My First Ballet: Cinderella Review 5*
My First Ballet: Cinderella is this year’s offering in English National Ballet’s programme to introduce children to ballet
This article was first published on London Unattached
The target audience may be children, many very young and some attending the first ballet performance of their short lives, but that doesn’t mean stinting on production values. On the contrary, one the many remarkable things about English National Ballet’s ‘My First Ballet’ programme is the consistently high quality of sets and designs. Combine this with assured and committed dancing by ENB School students and young graduates, add a lively narrator to keep the audience on track and you have shows that, for many children, will surely mark the first step in a lifelong love of ballet.
This year’s ‘My First Ballet’ is Cinderella, danced to Prokofiev’s original score, and like previous editions, cut down to a very digestible 80 minutes including one interval. It’s showing at Sadler’s Wells East as part of a UK tour; having enjoyed it tremendously myself – yes, it’s as engaging to grown ups as it is to tiny tots! – I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.
Designed by Rachael Canning, this Cinderella places the story firmly within the nature which young Ella loves. The stage is shaped by three blue arches dotted with colourful flowers, with a round, sunlit window at the back. A versatile set makes for seamless scene changes, from the home where Cinderella is cruelly kept by her stepmother and awkward sisters, to the forest where her Fairy Godmother operates the central transformation, and the Palace with its lush gardens, where Ella will meet the Prince, their common love of nature bringing them together.
Skilfully choreographed by George Williamson, with clearly signposted dramaturgy by Adam Peck, the story is narrated by actress Kate Donnachie, who is present on stage throughout, yet has the rare ability to direct attention to the action rather than herself.
The focus of the show is, of course, the dancing, and to the last person this small cast brought the story to life with skill and enthusiasm.
As Cinderella Haru Yokoo was delightful. A delicate dancer, with beautiful lines and flowing movement, strong feet and soft arms, she is also a talented dance actress. Kept away from her beloved forest by her ghastly stepmother and tormenting stepsisters, she is sad and wistful, but capable of finding joy in little things, like the charming dance with a scarecrow, brought to life by Yuki Chikai.
Chikai would return in Act II as lively, bounding jester at the Palace ball.
Cinderella’s Prince was Rocco Strickland. Handsome and elegant, an attentive, reliable partner, he has the makings of a danceur noble, and as his training continues, is very likely to become one.
Undoubtedly, though, the most difficult roles in this Cinderella are those of the stepmother and stepsisters. In the opening show, Sabrina Stilson as the Stepmother and Elisha Tan and Jemima Gosling as the hapless Stepsisters offered a lesson in comedic dancing.
Stilson hovers between pretentious posturing, exasperation at the clumsiness of her daughters, and spiteful dismissal of Cinderella. She does all of it compellingly, and the scene where she has a fit of the vapours when the lost shoe is shown to fit Cinderella had me laughing out loud, not for the first time.
The sisters have to be able to execute demanding ballet steps interspersed with falls and pratfalls, and that both Gosling and Tan do effortlessly and to great effect much to the consternation of almost everybody, including Rían Ó Braonáin as the ineffectual Dance Teacher.
As an ensemble the dancers, stylishly costumed in black and white, brought the ball to life; and from among the solo dances of the forest animals – Spring Hare, Summer Stag, Autumn Fox and Winter Owl – I was particularly impressed by Kota Haratani’s Spring Hare.
There’s magic in the transformation scene, when the oversize flowers held by the forest animals become the wheels of the coach that will take Cinderella to the ball, the whole thing crowned by the extravagantly decorated top of a pumpkin, and overseen by Olive Moulsdale as a regal Fairy Godmother.
In short, ‘My First Ballet’: Cinderella is an absolutely delight and I’d be hard put to find fault with it. This is possibly one of the best, if not the best Easter outing for children and their adults currently on show in London. Go!
©Teresa Guerreiro
(Banner image: Haru Yokoo as Cinderella in My First Ballet Cinderella © Photography by ASH)
My First Ballet: Cinderella is at Sadler’s Wells East until 12 April then touring until 31 May