Carrie Hope Fletcher and Gloria Onitiri in Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, London. Pictures: Tristram Kenton
Emily Shepherd writes: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella is set to break stereotypes of the traditional Cinderella narrative that we’re all familiar with. Set to have its gala opening this week at London’s Gillian Lynne Theatre, the cast and creatives have given little away about the new interpretation of the classic fairy tale, keeping fans on their toes about what to expect. Let’s explore some of what we know so far about this highly-anticipated production.
Back in February 2020, Lloyd Webber announced his brand new show, with lyrics by David Zippel and book by Emerald Fennell, directed by Laurence Connor and choreographed by JoAnn M Hunter. The show had been workshopped at The Other Palace in May 2019, with a stellar group of actors including Carrie Hope Fletcher (Cinderella), Ruthie Henshall (The Queen), Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (The Stepmother), Tyrone Huntley (Prince Sebastian), Rebecca Trehearn (Marie), Gary Wilmot (Jean) and Jonny Fines (Prince Charming).
The West End premiere cast is now led by Fletcher and Hamilton-Barritt in the roles they created at that workshop, alongside Rebecca Trehearn as The Queen, Ivano Turco as Prince Sebastian, Georgina Castle and Laura Baldwin as Cinderella’s stepsisters Marie and Adele, Gloria Onitiri as The Godmother, Caleb Roberts as Prince Charming, and more.
Fletcher (Heathers the Musical, Les Misérables, The Addams Family) will star as a ‘misfit’ Cinderella who doesn’t belong in the idyllic, fairy tale village of Belleville. There may be the familiarity of a fairy tale setting, but it is likely Cinderella will appear more down to earth compared to her ‘perfect’ neighbours.
Fletcher posed in a black lacey dress, big black boots and a parka worn off her shoulders in an early promo shoot, typical of what we might have expected of an ‘edgy and alternative’ character. In the teaser trailer, she was seated in an elegant, aristocratic room, mocking the traditional Cinderella look. It will be interesting to see what her ball gown will look like in the actual production, should she have one.
Lloyd Webber released ‘Bad Cinderella’ as the first song from his original show. I think the track is unlike anything the composer has written before, which suggests how progressive and modern this show is going to be. It introduces the protagonist as an outcast from the rest of the characters. The song, in which Fletcher offers a sassy and fierce interpretation of her role, gives off a ‘I’m not like other girls’ vibe.
Ivano Turco and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt
The confidence to ‘be yourself’ is something Fletcher herself strives towards (she has become something of a role model to young women as a result) and this strongly comes across in the song.
It’s reminiscent of the time the actress played Veronica Sawyer in Heathers and had to deal with cruel and unreasonable comments about her size and whether it was appropriate for her to play the role of a sexy teenager, compared to her Broadway counterpart, Barrett Wilbert Weed, who originated the role in 2013.
The song ‘Bad Cinderella’, along with the rest of the libretto, explores how beauty is about being what you are inside, rather than dwelling on your outward appearance, and whether or not transforming yourself is a good thing.
By encouraging this modern concept in a traditional setting, it demonstrates how the show is attempting to break stereotypes of traditional fairy tales which often suggest that transforming yourself will help you find happiness. Granted, it’s not clear whether this show will follow suit, but it’s very unlikely given the nature of this song and the clear sense of character that Fletcher presents.
As a complete contrast to ‘Bad Cinderella’, Lloyd Webber released ‘Far Too Late’ and ‘I Know I Have a Heart’, which are more traditional songs. The tracks show a completely different side to Cinderella, exposing her vulnerability and heartbreak as she recalls how she’s missed the chance to be with her love, believing that she won’t have a happy ending.
‘I Know I Have a Heart’ fits perfectly within Fletcher’s repertoire, giving her the chance to belt her heart out, whereas ‘Far Too Late’ is nothing like we’ve ever seen her sing on stage before, wonderfully reflecting the beautiful tone of her voice. While the show is supposed to be a modern, reimagining of the Cinderella fairy tale, it’s clear through songs like this that there will be a sense of familiarity in the narrative with romance still in the air.
In December 2020 Ivano Turco was announced to play Prince Sebastian. He was set to appear in West Side Story at the Royal Exchange in Manchester prior to lockdown but this role marks his West End debut. The young brother of Prince Charming, Sebastian is left to take over the throne.
The song ‘Only You, Lonely You’, which was also released in the same month, sees Sebastian musing over Cinderella, realising she means more to him than just being a childhood friend. Lloyd Webber has said that this song is the most conventional musical theatre song to feature in the show – a romantic ballad full of hope – and Turco’s smooth voice really shines through as he shares the character’s vulnerability. This is especially true of the last notes, you can really appreciate his great tone: something that wouldn’t have been picked up on during the casting process at first as he was originally discovered through a dance call!
Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, who is probably best known for her roles in Death of a Salesman, The View Upstairs and Murder Ballad, will be playing Cinderella’s Stepmother. She looks incredible in the promo images and early productions shots we have seen so far, but we know little about her character. The same goes for the rest of the characters – while we know who will be starring in Belleville, we don’t know how true they will be to the original story, but it’s not long now until we find out.
We know that Rebecca Trehearn (Show Boat) will be playing the Queen, Georgina Castle (9 to 5, Mamma Mia!) and Laura Baldwin (Beautiful, Waitress) will be taking to the stage as Cinderella’s stepsisters and Gloria Onitiri (Urban Myths, The Lion King) will star as the Godmother, along with an incredible ensemble line up.
The promotion for Cinderella has been unlike anything we’ve seen Lloyd Webber do before, with his new-found TikTok account and frequent Instagram posts. It’s clear that the marketing team is determined to keep people engaged and enticed right up until the show’s opening night – a night that can’t come soon enough!
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