Review Summary
Average Rating:
4 out of 5 stars based on
3
review(s)
Latest Review:
"Hi have just been to see this with my 9 year old daughter who loved every min of it. I think the plot is very easy to follow, we f..."
Matthew Bourne returns to Sadler’s Wells to once again stage a stand-out ballet that will undoubtedly attract a lot of attention. In this case it is a revamped version of Cinderella that makes its way to the London theatre, ready to impress audiences once again just like it did back in 1997. It comes from one of the most renowned ballet choreographers operating in the United Kingdom and transports the events of the classic fairy tale to 1940s London during the Blitz. So as the show arrives in the capital, expect theatre tickets to get into Sadler’s Wells to sell out fast.
Charles Perrault’s “Cinderella” has been a part of popular culture for centuries, originally a part of folklore and eventually popularised in the 17th century by the French writer. Over the centuries it has been adapted and changed under many hands. To some, the Disney movie version is perhaps the most famous, whilst those in the ballet world may look at versions by the likes of Frederick Ashton and Sergey Prokofiev. But since Matthew Bourne presented his own version in the 1990s, another acclaimed edition of the classic tale has gone down in history.
In Matthew Bourne’s “Cinderella”, audiences are transported to a war-torn London during the Blitz in the 1940s. Whilst the original fairytale featured a handsome Prince, the new version turns him into a handsome RAF pilot, with Cinderella and him meeting by chance. Just like the original version, Matthew Bourne’s “Cinderella” features a magical evening shared by the two that is tragically cut short, with the horrors of the war managing to come between them, making their engagement short-lived. So “Cinderella” becomes a compelling romance caught up in the war and arrives at Sadler’s Wells to mark what is the 70th anniversary of the London Blitz.
For those who witnessed Matthew Bourne’s “Cinderella” back in 1997, they will be pleased to know that it has been revised so that they can find something fresh onstage. It is likely to be one of the stage events of the winter season and ballet fans are likely to be out in full force to witness it, where it will compete with the likes of “Sylvia” and “Cinderella” at the Royal Opera House.
Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella is at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre from Tuesday 30th November 2010 to Sunday 23rd January 2011.
