Buttons: Another Cinderella Story at the Rosemary Branch Theatre

A twisted take on classic fairy tales, creatively infused with popular music and mixed with mildly raunchy humour for adults, Charles Court’s 7^th Boutique Panto Buttons: Another Cinderella Story by John Savournin delightfully amuses as it plays on our childlike wonderment for sing-along, dance and cake decorating!

Cinderella loves to play.  She creates stories, travels the world and imagines fantastic adventures with her teddy bear Buttons by her side.  Buttons couldn’t be happier with his dear Cinder, but when the evil Prince Charming takes an interest in the young beauty, Buttons makes a wish to become a real boy in order to express his feelings to his one true love and keep her safe from peril.

Starring Joanna Marie Skillett and Matthew Kellet as Cinderella and Buttons, the pair are endearing, playful and heart-warming together.  Kellet is bashful and admirable in the way he describes in song the affection and admiration he feels when the pair look upon one another for the first time; truly a realistic and laugh-out-loud account.

Savournin is energetic and fun as Cinderella’s mother Betty; with his flamboyant costumes, light blue sparkly hair and cringe-worthy one liners, he adds charisma and attitude to dialogue that could otherwise be construed as tired.  And while much of the content is child-friendly, the sexual innuendo that Betty stirs up as she bakes her famous “creamy buns” is ostentatious and comically silly.

Rosie Storbel is the archetypal villain as Gerry the prince. Her mannerisms, the sexually charged gyrating towards our innocent heroine and the calculated pace at which she speaks creates an antagonist you’ll love to hate.

With musical direction by David Eaton that satirises hits like Radiohead’s Creep, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and Michael Jackson’s Thriller, you’ll be sure to move along to the creative compilations and the genuine upbeat nature of this performance – not to be missed!

Natasha Fonseka

Buttons is at the Rosemary Branch Theatre until 7^th January 2014. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.