Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

Lizz Page 28 February 2018

If what you like in a ballet is tutus, people being presented at court and everything a bit grand and staid, then Matthew Bourne’s ballets are not for you. If you like humour, passion from dancers in their pyjamas, a real life motorbike on stage and people in air raid helmets and jumpsuits dancing, then make sure you get see Cinderella at the Theatre Royal this week.

This show is not new - in fact this was the 79th performance, but it felt as fresh as if it were just born. The concept of setting the traditional Cinderella story in London during the Blitz sounds impossible, yet as always, Bourne doesn’t shy away from making his imagination a reality. From scenes set in the Underground, to a nightclub, to Heaven, the sets and colour themes are mind blowing. Dominic North does a sterling job as Prince Charming, although Ashley Shaw as Cinderella is the one who wins our hearts, as it should be. Supporting dancers, including the Fairy Godfather are full of personality, and as usual there are so many tiny stories happening onstage apart from the main action that I can’t take it all in. This show takes my breath away, as I expected from Bourne. Some scenes make me gasp - the slow mo magical reversal of the impact of a bomb, the Brief Encounters inspired railway station scene, dancers in gas masks barking like dogs en masse, it’s all entirely unexpected and marvellous. Never seen a rent boy give a punter a blow job in a ballet before? Go see this. Never seen hospital screens used as moveable walls? Go see this. Never seen someone dance in full RAF uniform? Go see this.

Just go see it, it will change every idea you ever had about ballet.