Christmas is fast approaching and one of my favourite traditions this time of year is to see a pantomime. 

This year, we were lucky enough to be invited along to the press night at Forum Theatre Billingham for this years panto, Cinderella! 

Cinderella is a classic, traditional tale told brilliantly by the fabulous cast. Plenty of fun musical numbers, stunning set and costume design and laugh-out-loud moments, the panto is a must see for families of all ages this Christmas. 

Soap stars Matt Milburn (Corrie) and Ben-Ryan Davies (Hollyoaks) play the perfect duo of Dandini and Prince Charming. We loved the Corrie jokes about Tommy O (#TeamSteve) and Ben absolutely dazzles with his personality. 

Katy Allen is just what you want in a leading lady and played Cinders brilliantly. What a voice! 

Lucy Carne was wickedly wonderful as the stepmother, with Luke & Elliott providing so many laughs as the stepsisters. 

Robert Squire was fabulous as Fairy Godmother, but the star of the show had to be Liam Mellor as Buttons. 

From start to finish he had the audience in the palm of his hand and was a joy to watch. His dance sequence in the second act had my stomach hurting from laughing – it was a Cracking performance.

Cinderella at Forum Theatre Billingham is an absolute triumph and one of the best pantos I’ve seen in years. We loved every second of it! 

The Elton John and Kiki Dee wall scene in Act 1 was a definite favourite, and for Act 2- all I’m going to say is be prepared for the 12 Days of Christmas…

The shows runtime is 2 and a half hours, including a 20 minute interval, and runs until the 5th January 2025. 

Tickets range between £23-£27 and you can purchase them at https://www.forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk/pantomime/

Huge thank you to the team at Forum Theatre Billingham for having us along!

**Full disclosure: We were gifted tickets in exchange for this honest review.