The Lyceum’s Cinderella: A Fairytale is filled with Christmas spirit and embodies the pure joy of theatre.
Based around the classic fairytale, Cinderella has been adapted slightly so that birds are a core part of the romance between Ella (Olivia Hemmati) and the Prince (Sam Stopford) – this added a modern twist to Disney’s classic film, bringing a magical and whimsical element to the performance and coming across better on stage. In this reimagination, Ella has a stepsister and stepbrother – this moves away from the shallow and vain ‘evil stepsister’ stereotype, which is much needed in modern-day adaptations. Ella’s stepsiblings instead have a redemption arc and whilst this could be conforming to the ‘happily ever after’ trope, it feels more appropriate for an era where theatre should only be becoming more accessible to people with any family setup.
The acting enables this panto-style performance to succeed: irony and wit underscores the actors’ clear job at being on stage for such an invested audience. A standout performance was the Stepmother (Nicole Cooper), due to how she interacted with the audience – especially in some amusing mishaps such as when she had to re-throw plates on the floor because they refused to break.
The use of puppetry throughout the show is a thoroughly enjoyable element, allowing the birds to be mirrors to Ella and the Prince’s early relationship. Ella’s father (Richard Conlon) becomes a puppeteer following his death in the story. The way in which his bird offers solace to Ella is a beautiful and moving addition, furthering the show’s message of the importance of love.
The Scottish influences within the performance are creative and enjoyable, such as a mock ceilidh Ella and her dad perform. The choice to have Ella, her dad and the Prince speak with Scottish accents – while the Stepmother and stepsiblings spoke with English accents – added further depth to the performance, reminding us of the significance of regional theatre and the importance of accent representation. While the performance could have been more consistent with the number of songs, the music amplified this theme of accessibility, and the pure joy in this adaptation. Cinderella: A Fairytale is a comforting and feel-good theatre trip for the entire family this festive season.
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic, courtesy of the Royal Lyceum Theatre.