Fairytale, ballet and the London Blitz come together in this magnificent re-telling of Cinderella.
Acclaimed choreographer and director Matthew Bourne first gave the classic seasonal story a wartime setting in his West End production in 1997. This new, improved version, a New Adventures Production, marks the 70th anniversary of the Blitz and is dedicated to Bourne's father, Jim, who lived through it.
From the moment the air-raid sirens start wailing and the Pathe newsreel flickers onto the screen, you are transported to a different era, and an entirely different way of telling the story.
This is not traditional pantomime fare by a long way.
For my 11-year-old daughter this was a first taste of ballet, and it was a challenge to reconcile the story-book version with what she saw on stage. The absence of dialogue did not help, but once she had grasped the fact that dance is a language all of its own, she understood and enjoyed.
Having said that, it is, in truth, not a children's show. True, all the elements from the fairy tale are present: the silver slipper, the ugly stepsisters, the ball invitations to all but Cinderella. There is a Prince Charming of sorts, although here he is a dashing RAF pilot who sweeps Cinders off her feet and then has to chase through London, slipper in hand, to track down the girl of his dreams. And the fairy godmother is a fairy godfather called The Angel, in a shiny white suit and matching white hair.
But I do not recall Cinderella and Prince Charming leaving the ball early to get more intimately acquainted in the privacy of his palace. Or the wicked stepmother trying to suffocate Cinderella with a pillow as she lies helpless in her hospital bed. Or, for that matter, rent boys and prostitutes among the characters.
These departures, however, cannot spoil the spectacle. The production oozes grace and
beauty in music and movement.
And Prokofiev's haunting score is
a pure delight.
The scenery, designed by Lez Brotherston, is quite staggering, shifting as gracefully as the dancers themselves, from Cinderella's house to the blacked-out streets of London. Costumes, lighting, and the surprise effects are all crafted together brilliantly.
The traditional ball translates magnificently to the Cafe de Paris dance hall, a momentary escape from the grim world of 1940.
Kerry Biggin is Cinderella opposite Sam Archer as the dashing pilot. Biggest boo of the night went to Michela Meazza as the thoroughly evil stepmother.
Even if ballet is not your thing - and it was noticeable that there were not many men in the audience - I would still urge you to go. Bourne's production is so spectacular, it is almost guaranteed to sweep you away. (Tel: 0843 208 6000)