This is another five star panto for the Regent, as Jonny Wilkes buttons up a classic performance, read on to find out why.
The ALBOS family were invited along to opening night at the Regent Theatre, and it only took seconds for that warm fuzzy Christmas feeling to appear.
A cast that leans into the fun
Jonny Wilkes returns as Buttons, a role he knows inside out. The moment he appeared on stage, our child squealed with excitement, and immediately Jonny had us all laughing as he effortlessly worked the crowd. The affection between him and the audience was clear to see as he reeled off a familiar tirade of “in jokes”.
Kai Owen marks ten years in Stoke and was hillarious as Dandini. The way Kai bounces off Jonny is effortless and highlights their long running partnership.
Kirsty Ingram as Cinderella was a pleasure to watch. She kept an air of calm when the show needed it and her singing was beautiful and strong. Ben Oatley worked well with her as Prince Charming and the two of them fitted together like a glove on stage.
The Ugly Sisters, played by Amanda Coutts and Rebecca McKinnis, were a lively pair. Their behaviour was both traditional and modern bringing the characters into 2025 with their obsession of social media.
With a flash and a bang, Rhiane Drummond’s is the delightful Fairy Godmother who threads through the story with her charm and care for Cinderella.
Ensemble, staging and the moments that spark laughter
The ensemble deserves a mention of its own. Filling out the musical and dance numbers, they looked polished and professional throughout the show.
We loved the set design which was bright and bold and perfectly sets each scene. The live band did a fantastic job on the musical numbers adding a warmth that recorded tracks never quite seem to match.
One scene that had our family in stitches was the wall routine, delivered with simple staging and sharp timing. Our children haven’t stopped talking about it, and are still laughing about it.
Talking of being in stitches, a Wilkes panto wouldn’t be same without “five toilet rolls”. This is without doubt the thing we look forward to every year! As always it was a chaotic take on the Twelve Days of Christmas where, instead of five golden rings, the cast send five toilet rolls tied together across the stalls and up into audience. Pro Panto Tip: If the rolls come your way, throw them high and wide. Please dont give them back to Kai or thrown them back onto the stage – some of the opening night audience missed this memo! The whole joy of this routine is watching Kai try to recover the toilet rolls as they travel across the theatre. He thinks he is getting too old to chase those toilet rolls, but our family hope he keeps on going forever!
A familiar moment with a small twist
If you saw Cinderella back in 2021, you may remember the Act One ending when Cinderella heads to the ball in her transformed pumpkin coach. For 2025 there are a couple of small surprises tucked into that moment. We won’t spoil them, but keep your eyes peeled.
A long running tradition that still knows how to land a laugh
Stoke’s approach to panto is different to most. Rather than cycling through random “famous” names, the city leans into familiarity, building year on year with returning performers who understand the crowd. Far from becoming stale, that consistency appears to make the show feel more alive. The audience response on opening night suggested as much, with cheers rising well before the final bow.
Cinderella is a fun fuelled festive five star show that proves why this panto remains a favourite you won’t want to miss.
Cinderella runs with a mix of matinee and evening performances through to Sunday 4 January 2026. Tickets can be found on the Regent Theatre website.
