Award-winning pantomime company He’s Behind You! has announced the full cast for Cinderella: Buttons Undone!, its latest adults-only festive extravaganza, which runs at Charing Cross Theatre from 21 November 2026 to 9 January 2027.
Giving the classic fairytale a distinctly naughty makeover, Cinderella: Buttons Undone! swaps royal courts for tennis courts in a reimagined story packed with original songs, mistaken identities and sharp comedy.
Laura Anna-Mead returns to the company as hotel maid Cindy, following her appearance in last year’s Beauty and the Beast: A Horny Love Story.
Matthew Baldwin and Chris Lane play Cindy’s troublesome stepsiblings Mercedes and Bentley, while Matt Kennedy stars as Buttons, Cindy’s closest friend and confidant.
Catherine Millsom plays gangster stepmother Ida Bigschitt, recently released from prison and determined to make life difficult for the family, while Bartek Kraszewski takes on the role of tennis champion Ivan Yassandvich, Cinderella’s unconventional Prince Charming.
Dermot Canavan joins the cast as Lev, Ivan’s father and Smellarussian minister for sport and women’s affairs, while Arianna Duffus plays fairy godmother figure Mystic Mandi.
The company is completed by Jordan Stamatiadis and Fin Walton.
The production is co-written by Jon Bradfield and Martin Hooper, with original songs by Bradfield, and directed by Andrew Beckett. Musical direction and orchestrations are by Aaron Clingham, with choreography by Carole Todd.
Design is by David Shields, with costumes by Robert Draper, lighting by Matt Hockley and sound by Andrew Johnson. The production is produced by Oli Sones for He’s Behind You!.
Commenting on the new production, Matthew Baldwin said: “For me this is like being invited to the best party ever, with all your funniest friends and a few new people to surprise and delight you. Rather like some of our audience we love an intake of fresh DNA for our saucy winter fun and this year we are joined by some sparkling new talents. Some might see Mercedes as part of a comic tradition of deliciously deluded snobs but to me, she’s a gorgeous grafter who refuses to settle. I like to work from the outside in, so I’ll be starting with the tits and wig and see where it takes me.”
Set in the faded seaside resort of Lob-on-Sea, the production promises a festive mix of gangsters, disguises, romance and chaos, continuing the company’s tradition of irreverent LGBTQ+ pantomime entertainment.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
