A Return to the Theatre, Janice Honeyman’s Cinderella
Review Done By: Barry Viljoen
After having survived possibly the most arduous of times in the South African theatre industry, we were finally welcomed back to the Johannesburg Theatre for Janice Honeyman’s Cinderella pantomime. Returning to the theatre after what was almost a two-year forced sabbatical was as a result of the global pandemic.
After the heaviness of the past two years this was perhaps the perfect return piece to lighten the mood and to ease us back into the joy of theatre. Being able to slowly reconnect with families and social connections is a comfort to all who have experienced the struggle of adjusting to a more distanced interaction than what we were used to in the past. Also, as we are hopefully returning to a sense of normality with the resumption of annual traditions, these are the essential first steps.
On both of these fronts, neither disappointed and the show was light-hearted and entertaining while immediately taking us back to previous years of family-orientated productions. For a few moments the challenges of the last few years faded from the foreground of our minds to a more scenic and engaging ambience of drama.
Thankfully there were no interruptions to the production’s run this year, as that which had sadly occurred the year before amid the second Covid wave. One can only spare a thought for the amount of stress and concern experienced by all involved as it came to putting on this production and thankfully seeing it through to the end.
All the efforts of the team paid off with a well-rehearsed performance which captivated the audience. From the singing and dancing that we are accustomed to in these productions with a few political jabs thrown in for good measure, to the renowned ‘double-entendres’ for which Janice is so well known.
It is noteworthy that this is the first time in 17 years that all of the sets and costumes have been locally produced by the clearly talented Andrew Timm. However, it should be kept in mind that as an award-winning creative director the scale of this show is not something he is unaccustomed to. He is arguably best known for his work in directing music videos for the Ndlovu Youth Choir.
While the production crew deserve particular mention, the actors are possibly the best cast which could have been assembled currently in South Africa. With the likes of Desmond Dube and Ben Voss having been cast as the ugly sisters, they are just a few of the familiar faces that you will encounter.
All inclusive, this was a well-produced and excellently performed piece which was the perfect return to the Johannesburg Theatre for me; hopefully to a greater sense of normalcy, as we are slowly picking up on the old traditions. It is to be hoped that when looking forward to its production towards the end of next year, any concerns or doubts about staging this performance will be nothing more than a passing thought.
Lovely review and looking forward to seeing the performance next year