Welcome to the Whatsonstage.com Theatre Club


Kirsty Mann as Cinderella
Tweet

Cinderella (Tabard)

Venue: The Tabard Theatre
Where: Outer London
Date Reviewed: 5 December 2011
WOS Rating:

Average Reader Rating:

Reader Reviews: View and add to our user reviews

Bold, slick and bright, this excellent production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella has verve, spirit and panache.

What this fringe venue's in-house musical lacks in budget for costumes is amply made up for with superb casting, a top sound rig and imagination by the pumpkin-load.

Backed by a cracking live band, there are strong vocal performances all round, but special mention goes to Helen Colby, versatile as Cinderella's cranky stepmother coaching her unfortunately named daughters to capture the Prince's heart, also doubling up as the heartwarming, wry cockney Fairy Godmother.

Cinderella's stepsisters themselves - the lisping, scratching, poetry-spouting Grace (Lydia Jenkins) and empty-headed Joy (Kate Scott) - make the funniest onstage double act I've seen in ages.

Kirsty Mann's earnest Cinderella is charming and when she meets nice Prince Christopher (Vlach Ashton) at the ball they harmonise well and share a simple, touching chemistry.

There are also good comic turns from the Prince's mother (Sarah Dearlove), father (Brendan Matthews) and manservant (Josh Carter).

Director Alex Young crafts moments of real magic - the pumpkin carriage, the mice into horses, the dress! - that make this a Cinderella show itself - quality clad in (not quite) rags. Here's to hoping it gets the packed out audience it richly deserves.

- Vicky Ellis

Related Content

Booking Tickets & Show Listings
	Cinderella Listing Page

Reader Reviews

Score	Comment	Date
	This isn��t a panto, but a made-for-TV musical by the masters of the form. It starred Julie Andrews and when it was aired in 1957, some 100,000,000 watched �C 60% of the US population! Though it has been on stage before, outings are rare. I saw a lovely production at Bristol Old Vic almost exactly 8 years ago, but I��m not sure it has been in London in the 30 years I��ve lived here. So off to Turnham Green we go��.. They haven��t changed the age-old story, but it��s stripped down to nine characters, with an excellent Helen Colby here doubling-up as the Stepmother and the Fairy Godmother, and an ensemble of two! The music isn��t their best, but better than much (and certainly better than any panto version I��ve seen) and its played really well here by a 5-piece band (which sounds a lot bigger). Christopher Hone��s design is superb, working wonders with the tiny Tabard Theatre space in very inventive ways that themselves make you smile and Alex Young��s direction is very sure-footed indeed. Kirsty Mann and Vlach Ashton are excellent romantic leads and Brendan Matthew & Sarah Dearlove very good as the King & Queen. I loved the interpretation of Cinderella��s sisters �C Kate Scott as a somewhat manic Joy and Lydia Jenkins with rather more ��attitude�� as Grace. The prince��s Steward Lionel was given a bit of a camp makeover by Josh Carter to good effect. Given the time of year (and this was a matin��e too), this somewhat sophisticated entertainment was played to rather too many young children I��m afraid and the seat kicking, crisp & sweet eating and fidgeting rather wore me down. This is far too good for kids (and in my opinion certainly not suitable for under 7��s) and maybe an evening performance would have been better. That said, congratulations to the Tabard for quality alternative seasonal fare. - Gareth James	06 Dec 11

Write a Review
Give us your opinion on this production, give it a score (1 is low) and a comment
Score:
Comment:
Name:	Required, will appear on website
Email:	Required, will not appear on website
Confirm:	Please type in
	Please enter this number > SEVENTY-EIGHT < Just the two digits only, without any spaces.

Buy Tickets

Click here to visit the Whatsonstage.com Ticket Central

The best availability & the best prices for London theatre.

Free Newsletter

Subscribe to our free newsletter

Featured Video

Twitter

Follow @whatsonstage

Featured Editor's Picks

	*Young Vic's award-winning Doll's House* transfers to West End** Carrie Cracknell's critically acclaimed Young Vic production of A Doll's House, using an adaptatio...

	Let It Be extends booking at Savoy until Jan 2014 Let It Be, the concert show based on the music of The Beatles, has extended its run at the Savoy...

	*West End gets Lucky* with Tom Hanks?** Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks is reportedly in talks to reprise his role in hit Broadway play Lucky ...

	Michael Coveney: Tales from New York in Kinky Boots Broadway is in the grip of awards frenzy, with this Sunday night's Drama Desk bonanza in the Town H...

	Guest Blog: Benedict Nightingale on judging the Bruntwood Prize Former Times theatre critic Benedict Nightingale is among the judges of this year's Bruntwood Priz...

	The Victorian in the Wall From previous Perrier award-winner Will Adamsdale comes this middle class musical about all the i...

	Infographic: Regions at risk as London dominates private arts giving A report published earlier this week by Arts & Business revealed that, though private sector suppo...

	Photos: Lloyd Webber unveils �4m restoration of Theatre Royal Drury Lane Theatre Royal Drury Lane owner Andrew Lloyd Webber has unveiled the first phase of his £4milli...

	Charlie & the Chocolate Factory reschedules two previews due to 'unforeseen problems' The producers of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have "reluctantly" rescheduled the first two prev...

	Ten of the Best: Theatre 'flops' ripe for reinvention Defining a theatre 'flop' is no straightforward task. A general rule of thumb could be that it mak...