Credit: Lindsay Elliott
At Theatre Under the Stars, alternating with 42nd Street, until August 18, 2018
Tickets from $30 at tuts.ca or 604-631-2877
Posted July 21, 2018
I had no idea: the earliest known variant of Cinderella goes back to about 7 BC in an account by Strabo, a Greek geographer; in his recounting, Rhodopis (“rosy cheeks”), a Greek slave girl, marries the king of Egypt after an eagle stole her sandal and dropped it into the king’s lap. So strange and significant was the occurrence, he went looking for Rhodopis and when he found her, he married her. And they lived happily ever after. The Brothers Grimm were latecomers on the bandwagon with their Aschenputtel (rendered into English as Cinderella) in 1812. Between 7 BC and 1812, there were countless re-imaginings of the story including Cenerentola (Italian) and Cendrillon (French).
Not having seen the 1957 Rodgers and Hammerstein made-for-tv-musical or any of the multitude of subsequent versions including Disney’s, I wondered how director Sarah Rodgers – a feisty feminist – would handle this pretty sappy good luck story. I didn’t realize that Douglas Carter Beane had written a new book for the 2013 Broadway production. In this new adaptation, Cinderella would have been a card-carrying Leftie if her wicked stepmother had let her; she petitions Prince Topher on behalf of the workers, the poor and the oppressed. So he doesn’t just fall for her because she’s beautiful and rides in a gilded carriage drawn by fine white horses, he loves her because she has a good, kind heart. Now that’s an improvement over being just another pretty face.
And that’s a Cinderella director Rodgers has hitched her wagon to.
It’s still romantic, full of beautiful gowns, lots of dancing and a handsome Prince. The ugly stepsisters (played by Vanessa Merenda and Amanda Lourenco) are not so ugly as socially awkward – and one turns out to be really, really nice although she lets a pretty important cat out of the bag. The wicked stepmother is seriously nasty and exceedingly well played by Caitlin Clugston, whose sparkling performance in United Players’ 2014 production of School for Scandal, is unforgettable. Laura Cowan is Crazy Marie who turns out to be the Fairy Godmother in ragged disguise. Transformed and in a gorgeous white, glittery gown, Cowan seems to channel Julie Andrews who starred in that 1957 tv special. And, naturally, Cinderella (Mallory James) is pretty and sweet and looks fabulous in the white frothy ballgown that costume designer Christina Sinosich puts her in. The Prince (Tré Cotten) appears in ethnic-looking costumes – tunics and an ornamented sleeveless vest – that makes you wonder why that particular choice was made. With all the other men at the ball in white tux jackets and black bowties, why is the Prince dressed like the King of Siam in the King and I?
Credit: Lindsay Elliott
But, oh, the horses: Kyle McCloy and Connor Briggs steal the show in a way only real horses might have done. In tight white pants, white jackets and black shoes, they prance and canter and, getting up speed, appear to fly like Santa’s reindeer.
Fairytale set design by Brian Bell, choreography by Nicol Spinola and musical direction by Brent Hughes (with a fifteen-piece orchestra under his baton) make this Cinderella a sweet treat under the stars.
TUTS has been a tradition in our family for years and we’re not alone; the audience is more multi-generational than you ever see elsewhere. The hot chocolate is hot. The beer is not. And a volunteer will take your camera and take your picture with a big glass slipper. Netflix is for winter; Theatre Under the Stars is for summer.