CINDERELLA, The Harlequin's Christmas pantomime, had the children who went to see it roaring in the aisles.

It featured grotesque Ugly Sisters, a beautiful heroine, a dashing prince, ponies, water pistols and ballet dancers.

The children loved ducking the streams of water aimed at the audience and screaming the time-honoured taunts of "Oh no, it isn't" at the baddies.

For the adults, there were some topical jokes about disappearing canoeists and naming teddy bears and to the older children's delight the fairy tale was peppered with pop songs by Take That, Mika and Avril Lavigne.

The show at the Redhill theatre lasted for two hours, with polished performances by Kirsten O'Brien, who presented BBC1's children's art show SMart, as Cinderella, and Bruce Montague, playing Baron Hardup but best known for BBC series Butterflies.

They were backed by The Harlequin Dancers and The Harlequin children, appearing as peasant children, huntsmen and ethereal ballet dancers, and George Gold's white Shetland ponies were tethered to Cinderella's dazzling white coach.

As often is the case, one of the funniest moments was unscripted, when Ugly Sister Rita's wig fell off and Wanda, the other Ugly Sister, said: "Oh no, it's a man", but the revelation of actor Mark Two was quickly forgotten.

The costumes alone attracted attention, with the two sisters appearing in each scene in dresses more gaudily monstrous than the last, at one point appearing as a giant Christmas tree and a cracker.

In the end, they were no less hideous but transformed by the Fairy Godmother into nicer, kinder people, and, as is traditional, the curtain closed on Cinderella and Prince Charming's wedding.

A happy ending - and a happy audience.

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