Cinderella review - Ballet re-telling of rags-to-riches classic gets the festive juices flowing
“A magnificent pageant of dancing and colour.”
Usually associated with the pantomime genre, Northern Ballet's wonderful interpretation of this rags-to-riches classic felt like Christmas has come early.
No words. Not needed. Just beautiful traditional ballet accompanied by Prokofiev's magnificent 1944 score played live by the Northern Ballet Sinfonia.
Any good stage performances must have strong characters, an equally strong plot line and tight direction that keeps the action moving. Michael Pink's choreography ensures this happens from start to finish. There is never a second wasted throughout a fast-paced, sensual and colourful production (the costumes are sumptuous).
Saeka Shirai as Cinderella is tremendous. Her dances with the Prince (Jonathan Hanks) and best friend Jack (Harris Beattie) are joyous.
But how did they get there?
Broken up into three familiar acts, we first meet Cinderella and her widowed father at the funeral of her mother (Heather Lehan) who, it turns out in a lovely twist, is always watching over her and becomes her Fairy Godmother
The father (Harry Skoupas) has re-married and is very much a Milquetoast, being bossed around by his new, malevolent wife (Alessia Petrosino) and allowing his daughter to be bullied by her two step-sisters, Lucretia (Yu Wakizuka) and Prunella (Andrew Tomlinson).
Played by men, both of these “ugly” characters bring pantomime-esque qualities to their performances: slapstick, energy, gurning faces and silly dancing but when it came to “proper” dancing they had the moves. It was a perfect blend: their overt crudeness compared with the purity of Cinderella.
Act 2 was the Prince's ball itself and Cinder's arrival in a silver coach immediately stopped dancing legs and turned heads. The prince only had eyes for this mysterious beauty.
The frisson and movement between Shirai and Hanks in their pas de deux was captivating. Enchanting, even.
Love struck after Cinderella left the ball at midnight, act three sees the Prince and his entourage trying to find this mysterious woman using only the silver slipper she left behind.
Of course, all's well that ends well and we are treated to a magnificent pageant of dancing and colour with the ensemble.
Cinderella's journey from sorrow to happiness complete; it was emotional.
* The show runs at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle, until Saturday. For tickets click here