Cinderella
Theatre Royal Windsor
Until 11th January 2026
This has got to be the best panto in the southeast.
Oh no it isn’t.
Oh yes, it most certainly is.
The magic begins before you even set foot inside the Theatre Royal Windsor – a gleaming full-size carriage sits atop the entrance. And it only gets better as you escape the cold and step into a wonderland of sparkle, colour and sheer festive joy. This year’s Cinderella delivers all the usual gags and drama, with a magic dusting of new and original material.
Written by Steven Blakeley – usually the Dame, but this year one of the outrageously fabulous Ugly Sisters – the script is sharp, cheeky and joyfully chaotic. Blakeley and his fellow sister (Jeffrey Harmer) are a riot, bursting onto stage in sculpted outfits that defy physics, complete with matching DM boots. Their entrance on mopeds, kitted out in full Geri Halliwell Union Jack glamour with towering ginger wigs, is one of the early highlights – and just a taste of the costume madness to come.
Director Charlotte Peters steers the whole production with precision and pace, ensuring that even at its wildest, the show never loses clarity or heart.
Brogan McFarlane makes a stunning Cinders, glowing with warmth and wit, while Kevin Cruise returns as Buttons with the unstoppable energy that Windsor audiences adore. Michael Praed, as the father of the three girls, brings a touch of nostalgia. Forever convinced he’s wandered into the Robin Hood panto; he peppers scenes with errant Maid Marian references and heroic one-liners – a wink to the audience that lands every time.
Hilary O’Neil brings true stardust as the Fairy Godmother, her presence elevating each magical moment, especially the transformation scenes. And speaking of magic: the second carriage of the evening – featuring a breathtaking flying horse drew audible gasps. It’s a moment you truly have to see to believe.
The show is packed with 80s nostalgia: from “Come On Eileen” to Mel & Kim, from Hi-de-Hi! to mix tapes and retro dance breaks. But there are plenty of treats for younger audience members too – Pink Pony Club and six seven (I still don’t get this) had the theatre roaring. Add in camp dancers in tutus paired with dinner jackets, and the whole thing becomes an irresistible kaleidoscope of styles and eras.
Comedy comes thick and fast: the Slough snubs, the beloved “12 Days of Christmas” with toilet rolls flying and the infamous “bra that can only hold three” managing to get stuck on a spotlight, plus an excellent Dirty Dancing sequence that brought the house down. A spoof “ad break” might just be one of the biggest surprise laughs of the night, and a Claudia Winkleman/Tess Daly arrival had the audience in hysterics.
For a performance so early in the run, the level of audience involvement was remarkable. Toddlers, teenagers, parents, and grannies – everyone was roaring, clapping, dancing, and up on their feet.
This Cinderella is a big-hearted, bonkers celebration of everything Theatre Royal Windsor does best: tradition with a twist, nostalgia with sparkle, and enough humour to carry you all the way into January.
If you only go to one panto this year – make it Cinderella in Windsor!
Cinderella is playing at the Theatre Royal Windsor until January 11 2026.
Reviewer: Klara Kallis
Photo: Jack Merriman