Surinderella: new take on old fairytale turns panto-phobe into Bollywood believer
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
Rifco Theatre present Surinderella by Pravesh Kumar at The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, from 16 – 19 July.
Review by Annette Kinsella.
Unusual events have long been regarded as indicators that the universe is clearing its throat in preparation for a dramatic announcement. In 1066, terrified Saxons looked to the skies as Halley’s Comet blazed across the heavens - a celestial warning, apparently, that something enormous and deeply inconvenient was approaching. (It was hostile takeover bid-nik William the Conqueror, who arrived shortly afterwards with a root-and-branch management change programme involving arrows, chainmail and confusing masculine and feminine verbs). Strange births, mysterious lights in the sky and unexplained occurrences have been interpreted as signs of an impending seismic shift.
So imagine my concern when, in the middle of July, a panto appeared. A full six months early. Not December. Not Christmas week. Not that strange, exhausted halfway house between Boxing Day and New Year when families are fuelled entirely by chocolate coins, leftover turkey and desperation.
A pantomime. In JULY. The universe was clearly trying to tell me something. And before I go any further, I must make a confession. This is significant, because I hate panto. There it is. I know this is theatrical treason. Panto is one of Britain’s great traditions: a magnificent hotpot of fairy tales, comedy, music and the ancient ritual of thousands of people enthusiastically shouting advice at fictional characters.
But my neurodivergent brain has always viewed panto with the same trepidation as hearing the wedding DJ announce: “OK everyone! Time for the group dance!”
The unpredictability. The noise. The possibility that at any moment I might be dragged from the safety of my seat into some kind of audience participation nightmare involving a custard pie, a bucket of water, or - the ultimate theatrical torture - a fight involving silly string. I KNOW I’m a killjoy. I KNOW ‘no-one is looking at me’. But my struggle is real. For example, parents often describe their final child leaving primary school as a heartbreaking rite of passage: the end of an era of sports days, assemblies, adorable tiny chairs and emotional promises that everyone will definitely stay best friends forever. And yes, it was emotional when my youngest daughter and I walked out of the playground for the final time. But for me, behind the tears and nostalgia, was one small, glowing light: “I NEVER HAVE TO GO TO THE PANTO AS A PARENT VOLUNTEER AGAIN.” Result.
Which is why the arrival of tickets for Surinderella at the Belgrade felt less like a theatre booking and more like a personal challenge from the universe.
Because this was no ordinary panto. This was Rifco Theatre’s Bollywood extravaganza, a Desi reimagining of the world’s most famous wardrobe malfunction, where the enchanted forest becomes the Bolly-Woods, the fairy godmother is a glitter-strewn auntie and Buttons is upgraded to a divine bovine.
The story is familiar. Surinder is an orphan toiling under the spiky stiletto heels of her selfish stepsisters. But this Cinderella has evolved. She is kind, resilient and refuses to wait for a prince to come to the rescue. The message is not: “Find a prince and your life begins." It is: “Build a life you love, and if you find someone amazing along the way, even better.”
Sonya Venugopal is empowering in the title role, bringing warmth, energy and genuine star quality, while Prince Kavi, played by Rory Dulku, is refreshing in his refusal to be a one-dimensional status symbol prize at the end of the story. There's more than a hint of post-Britney, pre-nipplegate Indian Justin Timberlake in his soulful, doe-eyed song delivery, thankfully minus the toxic masculinity bro-code. Then there are the ugly sisters Lovely and Bubbly, reimagined as Generation Alpha Insta icons. Comedy duo Andy Kumar and Raheem Payne abandon the traditional villain playbook and embrace their influencer era. Obsessed with beauty, image, branding and maintaining the exhausting performance of perfection, they are less Gwyneth Paltrow and more Kenny Everett with a ring light. Together they bring strong Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie energy, with the wardrobe of an 80s Diana Ross world tour. Utterly fabulous.
And now we must discuss the cow. Oh, that cow. Because every great piece of theatre needs one moment where you think: “I cannot believe I am watching this, and yet I am completely and totally invested.” Basanti, as the Buttons character, is that moment. A talking, farting, scene-stealing cow who can flutter her eyelashes, wiggle her ears and still somehow become one of the most expressive characters on stage. Surprising? Yes. But like the rest of the show, it works. In fact, it works BRILLIANTLY. It sparkles like Diwali fireworks. It glitters like the tinsel on a Christmas tree. Its genius lies in its total adoption of what panto has always been at its heart: a dazzling effervescence of music, comedy, community and complete ridiculousness. In short, Rifco understood the assignment.
Because I suppose Bollywood and panto have always been natural bedfellows. The enormous costumes. The dramatic entrances. The larger-than-life characters. The false eyelashes. Bollywood looks at British panto and says: “You think YOU are dramatic?” British panto replies: “Hold my sequinned jacket.”
This is not panto being replaced by something else. This is panto doing what it has always done best: absorbing new influences, reinventing itself, reflecting the era and inviting more people into the story. The traditions evolve.
So yes, unusual events may well be signs that something significant is happening. The Saxons had their comet. History has its strange births and mysterious warnings. And I had a July panto that made me, a lifelong pantophobe, leave the theatre thinking: Maybe the universe was right. Maybe panto IS glorious. Perhaps I've been wrong all these years. Although… I still reserve the right to run away screaming blue murder if someone approaches me carrying a bucket of custard.
For tickets go to: https://www.belgrade.co.uk/events/surinderella/
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