Each year, the Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) pantomime society put on a show to raise funds for different teams across the NUH services. These funds will be used to purchase little extras that are not covered by hospital funds but that make a world of difference to patients. This includes warm clothing and insulated mugs for homeless patients, and toys, books and play equipment for the Paediatric Emergency Department. This year’s offering, “Cinderella”, gives you everything you would expect from a classic pantomime, including ugly sisters, fairy godmothers and a pantomime horse!
The show begins by introducing us to Cinderella’s Fairy Godmothers, Snapdragon (Claire Pavier) and Knapweed (Collette Wong), who conspire to make Prince Charming fall in love with Cinderella and escape the clutches of her evil stepmother. Wong brings a chaotic energy to the stage as a fairy-in-training, whilst Pavier’s exasperation is clear to see, and the two enjoy a fun back-and-forth that often ends up with the audience on Knapweed’s side. Cinderella’s step-mother (Teresa McDonnell as the Baroness) takes her two daughters Dandelion (Angie Springhall) and Burdock (Colin Mudd) to the forest to try to initiate a chance meeting between them and the Prince. Springhall is every inch the ditzy sister, from her affected voice to her toothy grin, whilst Mudd’s scowl at the audience is enough to frighten us into giving him the responses he requires. The two present a formidable pairing, and it is impossible to tear your eyes away from them when they are on the stage. McDonnell clearly relishes the opportunity to play a baddie, and the scenes that the Hardup family share together are a riot.
The sisters are quickly seen off by Prince Charming (Evie Alliott), who has instead fallen for Cinderella (who saw that coming?), thanks to a hefty sprinkle of fairy dust courtesy of Knapweed. Megan Kearney’s Cinderella is a joy to watch, instantly getting the audience on her side and squeezing every last ‘aah’ from us as she explains her sad predicament. Alliott and Kearney have great chemistry together, and break into a tongue-in-cheek rendition of “Call Me Maybe” which is just the right level of cheesy that we would expect from a pantomime. It is their later duet, however, that steals the show, thanks to the mouse in the grandfather clock waving a torch during the moving number.
Back at the Hardup mansion, we are introduced to the bundle of energy that is Buttons (Ross Levy), who races onto the stage and immediately becomes a favourite with the children in the audience. Levy has the enthusiasm of a children’s entertainer, and never lets up throughout the show, injecting a new level of excitement into every scene he is in. Buttons is joined by gardeners Old Bert (Emily Giles) and Young Ernie (Victoria Wilkinson-Smith), who don’t serve much narrative purpose but are on hand to provide a few good jokes, including a wonderfully slapstick scene involving Frappuccinos and lots of cream! There is also an excellent running joke involving Buttons quietly shooing away two mice (Lucy Crocombe as Bubble and Amy Flatman as Squeak), who have the audience cheering when they finally get to show us their dance at the end of the show.
With choreography from Kat Crookes, Elizabeth Eastham, Emma Reid and Alison Towner, there are numerous musical numbers to keep everyone entertained, including a very funny dance number at the Prince’s ball, in which the ugly stepsisters’ antics leave one poor chorus member on crutches, all accompanied by excellent vocals from McDonnell. There is also an odd scene in which Baron Hardup (Martin Orrell) finds his house is haunted by ghosts, which doesn’t really add anything to story but does give the cast a good excuse to sing the Ghostbusters theme, and gives Orrell a wonderful opportunity to display some amusing facial expressions.
Written by Barbara Eastham, who also directed the show alongside Kat Crookes and Hatty Hunt-Blow, the pantomime is full of local jokes (yes, it turns out Wollaton is much worse than Beeston), and it is clear that there is a lot of love that goes into putting this production on. The show is supported by a band that is also made up of NHS employees, and led by Rowena Wood on drums, whilst Elizabeth Paling’s costumes make this an incredibly colourful spectacle to behold.
This show can be summed up in a single word – “fun”. It is clear that the cast are having a ball throughout, and the audience are having just as much fun as they get dragged along for the ride. The fact that this production is put on by hard working people and raising money for charity makes the show even more enjoyable (and you might be relying on the NHS sooner than you think if Buttons keeps throwing sweets at the audience the way he did tonight – take cover!). You will leave this show with a smile on your face and the excited screams of children in your ears. Another excellent outing for the NUH Pantomime Society.
Tom Morley, January 2026
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