IT’S panto time for a Romsey drama club, with the production of Cinderella stretching the talents of the team with magical costume changes and high-energy numbers.

Cinderella, Romsey Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (RAODS), is taking over the stage at the Plaza Theatre for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights throughout the rest of January and the society is already expecting to sell out.

The show is Georgette Ellison’s fourth pantomime as director, bringing together 38 cast members in ball gowns and formal wear and 30 others working behind the scenes.

The director said: “Cinderella is the ultimate family panto – it has all the qualities for a fun night out: magic, fairies, a party, and two of the naughtiest sisters in Panto Land. None of this comes about easily, and being the ultimate panto, it has the ultimate challenges.

“The main challenge has proven to be getting Cinderella into a new dress and carriage while on stage and in front of the audience.

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“Without giving too much away, we are so lucky to have a team of technical people at the Plaza who make magic happen for TV, and they have turned their considerable skills to this problem. It is not something that can be done overnight, and at the time of writing the production team has been working on this single element for more than six months.”

Hampshire Chronicle:

Audience members can expect dancing, chaos and magic as well as a variety of songs from Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran and Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns n’ Roses to The Greatest Showman.

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The more experienced performers will be joined by youth members. Youth liaison officer and vice chair of the society Russell Theron said: “It is always a joy to see RAODS youth membership taking part in the pantomime and seeing their confidence and skills grow. The talent, energy and enthusiasm of our young cast members, under the guidance of experienced and extremely patient director Georgette Ellison, have combined to make a truly fantastic show.”

To boost the accessibility of the show RAODS is putting on a relaxed performance on Sunday, January 22 with the house lights on and without loud bang or music. The chilled-out alternative will also be Makaton friendly while all the other normal Friday and Saturday performance will be BSL interpreted throughout.

Performances run from January 13 to 29 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and tickets start from £14. For more information or to book go to plazatheatre.com/index.php/what-s-on.