Simon Gross will be starring as one of the Ugly Sisters in Sinderella, the adults-only twist on the classic Cinderella story at the Scala in King’s Cross.
The show will run from December 19 to January 11 and promises a night of risqué humour, audience participation, and a soundtrack of feel-good pop hits, from Dancing Queen to Never Gonna Give You Up.
Simon from Orpington, who also wrote and directed the show, said: “I trained at Guildford School of Acting, and I very luckily worked all around the world.
“My first job was as a Butlins Redcoat at the Grand Hotel in Scarborough.
“From there I worked overseas, in variety, musicals, and theatre, and I’ve been lucky enough to do a lot of pantomime, as a comic and as a dame.
“I introduced adult pantomime into London in the early 2000s, and it’s just grown ever since.”
On playing an Ugly Sister, Simon said: “The most challenging – and the most enjoyable – part of being an Ugly Sister is having the freedom to really work the audience.
“Picking on a bloke from the front row every night, and hopefully getting off with him, is part of the fun, and it’s a real treat to completely humiliate them while doing it.”
This year’s production features a drag queen playing Cinderella, who only discovers their role mid-show thanks to a fairy godmother’s spell.
Simon said: “It’s very funny. The leading lady hasn’t turned up for the night, so somebody in the audience is cast live.
“The cast don’t know until the end, and the audience loves it.”
The strapline of the show is: “Cinderella’s got no money, no man, until she goes into the woods and meets Prince Donkey Dick… does she get her happy ending?”
The cast of seven also includes Gerrard Woodward as the other Ugly Sister, Kevin Mornas as Prince Donkey Dick, Ronan Evan Johnson as Buttons, and Frankie Duncan as Dandini.
Simon added: “They’re all very good singers and dancers.
“It’s a real feel-good, party pantomime experience.”
“It’s perfect for office parties, girls’ nights out, and for people who just want to have fun and escape.”
Simon is used to being in the public eye beyond the stage.
In 2015, he was a housemate on Big Brother and did publicity work for the X Factor in 2016.
The 2025 production of Sinderella is also raising funds for the Terrence Higgins Trust, supporting HIV and AIDS awareness and research.
Tickets are available on the Entertainment Providers website.
Venue: Scala London, 275 Pentonville Road, N1 9NL (nearest tube: King’s Cross/Euston)
Dates: December 19 – January 11, 2026
Times: Vary, check box office
Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes, including interval
Age: Over 18s only
