Vulgar, crass, and good camp fun
Tinderella, Two Big Balls, One Happy Ending! is the classic family friendly story of Cinderella updated to the modern day. Except it’s nothing like that at all and for the love of all that is holy, do not bring your children to this show. This is an adult pantomime and it is indeed very adult. Peter Bull is the producer of this show, and he was previously the creative director of Above The Stag adult pantos which gives you a bit of an idea of what kind of show this is. Namely, it’s queer, raunchy, and quite good fun. It is directed by Robert McWhir and stars a talented cast of 7.
This show is fun. It is some good classic panto hijinks just with a lot more overt sex jokes and an abundance of vulgarity. The highlights for me were the performances of Lauren Bimson and Laura Mead as Prince Charming and Ella. Their scene together in the first act was a hilarious highlight with both of them matching each other’s high camp energy, without devolving into just yelling at each other. Lauren Bimson was also especially good in the “and I blew ya” section (a parody of hallelujah) with her reactions to the absolute insanity happening on stage, bringing a whole new level of humour to what is already an objectively very funny sequence.
As an adult panto, some vulgarity and sex jokes are to be expected, however this show went for the crutch of just saying a naughty word slightly too many times. Some of the jokes were not even jokes, nor innuendo, we were just supposed to laugh at the mention of sex. Now this does work a few times, due to the contrast of the kid friendly pantomime with the very adult content, but this trick is used too many times and starts to lose its potency.
This show promises a happy ending, and yet does not actually seem to have an ending at all! *spoiler alert* the prince finds his bride, and they decide to get married. The curtains then close and we have a long section with the Fairy Godmother and Buttons doing a bit of a sing-along with the audience. This section was definitely under-rehearsed with some awkward pauses and confusion on stage, and it went on for far too long. This section ends, curtain comes up, and it is the bows. The cast bows, we end on a big song and dance number and then that is it. It felt like there was a scene missing to actually wrap up the show, rather than seemingly ending quite abruptly.
This is a very camp and silly show which it is difficult not to smile at, but I did feel like there were some missed opportunities to do more and that the script itself could have had a few more actual jokes, and also a proper ending. The cast were all strong, with some especially strong vocals on display from Monty Camisa-Bundy, but I felt they were let down a bit by a script that could and should have been more.
If you want a camp old time then you will not go far wrong with this show. A happy ending? Perhaps, but I would not be rushing back for a second go. Tinderella, Two Big Balls, One Happy Ending! is playing at the Union Theatre until the 23rd December.