Birmingham Royal Ballet's Cinderella - The most beautiful thing I've seen on stage
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Cinderella at Birmingham Hippodrome until 1 March.
Review by Ellie Blackwell
The grandeur of the Birmingham Hippodrome never fails to astound… and what a fitting stage for such a spectacular show. From the very moment the curtain rose, the staging and lighting was ingenious and superbly atmospheric. Stark silhouettes huddled round a gravestone sent shivers along my spine. Beyond that, a vast and cold kitchen was unveiled along with Cinderella serving breakfast to her two sisters. Hell-bent on making Cinderella’s life as miserable as can be, the sibling antics, especially Tessa Hogge as the larger sister was brilliant and kept the two and a half hours tastefully light-hearted. I was very impressed with how they managed to look so graceful whilst cheerfully beating their sister with a broom!
Yu Kurihara was a perfect choice for Cinderella; her first solo as the sweet and pitiful servant, being both timid yet liberating. Though barefoot, she managed to make it one of the most powerful numbers. Next, as we were bedazzled with the colourful preparations for the ball, it became clear that no expense had been spared on the splendid costumes, I for one, would’ve killed for just one of the dresses on stage (though maybe except those of the ugly sisters). Hats off to the designers!
But towards the end of Act One I was so in awe that I may have forgotten to breathe, let alone make notes. Though the dances of the four seasons felt like a bit of a random plot detour, my goodness it was worth it. All four variations were divine, giving Cinderella time to transform, and the scene’s dream-like qualities were simply unforgettable. Then, smoke poured off the stage and dozens of glittering ballerinas leaped and pirouetted to Sergei Prokofiev’s enchanting music amidst a swirly, starlit night. Wow… just… wow. It was undoubtedly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen on stage.
Above and beyond in every way, whether it be giant clocks and magnificent carriages to frolicking frog-footmen and dancing mice, Cinderella at the Birmingham Hippodrome is a blissful indulgence that you cannot miss. Directed by none other than Carlos Accosta, the three acts flew by in a flurry of bouffons, parties and waltzes, and the delights on stage were so irresistibly moreish that I was disappointed at every curtain drop. After the final, moonlit pas de deux, I was desperate to dive straight into choreographer Sir David Bintley’s fairy-tale world of pumpkins, princes, pointe and sparkles. I couldn’t have dreamt it better…
Cinderella can be enjoyed by all ages (accessible performances also available) and will stay in the Hippodrome until March 1st before moving on to Salford and finishing up in Tokyo.
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