Everyone loves Cinderella.
Well, except for Cinderella’s stepmother and her two stepsisters.
But for everyone else who can’t get enough of the classic rag-to-riches story by the Brothers Grimm, Cinderella will be returning in ballet form to the Royal Albert Hall for 14 performances over ten days in the summer (from Thursday 15th – Sunday 25th June), with the same stunning show that wowed London audiences back in 2019, Cinderella in the Round. Tony award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon (An American in Paris, Like Water For Chocolate) is behind the action once again, adapting the much-loved fairytale into a jaw-dropping two-and-half-hour dance routine (with two 20 minute intervals) and has called upon over 90 dancers that make up the English National Ballet, backed by a Sergei Prokofiev score performed by English National Ballet Philharmonic, to bring his vision to life.
Image credit: Andy Paradise
It’s not just the typical Disney take on Cinderella, with the pumpkin carriage, fairy godmother, well-fitting glass shoe, talking mice and all that. The princess’s tale is being reimagined through an evening of spell-bending video projections and lavish set pieces that transition seamlessly in and out of acts (and that will also raise your eyebrows to heights you didn’t think were possible, due to the scale and spectacle of it all). Colourfully-costumed dancers glide, whirl and dazzle their way around the RAH’s illuminated oval stage, with a few jokey moments thrown in too, all in effort to finally get poor old Cinderella to the ball and with the true objective: to meet her prince charming. Provided she finds her shoe, of course…
Tickets for the show are already on sale and, as always with London theatre shows, should be acted upon quickly to avoid any disappointment of a potential sell out. Even if you’re not wild about Cinderella (more of a Snow White fan?), this is very much worth it for the visual extravaganza alone.
It’s guaranteed to be an absolute ball…
NOTE: Cinderella runs at the Royal Albert Hall (closest tube station South Kensington) from Thursday 15th – Sunday 25th June 2023. Tickets cost £25.54-£100.75, and can be booked HERE.
Royal Albert Hall | Kensington Gore, Kensington, SW7 2AP
Already thinking about where to eat beforehand? Fair enough, one of the best restaurants in South Kensington should make for a good pre-show dinner…