BWW Reviews: BUTTONS ANOTHER CINDERELLA STORY, Rosemary Branch Theatre, December 10 2013

Buttons is Cinderella's teddy bear, unable to confess his love for his owner until a little fairy dust is sprinkled by his Fairy Godfather and he, like Pinocchio before him, becomes a boy. So far, so good - but he has a rival for his lady's hand - the evil Prince Charming, whose evil ways are aided and abetted by his sidekick Dandini. This dastardly duo are pursued by plodding PC Pumpkin, who is being wooed by Cinders' mother, Betty. And there's a few ghosts too. And Queen.

If the story is innovative and poignant (it is) and the jokes are funny and bawdy (they are) and the panto traditions are respected and subverted just enough (they are), what makes the Charles Court Opera's seventh Christmas show another triumph is the singing. These voices take Musical Director David Eaton's pastiches of pop classics and arias and give them the full operatic treatment no more than a dough ball's throw away from the audience. It's both splendid to listen to such voices and side-splittingly funny. (Though the highlight of the production is a dead straight rendition of Cr..., well, I'm not saying, as that'll spoil it for you).

For all the glorious singing, Buttons would be a great show even if it were performed by panto's once-a-year vocalists taking time out from soap operas not grand operas. Writer/Director John Savournin leads the way, his seventh Dame as outrageous as any of the previous six - I don't think he counts down the days until he can dress up in heels and falsies come December, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. He's joined by plenty of old friends who are all marvellous, especially Matthew Kellett as Buttons. Newcomer, Joanna Marie Skillett, has wasted no time in assimilating the Charles Court vibe and makes a splendidly feisty Cinders. As usual, Simon Masterton-Smith comes within a hair's breadth of stealing the show, this time with his turn as the Donnish Fairy Godfather.

My son summed it up as we made our way into the North London night - "It's such a shame that we have to wait another year for the next one." So, if you can get a ticket for this year, you should!

Buttons continues at the Rosemary Branch Theatre until 7 January.