The delightful Rose Theatre in Kingston upon Thames is delivering this Christmas a charming, funny and tuneful version of Charles Perrault’s 1697 fairy tale Cinderella. Although it has elements of panto in some of its extravagant and broad comedy and costuming, its true nature is that of an original musical with a menu of catchy, cleverly written songs in some lively arrangements by Matt Winkworth.
Capably directed by Owen Horsley and written by Chris Bush and Roni Neale, the show presents a slightly off-centre version of the classic tale framed in the world of a grumpy contemporary teenager (‘Ella’) who is displaying some considerable angst at her long-suffering vegan stepmother and dad over the arrival of baby twins (Serena and Greta), who she refers to as snotty and grotty. She wishes to be anywhere but at home.
In a world which is a theatrical mash-up of Sondheim and Lapine’s Into The Woods and The Wizard of Oz, she gets her wish granted by three fairies who, in traditional manner, redress her and transport her to the world of Prince Chadley, who apparently suffers from a supposed curse whereby he cannot recognise faces, the sinister Lady Dungeness and her two unpleasant daughters who are actually called Snotty and Grotty. There are mishaps aplenty, so many characters trying on slippers that it is impossible to recount all of them, and evil plans to kidnap Ella so that one, or perhaps both of the awful siblings, can marry the Prince.
Despite its panto roots the show is sharply written and focused, and the narrative is driven forward in a fashion that should please both panto and musical theatre aficionados.
The design by Ryan Dawson Laight, if viewed in panto terms, is relatively modest but stylish and colourful, in which the rotating centrepiece displays a contemporary middle-class kitchen and bedroom, and the exterior and interior of the obligatory castle, all aided by some effective lighting by Bretta Gerecke.
In an interesting casting decision some of the principal parts as well as the ensemble are played by talented children (The Rose Young Company). Buttons (or J Dog as he prefers to be called) is now a lovelorn 13-year-old who can only but dream of a relationship with Ella being more than friendship (an excellent Arthur Polidoro Williams), and a cat transforms into a campy, catty, narcissistic version of its natural cat. The exceptionally tall Jack Fernie is outstanding in this persona, dressed (or perhaps overdressed!) in slinky black.
The always reliable Joaquin Pedro Valdes plays the Prince and Ella is a resourceful, no-nonsense heroine in the hands of Maddy Hunter. A hit of the evening is Corrina Buchan’s Groterella, particularly in a show-stopping ‘If the Shoe Fits’. The entire cast of nineteen are first class, sing well, and move easily to Shay Barclay’s choreography.
All in all a great success for The Rose and quite rightly lauded by the enthusiastic audience, adults and children alike. I suspect this musical panto treat may become an oft-repeated fixture in the Christmas calendar!
Listings and ticket information can be found here
