An immersive and modern take on the classic fairy-tale made famous by Disney and performed up and down the country every December, Cinderella at The Vaults was more of a Christmas party than a theatre show.
Set in a pub, the bar sits along one wall, with audience seated in both cabaret style and theatre style along the three remaining sides. We are welcomed into the pub and shown to our seats by the characters as they inhabit the venue. The actors truly inhibit their characters and indulge in playing with the audience, teasing them and welcoming them into the world.
Mike, played by Jimmy Fairhurst and taking on the usual role of Cinderella’s fairy godmother, is the host of karaoke and warms up the audience with both his dress sense and a wonderful rendition of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. Once the audience have had a chance to get a drink from the bar and been sniffed by Buttons the dog, the show begins as every fairy-tale should: with a rendition Bohemian Rhapsody.
We are properly introduced to each character through monologues addressed to the audience, most of which needed more truthful deliveries. We meet Cinderella who works at this pub which her Dad owned before he died. Buttons reveals that he is depressed and regularly tries to end it all (trigger warning! Even though it is done in jest). The ball is now a Christmas party and Prince Charming is what’s known by us millennials as a “fuckboy” with his bum-bag across his chest and a swagger that screams ‘toxic masculinity’.
The show continues in this modern fashion with old clichés modernised for a contemporary and alcohol fuelled audience. There karaoke throughout, audience interaction more suited to an adult audience and a bucketload of hard work from the performers working tirelessly in the background and foreground of every
scene. Everything culminates into a big Christmas sing-along finale, followed by an encore of all out karaoke for anyone who wants to have a go. The cast venture out and join in with both the singing and the drinking and the party continues for as long as you want to stay (I think our ABBA medley pretty much cleared the house).
This show doesn’t take itself too seriously and delivers some belly-aching laughs, appropriately bad vocals from the audience participation and a shed load of Christmas cheer.
Review by Max Topliss
Rating: ★★★★
Price of Ticket: £35.00
