It was twenty years ago that Matthew Bourne first introduced his ballet, Cinderella, to local audiences. He set the classic tale of the step-daughter who dreams of going to a ball and meeting a prince in war-torn England during the Blitz. Cinderella is set to the music of Sergei Prokofiev and has returned to the Ahmanson Theatre for a run that concludes on March 10th.
Bourne made a name for himself with his daring production of Swan Lake in which all the swans were male. He takes risks with this production by radically changing the setting and incorporating war news reels, bombs and air raid sirens into the story. In other words, don’t expect a pumpkin to turn into a carriage.
In the program Bourne dedicates Cinderella to his father, Jim Bourne, “who was there and lived to tell the tale.”
Given the number of performances for this engagement, roles are double-cast. The title character is danced by either Cordelia Braithwaite or Ashley Shaw (who danced the role on opening night.) Harry, the pilot (aka the Prince role) is performed by either Andrew Monaghan or Edwin Ray.
If you are seeking a traditional ballet, Bourne’s work is not for you. What makes his projects compelling is he is constantly seeking out new ways of telling familiar stories. Bourne has had a long relationship with Center Theatre Group with many of his other projects, including The Car Man, Edward Scissorhands and The Red Shoes having appeared here.
The one change from the production in 1999 is there is no live orchestra for this production. The show runs two-and-a-half hours with two intermissions.
Go here to read our interview with Ashley Shaw who, in addition to dancing the title role, serves as Dance Captain for Cinderella.
Photo by Johan Persson/Courtesy of Center Theatre Group