Cinderella stars have a ball

Stars of Telford's annual pantomime have hailed the town as a "great place". Cinderella has just started a four-week run at Oakengates Theatre, The Place.

Cast members, including former Eternal singer Kelle Bryan, who plays Cinderella, and pantomime veteran Tony Howes, who plays Buttons, have been full of praise for the area.

Check out our photo gallery above.

Kelle said: "The people are lovely and the children in the audience have been fantastic - they couldn't shout any louder.

Barrie Ryan English, who plays Prince Charming, said: "Everyone supports us."

Tony is a friend of TV presenter Paul Hendy, who was born in Dawley, and has spent time in the area before.

He lives in London, but is staying in Aqueduct for the course of the show.

"I like Telford and I like the people of Telford," he said. "I find the roundabouts difficult, but doesn't everyone?"

Bosses at the theatre are hoping for a record-breaking run with Cinderella.

Last year's pantomime, Peter Pan, broke previous box office records, with more than 17,000 people seeing it.

Screams of delight from the hundreds of children at the start of this year's Telford's Christmas pantomime run were a sure sign of its popularity.And the shouts of joy grew louder as the performance went on.

The production offers everything one would expect from a traditional panto - dames, an unlucky-in-love funnyman, puns galore, singing, dancing and a happy ending.

But the tradition works and the audience loved it.

There may not have been as many jokes for the mums and dads as other pantos, Tony Howes, who plays Buttons, admits he plays it for the kids, but there is plenty to keep the adults entertained.

Baron Hardup, played by former The Bill star Tony Scannell, has to be seen to be believed, while the Ugly Sisters of Roger Darrock and Stephen Howe keep the laughs coming thick and fast.

Former Eternal star Kelle Bryan is given plenty of opportunity to demonstrate her singing ability, although not enough chance to show off her undoubted dancing talent, which completely overshadowed the chorus dancers in her main routine.

A special mention must also go to the excellent Joshua Martin, who put in an almost too-good-for-pantomime performance as Dandini.

However, the show stealer was undoubtedly Buttons. Terrible puns and lame one-liners were lapped up by children and adults alike, leaving his name as the one on everyone's lips as they left.

Speaking after yesterday evening's performance, nine-year-old Kiya Rushton, a pupil at St George's Primary School, London Road, St Georges,Telford, said: "I really liked Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother.

"Cinderella is a really nice person and the Fairy Godmother had a really big dress."

Wendy Rushton, Kiya's grandmother, of James Way, Donnington, said: "I thought it was very funny. It was well performed and Buttons was very entertaining."

Holly Brown, eight, who is a pupil at St Peter's Primary School, Shrubbery Gardens, Wem, said: "My favourite bit was the haunted bedroom scene and Buttons was very funny."

By Jon Ball

Barrie Ryan English as Prince Charming, Kelle Bryan as Cinderella and Tony Scannell as Baron Hardup.

Vanessa Bond as the Fairy Godmother with Tony Howes as Buttons.

Ugly Sisters Trinny and Suzannah - Stephen Howe, top, and Roger Darrock.

The principal characters on stage at The Place.

Young dancers from the production.

The audience at the panto.