My First Cinderella – ENB2 (Tour – Manchester)

The English National Ballet and the English National Ballet school present this magical show, in which children from the age of 3 can experience the intriguing world of the ballet, which can be a mystery for a youngsters, as they can struggle to convert the imagery on display into a story they can recognise.

With the aide of a narrator (Jane Wymark) the audience are guided through a simplified version of this classical piece with good introductions to each character and Act One in particular, has a good amount of narration to help the children understand the role danced has to play in telling the story.  The idea of soloists is introduced and the excitement builds as Cinderella prepares to head to the ball.

Act Two has less narration as the audience has already had a lot of the information they need to follow the story and there is more emphasis on the dance elements. This allows the second part to flow more like a standard ballet and sees the wonderful ballroom scene unfold. 

The concept is a hugely successfully and certainly entertained the 5 year old boy and 6 year old girl in our party.   Everything from costume changes to using Prokofiev’s music makes the production a great success. There is enough substance to keep the adults entertained and plenty to challenge the children and encourage them to ask questions about what they can see. At an hour and twenty minutes long it is the perfect length for young ones who remain engaged until the end. 

Beautifully performed by a young cast this show really does achieve what it sets out to and that is provide an accessible yet enjoying introduction to the world of ballet.

My First Cinderella is a charming show that is bound to spark interest in this beautiful art from people of all ages.

– Ruth Lovett