Princess Cabaret, from Australia, wreak havoc with our perceptions of six Disney princesses. We in Britain would recognise characters from Christmas pantomimes, for example Cinderella and Princess Jasmine from Aladdin.

Using the style of the musical with the ever so sweet looking Tinkerbelle as the musical accompanist, the princesses develop their own personalities, breaking away from the images of subservience and political correctness. The musical send up works convincingly because all the girls are such good individual singers, putting across the lyrics with conviction. The sketches come thick and fast with strong punch lines. The humour is deliciously adult but done with a clever subtlety.

For the finale, all the princesses come together in a hilarious closing number to express their coming out as independent women. Princess Cabaret is one those shows when the hour passes all too quickly and the audience does leave with a warm, happy ever after feeling.

*****

Princess Cabaret

Company: - Tumbleweed Theatrical Productions

Venue: -  Gilded Balloon Nightclub V 14

Dates: - 5 to 31 August 2009

Times: - 17.45 to 18.45

Fringe Programme Page: - p88