I was invited to this Pantomime to write a review about it, and the title says it all. I was a little nervous about reviewing this pantomime because I can be put off by crudeness and foul language to an extreme. The Union Theatre is a lovely venue in a nice location. The staff were very friendly and I was given a glow stick to take into the theatre. This was to add to the fun, I was told, and that I should wave it around - most people wore it around their neck.
In case it isn't obvious, this pantomime is a mashup of the Cinderella fairy tale and the world of Tinder. There are some key differences though - Ella (Laura Mead) meets her Prince but there is another in contention, and while running out of the ball before midnight, Ella certainly loses something, but it's not her shoe. So as to leave some room for surprise, I will leave that part out of my review.
The pantomime seemed to me to be a completely random combination and rather filthy, crude and politically incorrect. I did, however, laugh quite a bit. While I enjoyed the show, I tried very hard to look past all the language and innuendo. Some of it was just a bit much for me. Typical of a pantomime, there was a lot of audience participation, and the actors are extremely talented. Laura Mead (as Ella) and Joshua David (as Buttons) were both standouts in terms of their vocal performances. Laura Mead sings so beautifully, and her singing style reminded me of the great vocal performances in Les Misérables. Outside of the realm of comedy, I imagine she would find great success. One of the finniest moments was a reworked rendition of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's WAP.
The amount of smoke generated from the smoke machine was quite difficult for me, which caused me to cough. However, I might have been uncomfortable due to my proximity to the smoke machine as I was sitting right at the front.
The Pantomime is as camp as camp can be and gender swapped roles was pleasant to see. Overall, I would recommend if you can tolerate the crudeness.
Venue:
Union Theatre
Arch 22 & 23 Old Union Yard Arches, 229 Union Street, London, SE1 0LR
Dates: November 26th - December 23rd 2023
Website: uniontheatre.biz
Tickets: from £15
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