Culture Writer Harshi Modi reviews Sir David Bintley’s Cinderella, a dazzling ballet brought to life by stunning choreography, exquisite costumes, and Prokofiev’s enchanting score, making for a truly magical evening at the Birmingham Hippodrome
Cinderella is a fairytale come to life in Sir David Bintley’s adaptation of the well-loved rags to riches story of a girl destined to a life of servitude who transforms into a beautiful princess with the help of her fairy godmother and the wondrous story of the shoe that fits.
The ballet is set to the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev’s iconic score. The music is played flawlessly by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia and plays a major role in conveying the mood and tenor of the scenes.
“I found the music to be rousing, perfectly capturing the magic of the story and superbly complimented by the choreography.
The show is divided into three acts. Act I relates much of the story as we follow Cinderella’s wretched fate since her mother’s death, the Stepsisters’ preparation for the much-awaited ball, the Fairy Godmother’s appearance and Cinderella’s transformation into a beautiful princess.
The sets were brilliantly designed, managing to be realistic and fantastical simultaneously. The kitchen in Act I is grey and bleak, portraying Cinderella’s miserable conditions. This contrasts with the grandeur and opulence of the ballroom to which Cinderella is transported in Act II, which feels like a wholly different world. The stage direction and special effects were commendable in portraying the transitions. The fireplace was instrumental to this, doubling as a proper fireplace as well as a portal to a magical dimension, which lays the foundation for the appearance of the Fairy Godmother.
“The costumes were one of the best elements of this production of Cinderella.
John Macfarlane’s masterful design, inspired by 18th-century fashion, sees sparkly corsets and bellowing skirts for the women and lavish tailcoats and vests for the men. The costumes for the endearing characters of the frog, the lizards and the mice were peculiarly realistic and incredibly well done. For a few of the sequences, ballet dancers meant to portray stars were dressed in shimmery white dresses, which added to the whimsy of the tale. Cinderella’s glittery white gown is a showstopper, and one of my favourite scenes is her grand entrance at the ball. The lush and magnificent wigs and costumes do a splendid job complimenting the fantastical nature of the story.
The press night on the 19th of February featured Yu Kurihara and Lachlan Monoghan in the principal roles. Kurihara was an excellent Cinderella, elegant and expressive in her portrayal. She was complemented by Monoghan, who delivered a powerful performance as the Prince, leaping and flying through the air with some of his moves. The comedic duo of the stepsisters was played by Eilis Small and Olivia Chang Clark, who added mirth and hilarity to the show. The Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter fairies gracefully performed solo dances during Cinderella’s transformation. Act II was entirely set in the ball hosted by the Prince. It featured several ballet sequences and served as a way to display the Company dancers’ talents.
“The Corps de Ballet were skilful and perfectly synchronised.
They added to the revelry of the ballroom scenes as waltz dancers and the enchantment of the night sky as stars. This made for some dreamy and entrancing dance performances.
Act III is a short but fitting conclusion to the tale as the Prince heads out on a search for the mysterious princess and finds the perfect fit in the unassuming Cinderella, and they finally walk off into the night having found true love.
All the elements of the production worked together brilliantly to create a magical performance. I highly recommend the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Cinderella playing at the Birmingham Hippodrome if you are looking for an enchanting evening out, filled with graceful ballet and stirring music.
Rating: 4.5/5
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