It might have been the debutantes’ ball rather than opening night of the annual Christmas pantomime for all the tulle, satin and sequins that could be seen in the foyer of City Hall on Thursday night.The Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society is offering the age-old tale of Cinderella this year, and on opening night younger members of the audience were encouraged to extend the usual panto audience participation to fancy dress and photographs with the cast after the show. Among all the princesses of varying ages there were one or two charming princes as well.Under the direction of Jenny Burrell, the production (based on the book by Eric Fowler and original music by James Burn) was a quirky combination of traditional rags-to-riches European fairy tale and Bermudian embellishments the coach, for example, was a very large onion and the hunt rode through the Southlands property.Against a quirky Bermudian backdrop, the story unfolded with witty, cleverly self-aware lyrics and political allusions, local references and Bermudian accents. Of course there were the usual excruciating puns, and corny jokes, but less physical comedy than has been seen in past pantos. There was the usual horrible hairy monster, and the thinking cap that needed protection and a sing-a-long and sweeties for the crowd. There was also a well-put-together vignette of encyclopaedia salesmen on Front Street with delightful cameo roles for Kalin Sanchez-Williams and Kristen Darrell.Buttons, played by Dion Ming, was in danger of stealing the show. His adoration of Briar Rose/Cinderella (played by Katie Witkowski), and his loyalty and self-sacrifice almost made one wish for another ending. With a confident stage presence and clear voice, he sang the bright and cheerful duet ‘We Don’t Need Much’, with Cinderella, and a poignant ‘Buttons’ Wish’.He upstaged Matthew Wedlich’s Prince, who, though very charming, could not carry a tune.With two dames there was twice the fun. The pesky, “pesty” ugly sisters Aphis (played by Phillip Jones) and Millipede (played by Kelvin Hastings-Smith) provided much of the physical humour, sexual innuendo, double-entendres and political barbs for the adults in the audience. The boudoir episode was clever and funny; their outrageous costumes, however, suffered a wardrobe malfunction far less titillating than Janet Jackson’s at the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show.The children’s chorus of footmen in pink Bermuda shorts and the little grey mice were cute, though more, I think, could have been done with choreography for the mice. The adult chorus, though they seemed quite young, were strong, particularly in the opening number ‘Pantomime’ and the Front Street scene ‘Door to Door’.Costume designers Mandy Roberts-Simas and Barbara Outerbridge met expectations for the dames’ confections in particular, with suitably ‘buggy’ costumes that became more outrageous with each appearance until their wedding attire in the final number with fascinators that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie would have been proud of.The set, designed by Kendra Earls and Cleo Pettit, comprised local landmarks like the Bird Cage, Southlands drive and the Fairmont Southampton, and was effective without being overly elaborate, and painted in a quirky, expressionist Graham-Foster style.BMDS have once again enhanced the Christmas season with their production, sending audience members young and old back into the bustle with smiling faces and a spring in their step and a little sprinkling of fairy dust.