Cinderella, opening at Surrey Arts Centre Friday, is guaranteed to be a welcome interlude in the hectic Christmas schedule 鈥� a family-oriented oasis of all the colourful costumes and sets, cheery players, antique schtick and groaner gags for which pantomime is known.
But it鈥檚 also a milestone for its creator, Ellie King, managing artistic director of the Royal Canadian Theatre Company.
It鈥檚 been 25 years since King 鈥� a veteran of British panto productions from childhood 鈥� staged her first Canadian version, Sinbad the Sailor, at Vancouver鈥檚 Metro Theatre in 1988.
Since then, the Christmas pantomime tradition 鈥� once almost exclusively based in White Rock 鈥� has caught on with theatre companies throughout the Lower Mainland, and King鈥檚 own original scripts have been licensed and performed all over B.C.
A passionate aficionado and champion of a theatrical entertainment that traces its direct roots back more than 400 years (but draws on traditions dating back to Greco-Roman times) King knows not only what goes into the panto recipe but why and when it was added to the mix.
She doesn鈥檛 expect audiences, however, to get all the history behind the Irish stew of fairytale, song and dance and masques and harlequinades of centuries gone by.
All that鈥檚 really required is that they sit back, relax and be entertained by a keen troupe of entertainers from virtually all the Lower Mainland municipalities.
This year鈥檚 show 鈥� which runs in Surrey Dec. 20-29, then goes on to usher in the new year at the ACT Theatre, Maple Ridge (Jan. 2-5) 鈥� is a panto perennial.
鈥�Cinderella is the most popular pantomime of all the pantomimes, above all others 鈥� there are literally hundreds of them,鈥� King said, adding this marks the third production of her version (following shows in 1998 and 2007).
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know quite why 鈥� maybe it鈥檚 the rags-to-riches element 鈥� making good and beating the odds.
鈥淚t鈥檚 also the only panto that has two 鈥榙ames鈥� in it 鈥� and, occasionally, three,鈥� she said, referring to the hard-done-by Cinders鈥� eternal nemeses, her wicked stepmother and two less-than-appealing stepsisters 鈥� usually played, in panto tradition, by men in absurdly over-the-top drag.
鈥淪ometimes the stepmom is played by a man, too, but two men and a woman (RCTC regular Kerri Norris as Grimelda Stoneybroke) playing in combination I think is the best.鈥�
Appearing as sisters Atrocia and Deplorabelle are RCTC favourite Alan Cedargreen and newcomer Mark Manning.
鈥淗e鈥檚 very, very good,鈥� noted King. 鈥淰ery front and centre.鈥�
Other regulars of King鈥檚 panto stock company on hand are King鈥檚 husband, Geoff, as musical director; keyboardist with percussionist Sheila Rebelato; Norris鈥� husband, Stephen Elcheshen, reprising his role as Buttons the page, who鈥檚 Cinders鈥� only human friend (two young Elcheshens, daughters Aeron and Cayleigh are also in the cast); and King鈥檚 son, James, in his accustomed role as the Demon King, representative of the forces of evil.
Ready to battle him for supremacy is Erin Coon 鈥� last year鈥檚 principal boy in Robinson Crusoe 鈥� as the Fairy Godmother.
Coon won King鈥檚 approbation by heeding the director鈥檚 advice that the fairy is also a 鈥渢ough broad.鈥�
鈥淪he came out to audition with a Jersey accent,鈥� King laughed.
Playing the title role is Melissa Paras, seen to advantage as principal girl in last year鈥檚 White Rock pantomime, Pinocchio.
鈥淪he鈥檚 a very nice soprano 鈥� a musical theatre grad from Capilano College. She鈥檚 adorable and quite funny, too 鈥� more Disney than Disney.鈥�
Jeremy Glass, last year鈥檚 King Neptune, is back as Cinderella鈥檚 befuddled father, Baron Stoneybroke, while the show鈥檚 two girl-boys, Prince Charming and his major domo Dandini are played by Andie Francis and Jackie Bruce.
Other historic traditions linger in King鈥檚 version, including an exchange that鈥檚 been in versions of show since the 19th century (鈥淵our foot wouldn鈥檛 fit in the crystal slipper!鈥� 鈥淵our foot wouldn鈥檛 fit in Crystal Palace!鈥�) and the transformation scene at the end in which principals sport resplendent finale costumes (鈥渋t鈥檚 the only remaining piece of the Harlequinade,鈥� King noted).
But other elements are right up to date, she adds 鈥� including topical gag lines that are always a popular part of pantomimes.
鈥淥bviously we鈥檙e going to hit Rob Ford, and Stephen Harper and the Senate scandal 鈥� and the current state of the roads.鈥�
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