Presenting a noughties twist on a Christmas classic, this winter Watford Palace Theatre is thrilled to announce their showstopping cast for Cinderella. Returning as pantomime dame for his eleventh year running, Royal Court and Shakespeare’s Globe actor, Terence Frisch will bring sparkles and sass in his starring role as Fanny G, as well as merriment for the whole family!
It’s New Year’s Eve in Watford and the countdown has begun for the year 2000! Cinderella loves a good boogey and, as an avid music listener, is never one to miss a beat when she grooves alone in her cellar. Meanwhile, over at the Palace, the King is set to throw the party of the century in his search to find the Prince a wife to wed. Join Cinderella on her adventure to outwit her stepsisters, Britney and Christina, and sneak out to attend the ultimate New Year’s Eve bash.
The Watford Palace Theatre has been bringing Christmas cheer to Hertfordshire since 1908 and this year’s production will be presented by the smash-hit directing and designing duo, James Williams and Cleo Pettitt (Award Winner for Dick Whittington And His Cat, Best Set Designer – Pantomime) who are returning with their millennium-inspired revival of this classic tale, supported by the sensational script writing of Teresa Burns (Justins’s House, CBBC; Wild, Unicorn Theatre).
In the starring role as Cinderella will be Soleil Quarless (Cinderella, Royal Spa Centre) who was discovered through a local casting callout that Watford Palace ran earlier this year. She has trained at Emil Dale Academy after graduating with a degree in BA Hons Musical Theatre. Joining her on stage in his eleventh year performing at Watford Palace, will be their dedicated Dame, Terence Frisch (Eastenders, BBC; Jerusalem, Royal Court). Other notable on-screen performances from Frisch also includes Last Night in Soho, Universal Pictures and Doctors, BBC.
Alongside these starring roles as the King and Furby will be Mark Pearce (Groundhog Day, Old Vic; Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre) and Samuel Wolstenholme as the Prince, who will be making his professional debut since training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Striding into the role of the stepmother, Drizelda will be played Lucyelle Cliffe (Much Ado About Nothing, UK Tour; Wicked, Apollo Victoria), supported by her daughters Britney, Lucia Vinyard (Rose Bruford College) and Christina, Luke Farrugia (Rhythm of the Pridelands, Disneyland Paris). Performing in the chorus and making their professional debuts will be Johnson Brock, Elliot Hazel and Tamisa Chivandire.
Chief Executive and Director of Programming for Watford Palace Theatre, Steve Marmion comments, As the new boy at the Palace, and a lover of panto, I am really excited to be sampling my first Watford Christmas feast alongside you all! From the award-winning designer to the crowd favourite dame, the brilliant new writer or the local hero lead actor it will have something for everyone and is sure to get you in the mood the festivities!
