Panto season has arrived: Freetime talks to Cinderella, Buttons and the Ugly Sisters (From Ealing Times)

Panto season has arrived: Freetime talks to Cinderella, Buttons and the Ugly Sisters

10:10am Saturday 3rd December 2011 in Local Reviews By Rebecca Cain

DAMES are applying their make-up, Princes are pulling on their tights and Princessess are practising their curtsey- the panto season is well and truly upon us. With a host of big names coming to theatres in the area you will be spoilt for choice. Here, Rebecca Cain, talks to the stars of the Swan's panto, Cinderella a week before they take to the stage.

Earlier this year we spoke to Birds of a Feather star, Lesley Joseph, who is playing the Fairy Godmother in the magical panto.

She has a sterling cast behind her including Matt Slack, who is playing Buttons, and who has worked with her twice before.

He said: "She [Joseph} is such a professional. We take our jobs very seriously. When you are sat in the audience it looks like we are having a laugh, which we are of course, but even if we weren't you wouldn't know.

"We both respect each other. She is so good at what she does. She allows me to do what I do- we know what each other is thinking, which is very rare.”

Gemma James, who will be playing the beautiful Cinderella, said she finds it hard to keep a straight face if the story has gone away from the script.

She said: "It is fun. It is a bit more relaxed even though it is hard work. We get to mess about. It is nice for the whole family to come and see.”

Rehearsals starts just 10 days before they open at the theatre so there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes.

For the two ugly sisters it is the first time Ben Stock and Adam Stafford have worked together but they had met once before in Athens! Stafford had been in Beauty and the Beast in the city the year before Stock played the candlestick and they happened to bump into each other.

And Stock first put on heels three years ago with disastrous consequences. He said: “It was terrible. The very first time I put on heels for a panto rehearsal I fell down the stairs and broke my finger- my little finger. I was in my wig, dress and tights. I went to A and E and still had my tights on.”

He had it bandaged up and they then they booked him in to have a metal plate fitted in his finger later in the week but the show went on! Stock said he was then very wary of those particular heels.

Stafford, who grew up in Marlow, has been acting for nearly 40 years and first played the dame when he was 20.

And he is looking forward to working with Joseph as she gives 100 per cent whereas some stars do not give it their all.

He added: “Lesley is a proper actress as well as a celebrity."

Cinderella is at the Wycombe Swan from December 10-January 8. Tickets range from £18 to £27.50 from 01494512000 or go to www.wycombeswan.co.uk

Other panto shows:

Beauty and the Beast, The Elgiva, Chesham featuring Grange Hill's Colin Ridgewell and Nicola Alexis from the Bill. December 1-January 3. Tickets range from £10.50 to £16 from 01494582900 or www.elgiva.com

Dick Whittington, Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, featuring Jonathan Wilkes and Eastenders' Gillian Wright. December 9-31. Tickets range from £17 to £26 from 08448717607 or www.ambassadortickets.com/aylesbury

Sleeping Beauty, Windsor Theatre Royal, featuring Tony Christie, Britt Ekland and Anita Harris. December 7- January 8. Tickets start at £11 from 01753853888 or book online at www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk.

Aladdin, Milton Keynes Theatre, featuring Gareth Gates, BTG's Paul Burling and West End star, Nicola Brazil. December 9-January 15. Tickets range from £20.50 to £34.50 from 08448717652 or go to www.atgtickets.com.