Cinderella musical to open next week with social distancing

Andrew Lloyd Webber, Emerald Fennell and David Zippel's new musical Cinderella will begin performances next week, it has been confirmed.

Lloyd Webber released a statement stating that, while he won't be taking part in any government schemes to aid greater audience numbers, he will present the show "like theatres and venues across the country…sadly at the Government's arbitrary 50 per cent capacity, not the 100 per cent we so passionately wanted."

The piece will play socially distanced performances from 25 June to 18 July, with plans to move to full capacity from 19 July – the point at which the roadmap is set to move to "step four". You can read Lloyd Webber's full statement here.

Appearing in the world premiere piece are Carrie Hope Fletcher in the titular role, alongside Ivano Turco as Prince Sebastian, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as the Stepmother, Caleb Roberts as Prince Charming, Rebecca Trehearn as the Queen, Laura Baldwin and Georgina Castle as the Stepsisters and Gloria Onitiri as the Godmother.

Also in the show are Georgina Onuorah as the Ensemble / Alternate Cinderella, Sam Robinson as Dorian, Giovanni Spano as Gawain and Vinny Coyle as Arthur.

The full company also includes Michael Afemaré, Lydia Bannister, Michelle Bishop, William Bozier, Lauren Byrne, Sophie Camble, Tobias Charles, Nicole Deon, Jonathan David Dudley, Dominic Adam Griffin, Michael Hamway, James Lee Harris, Leah Harris, Kate Ivory Jordan, Kelsie-Rae Marshall, Andy Rees, Alexandra Waite Roberts, Lauren Stroud, Georgia Tapp, Matthieu Vinetot and Rodney Vubya.

Fennell recently won an Oscar for her Promising Young Woman screenplay, and is part of a creative team led by director Laurence Connor. The production has choreography by JoAnn M Hunter, co-musical supervision by John Rigby and John Rigby, musical direction by Ben van Tienen, vocal coaching by Fiona McDougal, design by Gabriela Tylesova, sound design by Gareth Owen and lighting by Bruno Poet Casting is by David Grindrod Associates CDG.

Tickets are on sale now – with ticket holders set to be contacted given the new capacity restrictions.