TWO Shetland ponies are swapping Buckingham Palace for a Wrexham theatre – oh yes they are!
Loveable Cindy and Sherry are appearing in the popular panto, Cinderalla, which starts at the Stiwt Theatre in Rhos tonight.
They will be starring alongside ex-Big Brother favourite Nikki Grahame, who is playing the Fairy Godmother, and pop singer Andy Scott Lee, who will have female hearts fluttering as he tackles the role of Prince Charming.
Cindy, 15, and Sherry, 17, will pull Cinderalla’s coach on stage when she attends the ball at Prince Charming's palace.
But the cute Shetlands have real royal connections. They were both guests of the late Queen Mother at Buckingham Palace when they were appearing in panto in London.
Trainer and owner Ian Lucken has been supplying pantomime ponies to theatres for almost 50 years.
He said: “Cindy and Sherry spent time as royal guests at Buckingham Palace. It was when the Queen Mother was alive and they were just young ponies.
“They were appearing in a panto at a small theatre near Buckingham Palace and an agreement was reached so they could be stabled there each night.
“The Queen Mother actually went to see the pantomime, which was of course Cinderella.”
Ian, who lives at his stables in Reading where he has more than 100 Shetland ponies, added: “Cindy and Sherry have worked with a lot of top stars in pantomime, such as Bobby Davro.
“This year we have sent ponies as far north as Aberdeen and as far south as Torquay. Cindy and Sherry are two of our most experienced performers and work very well together. They are very well trained and thoroughly enjoy their time on stage.”
Cinderella producer, Lee Kelly of LHK Productions, is determined to capitalise on the success of last year’s panto by yet again producing Wrexham’s show at the Stiwt Theatre.
He said: “We have a fantastic cast and we are all very excited to be returning to the Stiwt with a great line up and some great surprises.
“And of course our two Shetland ponies are bound to capture the hearts of everyone who comes to see the show.”
Lee added that the ponies are spending their Christmas holidays on a Wrexham farm where they will be pampered before being transported to and from the Rhos theatre for each performance.
He said: “For me you can’t put on a show like Cinderella without having real Shetland ponies to pull the carriage onto the stage. It’s magical and really adds something extra special to the show.
“We have put together a really great panto with a fantastic cast, fabulous costumes and wonderful music so we want the best and our Shetlands are certainly that.”
According to Nikki Grahame, the Shetland ponies are simply adorable.
She said: “They are so beautiful.
“According to the old saying you should never work with children or animals but the Shetlands will be such a massive hit and are so well trained I think I can manage to ignore that advice.”
Cinderella begins tonight and runs until Monday, January 2.