Theatre group to stage North East Cinderella

The imaginatively-titled Stottie the Cat joins classic characters Cinderella and Buttons in fairytale favourite Cinderella - with a North East twist.

Dryburn Theatrical Workshop will stage the pantomime next week at Park View Theatre complex in Chester-le-Street.

Lee Passmoor, chairman of Dryburn Theatrical Workshop, said: “This fabulous new version of the classic pantomime Cinderella has been specially written for Dryburn Theatrical Workshop by Gateshead-born actor and writer, Tom Whalley.

“Cinderella provides the perfect opportunity to escape the winter weather, as well as huge fun, magic, music and entertainment for all the family.”

It tells the story of widowed, down-on-his-luck Baron Hardup who, for the sake of his daughter Cinderella, remarries a wealthy woman with two daughters of her own.

Bitterly jealous of Cinderella’s youthful grace and beauty, the two stepsisters force her to do all the chores at Hardup Hall and have torn her dresses to rags, but as terrible as they are, they are nothing compared to her evil stepmother.

Dryburn Theatrical Workshop has a long history of successful performances and features a local cast.

Show times are at 7.15pm on Thursday, January 12 and Friday, January 13 and 6.30pm on Saturday, January 14, with matinees at 2.30pm on Saturday, January 14 and Sunday, January 15 at the Park View Theatre in Chester-le-Street.

Tickets are £8 for all on the Thursday, and £10 for adults and £9 for children and concessions Friday to Sunday, with reductions on block bookings available.

They can be booked from Tel. 0191 388 3362 and Tel. 07468-607420 or at www.dryburntheatricalworkshop.ticketsource.co.uk