pantomime with all that entails. Unfortunately, I think they tried too hard and removed too much fun.

• 2008 Pantomime Review: Mother Goose
• 2007 Pantomime Review: Dick Whittington & His Cat
• 2006 Pantomime Review: Cinderella

Pantomimes are always loosely based on a fairy tale and Hackney Empire chose Cinderella but decided to set it in the 1920s. Many of the essential pantomime elements were still there such as a 'pantomime horse' which is two actors in a single costume. The horse was called Clapton, named after an area of Hackney, and there were plenty more Hackney references - possibly too many, alienating those not from the borough. Hackney has a large Caribbean population so some of the pantomime characters used a Jamaican accent which was sometimes funny, if a bit contrived.

The show started really well with jolly music and straight into getting to know the main characters. Within five minutes were we shouting, "He's behind you!" while the actors pretended to look elsewhere. All was looking good but this was the only chance we got to yell these words and there was no "Oh no it's not!" - "Oh yes it is!" banter.

Audience participation is a key feature of pantomimes and I think this is where Susie McKenna, the writer and Director, went wrong. In her enthusiasm for being different she tried to be too clever and many jokes fell flat. There should always be jokes that are meant for the adults and that are completely lost on the children in the audience - such is the joy of pantomime innuendo - but too many jokes received no laughter.

The shows song and dance was kept up-to-date with a full rendition of the Scissor Sisters hit: I Don't Feel Like Dancin' and a snippet of Destiny Child's Bootilicious.

The real stars were the ugly stepsisters who were men dressed as woman, as is the tradition. They were truly funny and gave a strong performance throughout.

It started well, coasted along after that, and fizzled out at the end. The children in the audience didn't understand it had ended till the lights went up. A real shame, but I'll still come back next year.