Cinderella
Perth Theatre’s Cinderella marks a turning point for the 114-year-old institution. Not only is the auditorium closing for a two-year refurbishment, but Rachel O’Riordan, the award-winning artistic director, is departing for a new role in Wales. Happily, both are going out on a high note with a traditional pantomime that strikes a near-perfect balance between romance and belly laugh.
While Alan McHugh’s script features a topical subplot, locating the action in a theatre on the verge of shutting down, overall the playwright sticks to familiar ingredients. The rhyming prologue by Anne Kidd’s Fairy Godmother, the transformation scene and the palace ball, are imbued with warmth and sparkle thanks to Becky Minto’s sumptuous designs and beautiful lighting by Lizzie Powell.
Ewan Donald is a wonderfully