Blackpool Grand Theatre | Cinderella Pantomime Opening Night Reviews (2018)

Cinderella Pantomime Opening Night Reviews - With a wave of her magic wand, the Fairy Godmother started the first show of 2017/18 Pantomime from Blackpool Grand Theatre and UK Productions Ltd. Cinderella!

We take you through the fantastic Cinderella Pantomime Opening Night Reviews from everyone arriving, taking their seats and, big waves, and what our customers had to say about the show.

'Very Funny!'
'Brilliant, HILLARIOUS'
'Worth Coming To'
'Really Good Fun'
'10 Out Of 10'

Featuring sumptuous costumes, magnificent scenery and the unmissable and magical moment when Cinderella swaps her rags for a stunning ball gown and is transported to the Prince’s Ball.

But the horrid sisters have other ideas and wickedly tear up her invitation! All may not be lost however!

With the help of her bestest friend in the whole wide world ‘Buttons’ and her magical Fairy Godmother, Cinderella does go to the ball… but she needs to be home by midnight or her true identity will be revealed!

Following an international tour of the UK, and Europe including Holland, France and Switzerland and most recently Party In The Park and Bristol’s renowned Pride Festival, The Grand is delighted to announce that Prince Charming will be played by International Boy Band member JJ Hamblett from Union J.

JJ auditioned for ITV’s ninth series of The X Factor with a performance of Rihanna’s international hit ‘We Found Love’ as a three-piece band called Triple J, during the show judges added George Shelley to the group and they became Union J. The boys made it all the way to the Semi Finals (finishing fourth) and were signed to Sony Music (RCA Records) and launched their debut single ‘Carry You’ (which also appeared on the motion picture Kick-Ass 2 Soundtrack, 2013), their debut album soon followed reaching sixth in the UK Album Charts.

JJ’s trademark heavenly harmonies and smoking good looks as this year’s Prince Charming are sure to win over this year’s audiences. JJ has since gone on to great success with 4 Top 10 hits under his belt, a Number 1 spot on iTunes, and a sold-out UK Tour (with Union J).

JJ is no newcomer to success, prior to being a member of Union J he was a jockey until he was 21, riding in over 365 races and winning 26 JJ has even ridden horses for Queen Elizabeth II.

Making his 15th annual appearance is Grand panto legend Steve Royle, comedian, BBC Radio Lancashire presenter, actor and writer. Royle has supported both Peter Kay and Dave Spikey on tour and was voted ‘Entertainer of the Year’ at the Red Rose Awards.

Joining JJ and Royle is Welsh actor Melanie Walters who most recently played Gwen West (Stacey’s Mother) in Gavin & Stacey, the BBC1 hit breakthrough (BBC Three, BBC Two) comedy, winner of the British Academy Television Awards (BAFTAs) Audience Award, and the British Comedy Awards Best TV Comedy Award. Walters will join JJ and Royle as the Fairy Godmother.

Walters TV credits include The Collection (Amazon Prime); Doc Martin (The Shock of the New), Under Milk Wood (BBC); Being Human (Emma – Touchpaper Productions); Hollyoaks (Lime Pictures); Holby City (BBC); Dangerfield (BBC) and hit Bafta award-winning ITV productions, Coronation Street (Granada) and The Bill.

Children’s presenter Olivia Birchenough from Channel 5’s Milkshake! will play the role of ‘rag-to-riches’ Cinderella.

Birchenough has been a regular presenter on leading Channel Five’s children programme Milkshake! over the past 5 years, presenting live television daily, Olivia fronted the channel’s Bop Box series and the two nationwide theatre shows Milkshake! Party Party Live and Milkshake Live: Come Out to Play!. Olivia also presented the Milkshake Live: Bop in the Park residency at Drayton Manor Theme Park and Festive Fun series, and performing at Glastonbury in 2017!

Jamie Morris and Tarot Joseph will return to The Grand once more as the incredibly gorgeous Ugly Sisters!

Morris and Joseph last appeared at The Grand in the 2012/13 pantomime production of Cinderella.

Hear what people have to say on our Cinderella Pantomime Opening Night Reviews.

Cinderella December 2017 to January 2018.

For a full list of What's On at Blackpool Grand Theatre visit www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/events