The well-picked bunch of performers hits the mark at every turn in a fairy tale couple of hours of festive fun.
Naomi Slater was the perfect Cinders. Everything you could hope for – and more, with a winning smile and just a hint every now and again that she was really enjoying herself.
And Darrock and Howe, billed as Britian’s ugliest sisters, really are.
But Martin Platt from Corrie, or should I say actor Sean Wilson, was in charge - as Buttons. Much more at home being himself or doing asides or impressions than when he was trotting out the gags, our kids loved him and he was a firm favourite with this matinee audience.
Countered by Emmerdale’s Daniel Brocklebank (who has a fantastic singing voice) as the prince, there’s a real battle of the soaps in Newark this Christmas!
Anyone with children aged six or so will know the Fairy Godmother, Nicole Davis. She used to be one of the faces of CBeebies on TV, and her stock rose with the dads in the crowd as she flitted about in a barely-there outfit for her Strictly Come Dancing skit.
Highlights for me were the magical transformation of the rats, lizards and pumpkin into a coach with REAL horses – and where Cinderella’s rags turned into a glittering ball gown in a split second… thanks to the magic of theatre!
This, and an absorbing fox-hunting scene with superb performances from all the dancers, the kids from Tozer Studios included, truly captured the spirit of panto.
Thursday, December 17
Friday, December 11
Here Come The Girls (Anastacia, Chaka Khan, Lulu) - Royal Concert Hall
Three distinctive voices and three very distinctive ladies here.
With a combined age of about 156, it's hard for them to peddle the "girls" myth.
Yet mere girls in the true sense of the world just wouldn't do this show justice. You need three strong women.
Almost every number a team effort, the show also played to their individual strengths.
I'm still not a fan of Lulu Kennedy-Cairns OBE (61). She's been plugging away since the mid-60s and although she earned some respect tonight she was the weak link among some very strong voices.
Of course there was the American, Chaka Khan (56), best known for the late 70s hit I'm Every Woman, the girls' curtain-raiser. She was the graceful elder stateswoman of the trio. Feel For You and Respect were among her big solo numbers and yet while she wowed with her disco and up-tempo catalogue, sadly her wonderful voice became somewhat indistinct for many of the soul classics.
The lovely Anastacia (a mere 41) proved the brightest star.
How she sprinted, jumped and moved around the stage in those heels remains a mystery.
Taking a lead in Dancing in the Street and (rather cheekily) Relight my Fire she was also allowed to perform her own biggest hits solo: Left Outside Alone and I'm Outta Love brought the house down.
Together, the girls sang along and danced to their favourite songs down the decades. An all-too-short disco medley, a meaty Motown set, the dancers and a couple of anthems set off this well thought-out show perfectly.
But I've never really been a fan of that loud, little Lulu lady. Perhaps that's because they always get her to sing that Shout song – and so she did, to one of the biggest cheers of the night.
But it didn't work for me.
With a combined age of about 156, it's hard for them to peddle the "girls" myth.
Yet mere girls in the true sense of the world just wouldn't do this show justice. You need three strong women.
Almost every number a team effort, the show also played to their individual strengths.
I'm still not a fan of Lulu Kennedy-Cairns OBE (61). She's been plugging away since the mid-60s and although she earned some respect tonight she was the weak link among some very strong voices.
Of course there was the American, Chaka Khan (56), best known for the late 70s hit I'm Every Woman, the girls' curtain-raiser. She was the graceful elder stateswoman of the trio. Feel For You and Respect were among her big solo numbers and yet while she wowed with her disco and up-tempo catalogue, sadly her wonderful voice became somewhat indistinct for many of the soul classics.
The lovely Anastacia (a mere 41) proved the brightest star.
How she sprinted, jumped and moved around the stage in those heels remains a mystery.
Taking a lead in Dancing in the Street and (rather cheekily) Relight my Fire she was also allowed to perform her own biggest hits solo: Left Outside Alone and I'm Outta Love brought the house down.
Together, the girls sang along and danced to their favourite songs down the decades. An all-too-short disco medley, a meaty Motown set, the dancers and a couple of anthems set off this well thought-out show perfectly.
But I've never really been a fan of that loud, little Lulu lady. Perhaps that's because they always get her to sing that Shout song – and so she did, to one of the biggest cheers of the night.
But it didn't work for me.
Tuesday, December 1
W.A.S.P. - Rock City
This was a gig to blow away the cobwebs, with an adoring crowd lapping up every second of a turbo-charged set from Blackie Lawless and the boys.
Granted, he's the only original band member from the group that set up in 1982, but he carries the show, works the crowd, plays the guitar and leads the non-stop vocals.
The world tour they're on is to promote the new album, Babylon – and the title track, Babylon's Burning, went down a storm with the crowd. With its overtones of comment on what's happening in the Middle East, its video backdrop blew us away.
A clever addition that suits the more intimate venue, the projected backdrop from previous concerts gave a real stadium atmosphere at times, even though it was in danger of leaving us somewhat confused as to Blackie's travelling through time to bring us favourites from years gone by.
He stood on stage, slightly less coiffeured than I'd expected (without the trademark highlights too), and wringing wet by the end of an exhausting 90 minutes.
Opening the set with On Your Knees, wowing us with Love Machine and slipping in a couple from the Electric Circus album, this was a reminder that while some of the bands that found success alongside W.A.S.P., these guys keep on going from strength to strength. Blind in Texas as the encore was the icing on the cake.
Not quite as much codpiece and cavorting as in the past, maybe, but the set moved incredibly quickly and the evening just flew by.
Granted, he's the only original band member from the group that set up in 1982, but he carries the show, works the crowd, plays the guitar and leads the non-stop vocals.
The world tour they're on is to promote the new album, Babylon – and the title track, Babylon's Burning, went down a storm with the crowd. With its overtones of comment on what's happening in the Middle East, its video backdrop blew us away.
A clever addition that suits the more intimate venue, the projected backdrop from previous concerts gave a real stadium atmosphere at times, even though it was in danger of leaving us somewhat confused as to Blackie's travelling through time to bring us favourites from years gone by.
He stood on stage, slightly less coiffeured than I'd expected (without the trademark highlights too), and wringing wet by the end of an exhausting 90 minutes.
Opening the set with On Your Knees, wowing us with Love Machine and slipping in a couple from the Electric Circus album, this was a reminder that while some of the bands that found success alongside W.A.S.P., these guys keep on going from strength to strength. Blind in Texas as the encore was the icing on the cake.
Not quite as much codpiece and cavorting as in the past, maybe, but the set moved incredibly quickly and the evening just flew by.
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