Cinderella the Musical is an innovative and fresh adaptation of the classic, well-loved fairytale and Bristol Old Vic Theatre provides the perfect setting for this heart-warming tale of love conquering all. The musical follows the format of the fairytale, incorporating well-chosen modern touches whilst preserving the dream-like and timeless quality of the story.

 The tale begins in Cinderella’s house where we see the invitation for the royal ball being posted through the letterbox. This is met with great excitement by Cinderella’s stepmother (Kate Graham) and two stepsisters (Portia- Sirine Saba and Joy- Daniele Coombe) who sing an amusing opening number ‘The Prince is Giving a Ball’ which includes the long-winded and various names of the royal family. We are then introduced to Cinderella (Sophie Bould) herself who enchants the audience with an endearing song ‘In my own little Corner’. The music throughout the performance was simple yet effective, catchy enough to find yourself humming snippets of it later but not so cheesy that it became predictable. The story then follows the traditional pattern with Cindy being granted her wish to go to the ball, falling in love with the prince, leaving at midnight without her slipper and being found by him in the end to live happily ever after. However, despite the story largely remaining the same, there were many successful additions within this. Cinderella’s godmother is a far cry from the plump homely figure of the fairytale, cast instead as a very glamorous figure in a tailored suit whose wand is substituted for a magical red umbrella! Cinderella’s two ugly sisters were comically grotesque, pitiful in their unattractiveness and were well received by the audience. The King (Sévan Stephan) and Queen (Sara Weymouth) also created a successful double act, complimenting each other well in their duet ‘Boys and Girls Like you and Me’.

 The staging is extremely effective, using a revolving stage in order to show Cinderella’s house and the palace back to back. One of the most spectacular moments was the use of this revolve during the ball, when the characters danced as the stage span round creating quite a magical moment. Costumes were also successful, modernised yet retaining the feel of the fairytale. This was particularly noticeable in the ball gowns which saw Cinderella wearing a stunning traditional red dress, whilst her stepmother looked sexy and vamp-esque in a modern black number.

 All performances were of a high quality as was the singing, but I feel that Helen Hobson (Godmother) was of particular note, both in terms of vocal and acting performances. 

This is a perfect Christmas show that appeals to both children and adults alike and admirably manages to retell the classic fairytale without seeming patronising or twee. The mixture of music and action with beautiful staging creates a magical feel that will leave you warm inside! A great performance for all the family.

The Tick List

Staging


Lighting


Cast


Costume


Music


Overall

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£20 to £6

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