Buttons (pantomime)

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Buttons is the name of a character in the Cinderella pantomime. Buttons is the servant of Cinderella's stepfather, Baron Hardup, and is Cinderella's friend. He is often in love with Cinderella and is constantly trying to express his feelings to her, only for her to remain unaware of his love for her or she simply replies she loves him only as the brother she never had.

Buttons is a strong comedy part and tells many jokes to keep the audience amused and to cheer up the mistreated Cinderella. Often these jokes are insults directed at Cinderella's two Ugly Sisters, either to their faces or behind their backs and infuriating them. When Cinderella marries Prince Charming, Buttons is at first upset she does not love him, but soon grows happy for her and goes to live with her at the palace. Often he is best man at her wedding. In other versions he too finds love with a local village girl who plays a minor role or sometimes if the Fairy Godmother has an assistant, he will find love with her and also marry her.

He is often dressed in a traditional red or blue bellboy's costume with polished buttons down his front and a pillbox hat. Before he gained his set name, he was called Chips or Pedro. The name Buttons came from the nickname given to Victorian pageboys.

During the mid-1950s, Danny Kaye visited Australia, where he played the part of "Buttons" in a Cinderella pantomime in Sydney.

Another well-known performer who played the part of "Button" was Geoffrey Davies, who appeared in the role of "Dick Stuart-Clark" in the television comedy series "Doctor in the House"

Another well-known performer/singer who played the part of "Buttons" is Andy Gibb. Yes, Andy Gibb played this part at age 15 for a short while during his time living in Australia. He said that he went to see this version of the "Cinderella" play and fell instantly in love with the "Buttons" character. He loved it so much that he auditioned and got the part. It was his first foray into the world of musical and comedic theater. He would later perform albeit for short stints in the musicsls "Piractes of Penzance" as "Frederick" in Los Angeles after first getting and performing the part in New York City and later he was given the part of "Joseph" in "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" on Broadway. He got rave reviews in both plays.

David Tennant will be playing Buttons in a Radio Pantomime of Cinderella on December 21st on Virgin Radio