The sensational Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) walk audiences through a whimsical wonderland at The Lowry. Offering the invitation you’ve been waiting for, Cinderella dazzles with scrumptious costumes, stunning set pieces and a soaring Sergei Prokofiev score.
With Sir David Bintley at the helm of the timeless classic, the rags to riches fairytale splits its melancholy core into a celebratory second act that takes a darker stance on the traditional tale. As choreographer and director, Sir Bintley brings Cinderella out of the shadows, he conjures a production full of dreamy backdrops and builds humour from the sizeable ensemble of flamboyant characters. Magnified set pieces place the overlooked and orphaned Cinderella (Beatrice Parma) onto a dominating and overbearing stage as she is destined to serve her abusive stepmother and stepsisters. We follow along as the family's invitation to the Prince’s ball gives Cinderella a night off from cleaning and the chance to transform her life.
With only mice, lizards and frogs to keep Cinderella company her quirky stepsisters, the vein (Ellis Small) and the rotund (Olivia Chang Clarke), along with her fairy godmothers help pack the show with personality and magic. The squabbling stepsisters duets showcases their sibling rivalry, building their bad habits into their solo performances as the spoiled and excessive nuisances to Cinderella’s modest-mannered role. BRB’s floor-to-ceiling breakaway scenic sets transports Cinderella from her dusty house surrounded by pots to a mist-filled scenes of ethereal fairies. The production makes use of its lavish cast of characters by injecting four godmothers representing the seasons, whose presence brings supernatural support, including Cinderella’s magnificent carriage and her mother’s silver ballet slippers.
Parma offers an endearing performance as Cinderella, portraying her bumpy journey from a humble, shoeless housemaid into a glistening princess with effortless stylistic flair. John Macfarlane’s painstaking attention to detail leads to awe-inspiring costumes with intricate bedazzled designs alongside the opulent second and third act staging. With the help of the resourceful godmothers, Cinderella travels by pumpkin-turned carriage, dramatically crafted to appear out of ice and partnered with the Prince (Enrique Bejarano Vidal) to layer some impressive lifts and a smooth waltz into the romantic production.
Accompanied by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, the orchestra beneath the stage meld to the BRB ensemble to immerse the Lowry audience in Prokofiev’s sentimental score, the vibrant characters and meticulous choreography. The established story offers a revival that is an easy entry for newbies to the ballet world and BRB delivers all the magic before the clock strikes midnight.
With wide-reaching appeal, it is easy to see why BRB’s Cinderella stands as one of the company’s most popular ballets. Going all out with its extravagant moonlit production, expressive ensemble and celebration of perseverance, it is easy to fall in love with Cinderella.
Tickets are available via the Lowry link
This review was originally written for
