Review: Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella

At the beginning of April on what was our third attempt at booking this show, me and my friend finally saw Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Cinderella itself a show that has been delayed on numerous occasions due to the pandemic. I love Cinderella it is one of my favourite fairy tale stories and the fact that Carrie Hope Fletcher plays the title of role of Cinderella, I was intrigued what this version had in stall for us.

This modern adaptation of Cinderella is created by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Emerald Fennell and is set in the town of Belleville which is known for being the most beautiful town. Everyone in the town is epitome of perfection and they loathe anything or anyone who does not fit the norm. Cue Cinderella who is the gothic outlier towards this perfection, losing Belleville the prize for the most beautiful town by defacing a statute of the beloved Prince Charming who has disappeared. Into his shoes comes the awkward younger brother Prince Sebastian, Cinderella’s only friend. The development of their romance is journey throughout the story, which leads into difficulty.

The cast is lead by the talented Carrie Hope Fletcher, who is the perfect embodiment of Cinderella. Her voice is beautiful and powerful, as well as being cheeky and vulnerable in her acting. Ivano Turco as Prince Sebastian makes a confident West End debut, He’s perfectly awkward as Sebastian as well as having a powerful singing voice. Georgina Castle and Laura Baldwin portray the Stepsisters who are comical throughout the show. Victoria Hamilton- Barritt as the Stepmother steals the show and commands the stage. This villainous performance is one Cruella De Vil would be proud of, she’s witty and evil. Rebecca Trehearn as the Queen is outlandish and indulgent with her army of hunks (Vinny Coyle, Giovanni Spano and Sam Robinson) to keep her occupied, whilst also weirdly lusting after her son Prince Charming. Finally, we have Gloria Onitiri as the Godmother turned plastic surgeon, who is underused but highlights her powerful voice with her song Beauty has a Price.

The songs and the score are catchy and emotional. Highlights are Bad Cinderella which is a great introduction to the character and a fun sequence on stage. So Long which is a funny exchange between Cinderella and Sebastian where we first see sparks between the two. Man’s Man which features the hunks and their counterparts doing a dance routine that could rival Magic Mike, as well as making jokes about being well equipped whilst handling golden balls. Only You Lonely You, which is Ivano’s big ballad which he smashes, with his powerful and emotional vocals. I Know you is a great exchange between the Stepmother who tries to extort the Queen by bringing up the past to get what she wants. However, Carrie gets the big two ballads of I Know I Have a Heart and Far Too Late. After changing to be like everyone else and go to the ball Cinderella and Sebastian fall out, meaning Cinderella ends up heartbroken. However, the repeating of certain songs wasn’t always necessary, even though it means we get to hear more of Carrie’s beautiful voice.

The set of this show is beautiful, from the colourful cut outs of Belleville to the beautiful church glass window for the wedding. The simplicity of the sets adds just the right amount in the background to set the scene. The biggest scene stealer of the show is the ballroom scene of the second act where a portion of the stalls waltzes around with the performers. This really adds to the experience of the show and makes it much more immersive. The actors do well to hit every angle of the stage whilst in this position and make you feel that you are part of the ball. This revolve is gentle and lasts for about 15 minutes. All the guys are dressed to perfection as are the ladies, the costumes in this show especially the ensemble are gorgeous. Even Cinderella’s grungy outfit is great as well as her ballgown which glitters under the lights.

I’ve never been to the Gillian Lynne Theatre before, I didn’t even know where it was. I was pleasantly surprised with how gorgeously decorated it was, with flowers everywhere and Instagrammable flower walls at points. The layout of this theatre was interesting as you must go up when you get inside, to the bars and merchandise stands then through a numbered door where you go down into the stalls. The merchandise stand was pretty, and I thought the array available was good and nicely presented, I got two pins and a programme. Our seats were amazing, which we got for a cheaper price due to having to rebook so many times. We were five rows from the front in the middle, which meant we were also part of the revolve. They are the best seats I’ve ever sat in, and we were so close we could see the actors clearly and occasionally make eye contact with the ensemble which was funny. Also, the atmosphere and staging when you walked in set the tone with the cut outs of Belleville and the sounds of animals as if you have been transported somewhere magical.

Overall, whilst not everything works in this show, it is a huge amount of fun. It also has some lovely messages running through that include inclusivity done right and to also be yourself and don’t change for anyone. It also has a plethora of talented people in the cast that really make it a show. If you want an entertaining night out with a bit of magic, then I would recommend seeing this show.

Book your tickets for the show here: ALW Cinderella

Until next time,

Stacey