Set in the 1940’s during The Blitz, Matthew Bourne’s take on Cinderella is truly captivating.
As always with the work of Mr Bourne the performance is full of character and humour. As always, the choreography is driven by the character. Pair this with Matthew’s interpretation of Cinderella and you have a truly wonderful concept.
The stand out character is the Fairy Godmother who is reimagined as an Angel. The Fairy Godmother who features in a ghostly white presides over the performance with classical movements that make him stand out from the cast.
A huge amount of credit is due to the creative team behind the performance. Designer Lez Brotherston and lighting designer Neil Austin totally transport us to wartime London. Moments within the performance feel more like a movie than a stage production.
There is one particular scene in which London is bombed which is truly one of the most magnificent things I have seen on the Liverpool Empire stage. The whole stage seems as though it is on fire and it is a beautiful as it is harrowing.
This is a truly stunning re-imagining of Cinderella by a true Master of the stage. It takes on board history and fairy tale to provide a truly amazing evening at the theatre.