Following the success of The Red Shoes and Sleeping Beauty, New Adventures return to the Centre with Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella combining a thrilling and evocative love story, ballet and the music of Prokofiev, which is set in London during the Second World War.
The atmosphere in the auditorium started to build as the audience took to their seats to the sounds of war planes flying overhead. As we got closer to the start of the show the sound of air raid warnings were heard and the auditorium fell into darkness.
This re-interpretation of the classic fairy tale, has, at its heart, a true war-time romance. A chance meeting results in a magical night for Cinderella and her dashing young RAF pilot, who are together just long enough to fall in love, before being parted by the horrors of the Blitz.
A scene form Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella running at Wales Millennium Centre until April 7, 2018. Photographs by Johann Persson
Ashley Shaw and Will Bozier were perfect in their presentation of the love story between Cinderella and Harry, The Pilot while Liam Mower totally steals the show as the Angel (as opposed to a fairy Godmother) with his bouncy and energetic presence.
The characterisation of Cinderella’s family brought humour to the opening scenes and established Cinderella as the runt of the family. The cast were faultless and diverse, with many playing several different characters throughout the show.
A scene form Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella running at Wales Millennium Centre until April 7, 2018. Photographs by Johann Persson
Lez Brotherston’s sets were outstanding and captured the wartime era perfectly. They were enhanced by the lighting design of Neil Austin. From the bomb destroyed Café de Paris to the London Underground, the show captures many different scenarios and moves seamlessly from one scene to the next.
Performed in Surround Sound, we would not have known the Cinderella soundtrack was a recording had we not been informed by the programme. Designed by Paul Groothuis and featuring played by a 60 piece orchestra, Prokofiev’s dynamic music filled the auditorium accompanying the dancers throughout.
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Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella plays at the Wales Millennium Centre until Saturday 7th April 2017.