Cinderella and her friends may be more keen on Converses than glass slippers, and in getting an education and living a full life than marrying a prince, but the magic is still there in our up to date version of Cinderella, our pantomime service at Christ Church Downend on Sunday 5^th February at 10.30 am.

A pantomime in a church service? You must be mad! Oh, no we’re not!  It’s just our way of bringing some joy and laughter into our worship in a very special and accessible way for all ages to enjoy together. If you love panto, then many of the regular ingredients are there – the ugly sisters, Meanie and Vain who pick on poor Cindy; the boos and hisses at the villain, who is Cinderella’s host father Ivor Temper; the faithful pet who helps Cindy when no one else will, and of course a bit of slapstick comedy to put a smile on your face.

Mrs Halo breaks the mould as a fairy godmother. She seems just like the kindly neighbour next door: in fact, we’re not even sure she is any good at magic! But she certainly has Cinderella’s best interests at heart, and the kind of deep magic she shares with Cindy is far more powerful and useful than being able to make pumpkins into stage coaches…

And Cinderella, as a recent arrival in the country as a refugee, wonders whether there is any hope left for her: out of the frying pan of her home country and its wars, into the fire as a drudge for the Temper family. Come and see what kind of rescue she longs for and most needs in the end.

Service starts at 10.30 at the church, Christ Church Downend, and of course, it’s completely free! So bring friends and family for a panto with a difference, a panto as an act of thanks to God for joy and laughter in our lives: and we all need plenty of that.

We can’t manage ice creams due to our non existent freezer facilities, but we can serve you fairtrade coffee & tea and squash after the service at around 11.45 am.  Young people going to our partner orphanage in India this summer will also be selling cakes to raise money for their trip.