Breaking with custom in theatre is a practice in itself, from Matthew Bourne’s all-male Swan Lake, proper as much as subsequent yr’s West End manufacturing of The Picture of Dorian Gray carried out by Sarah Snook. This yr, Scottish Ballet goals to shock and delight audiences, as on some nights the lead character of Cinders shall be a girl, swept off her ft by her Prince, and on others, Cinders shall be a person, swept off his ft by his Princess! Audiences will uncover which ‘Cinders’ they are going to expertise on the evening when the curtain rises.
Set on the flip of the twentieth century in Cinders’ family-run emporium, life is nice till tragedy strikes, leaving Cinders an orphan. Enter the brand new proprietor, Mrs. Thorne, an intimidating mom of three ghastly youngsters. Treating Cinders with contempt, they flip the shop right into a garish model of its former self. When the Royal Ball is introduced, hilarity, pleasure and chaos ensue because the Thorne household start their frenzied preparations to attend. Taking refuge in an enchanted rose backyard, Cinders is magically spun right into a imaginative and prescient of sophistication and sweetness, worthy of charming everybody on the ball. As the story of Cinders and the Thornes unfolds, who will get their fairytale ending?
Choreographed by Christopher Hampson and designed by Elin Steele, with Prokofiev’s irresistibly wealthy rating carried out dwell by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra, Cinders shall be every little thing audiences adore concerning the enchanted fairytale – made glowing, contemporary and new.
Scottish Ballet Artistic Director/CEO Christopher Hampson mentioned:
“I’m delighted to be bringing this fresh approach to such a well-known fairy tale. I have always believed Prokofiev essentially composed a love story, yet full of wit and humour, which underpins this new production. I’m enjoying the playfulness of searching for who guides the narrative and who drives the dream. Collaborating with Elin Steele and the ever-adventurous dancers; we are coming together to deliver a classic Cinders for today.”
Guest Principal Dancer Jessica Fyfe mentioned:
“Working with Christopher Hampson on his new Cinders for me personally has been very exhilarating. To give this new fluidity to the leading roles means exploring ways in which the character Cinders, traditionally the ‘poor’ Cinderella, can be a person of grit, determination and strength, which ultimately leads to them creating their own happy ending. I hope the audience enjoys this new twist on a beautiful classic, which now highlights how anyone can have a hand at shaping their own future. It’s not just for fairytales.” Scottish Ballet Principal Dancer Bruno Michiardi mentioned:
“What I’ve found most interesting about swapping the roles of the Cinders leads is just how different and new it’s made the ballet feel. We all know and love the classic story of Cinderella, but this new version means we’re suddenly working in this amazing upside-down realm, where the male part (previously a more traditionally stoic character) is a complex mixture of vulnerability and resilience, and the female role (usually quite timid and downtrodden for most of the original ballet) is empowered and full of charisma… I’m excited at the prospect of exploring this further and sharing that with the audience!”
