Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol,
Review by Elena Mozzato
I am not particularly fond of sugary fairy tales and I must admit that I was curious but suspicious about going to see Cinderella at the Tobacco Factory. By the time I took a seat in the stalls, I had prepared myself to the worst possibility of a girly and corny play. But I couldn’t be more wrong. I enjoyed instead an exhilarating and wonderfully twisted version of a classic tale.
The characters are cleverly revisited. Ella, renamed Cinderella by the evil step-mother, is a strong, self-confident and intelligent young woman who doesn´t like princes and wares boots instead of sparkling high heel shoes. The prince is a clumsy, asthmatic, not particularly handsome but very kind fellow. Instead of two step-sisters, we have here a step-brother, who is pushed to try conquering the prince with the most seductive (and hilarious) lines ever. And yet, there is no magic fairy godmother to help her out, but a flock of fluttering birds.
A fantastic cast of actors, playing different characters including the birds, makes the second half truly entertaining, with an audience that spontaneously interacts with the characters on stage. With sublime touches of comedy combined with stunning live music, the Travelling Light Theatre Company directed by Sally Cookson succeeds to surprise and entertain children, parents and all those adults who, like me, don´t expect to attend the funniest and least sugary version of a classic fairy tale.