Royal Ballet Cinderella March/April 2023

[MJW]

37 minutes ago, Mary said:

Ah just checked Kavanagh's biography of Ashton and see that he did originally think of casting women  - but when he and Helpmann took the roles: 'both invented characters so real to the audience that the joke of the pantomime dame did not apply.'

-as others have said above.

 

That is no doubt the sort of onstage chemistry/magic that cannot be replicated.

 

I’m a child of the 80’s and I still enjoy it (but then I liked the Two Ronnies and Les Dawson in drag). Less keen on modern drag acts!

[Fonty]

With regard to the step sisters, I can imagine that the people on here who go to several performances would find it tedious.  However, I am guessing that much of the audience will go to one show only.  Furthermore, this was first performed in December, so presumably it was considered to be a ballet for the festive season.  I know that Ashton claimed that he had never seen a pantomime.  Maybe his thought was to create a wonderful family entertainment, and I am sure younger people would find it amusing?  

 

For the record, I find the first act of the Nutcracker rather boring until the snowflakes come on, so I would be very happy to sit through the antics of the step sisters once a year instead.  

[Tango Dancer]

1 hour ago, Mary said:

Good point!

 

I may well be wrong but didn't Ashton originally make the roles with women in mind?

That complicates our responses- maybe.

 

But most of us seem to feel the sisters' routine is really not all that funny, or at least, that a little would go a longish way.

 

Maybe it is just that times have changed and knockabout drag doesn't seem quite so funny any more? I really enjoyed the act on the first night as a piece of silliness, but I would not want to watch it 4 more times, so am wondering about my future bookings..

It all rather reminded me of TV humour when I was a child half a century ago.....

 

...and I should say that I am one of Ashton's greatest admirers and also one of Gary Avis's greatest admirers.

 

 

Yes I think times have changed.  I mean I went to pantomime as a child and didn't like it then (we went because my grandmother did) so kind of viewed it as something I had to suffer at Christmas on the occasions we couldn't persuade her to go to Nutcracker instead.  I don't like drag either, never have.  Somehow it doesn't work for my sense of humour.  I tend to prefer comedians and artists like Victoria Wood, Sarah Millican, Dillie Keane to that type of thing.  

 

I quite like Widow Simone in La Fille but I'm not hugely into men dressing as women in ballet.  It just seems a bit pointless and irritating when a woman could do the part perfectly well.  

[Scheherezade]

6 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

I must say (sorry) from the various photographs I have seen from various sources that most of the costumes look hideous to me.  I hope they look better in real life.

 

I wouldn't say so but I am in the minority that didn't have a problem with the costumes and - sorry Fiona E - I found the more muted act 1 season fairy costumes rather attractive. The only costume that made me grimace was the unfortunate yellow concoction that made the spring fairy's attendant resemble a cross between a newly-hatched Easter chick and Humpty Dumpty: note to costumiers; please rectify! I also  really liked the sets, projections and most of the lighting, all of which enhanced the magical, dreamy, other-worldly atmosphere, so there you go.

 

The Naghdi/Ball cast was my first Cinderella so I can't yet compare but thought Naghdi sublime - as expected, a technically faultless Cinderella, interpreted with her usual, considered intelligence, Ball a compelling and convincing prince and Magri a warm, serene and altogether gorgeous Fairy Godmother with, for me, Buvoli as the stand out fairy. I also enjoyed Leo Dixon's adroitly-characterised dancing master. I couldn't make my mind up about Joonhyuk Jun's jester. He was certainly enthusiastic and buoyant but something felt a little off-kilter: his height?

 

Despite the consistent and spontaneous laughter during the performance from all around me, I concur with most of the comments on this thread about the step-sisters - a little would have gone a long way - but also agree that the constraints of the Prokofiev score would have made it difficult for anything other than a comedic take and I do think that cuts to the score would have disturbed the overall balance of the whole.

 

I am looking forward to seeing Hayward and Campbell on Easter Monday, followed on Friday by Kaneko and Bracewell and, if I can re-jig my diary, Morera and Ball later in the run. Such a pity that the excellent Corrales and Naghdi partnership didn't get a chance to air!

Edited March 31, 2023 by Scheherezade

[Fonty]

How much dancing do the step sisters have to do?  I don't know how old Aston and Helpmann were when it was first created, but maybe there is an opportunity here to coax back some retired dancers?   I was just thinking about earlier comments, saying that the humour came from knowing the individual dancers and what they normally performed. 

 

Would someone like Mukhamedov be too old now?  Having seen him in the Cinderella  on tv at Christmas, I am certain he would be wonderful.  Edited to add maybe Bussell could take a turn, with....?

Edited March 31, 2023 by Fonty

[Jane S]

Ashton was 44 and Helpmann was 39.

 

(I know because I've been looking at the comparative ages of the first cast and the current casts - almost everyone in this run's openng night is older than the person who created their role in 1948.)

[gemma81creamer]

I went last night. WOW WOW!!! I am not familiar with old version, so there was nothing to compare this with. ROH and RB at it's finest. 

Loved the lighting effects, especially the tiny magic lights that lit up around the house. 

Saw Francessa - who for me is the best. She does fragile beauty, sadness, deep joy together with such perfect technique. She simply floats about the stage. 

Beautiful, magical and pure escapism!!! 

My 1 thing I didn't like was the digital seasons flower display. It was over the top and wasn't needed. We all knew what the seasons were by the costumes and tone of the lighting. 

 

 

 

[zxDaveM]

46 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

 

I couldn't make my mind up about Joonhyuk Jun's jester. He was certainly enthusiastic and buoyant but something felt a little off-kilter: his height?

 

 

That's an interesting point. Whenever I think of solo jesters in ballet, I think of the short, very fast dancers that have trouble finding partners, as even relatively short dancers seem to tower over them en pointe. So they often get 'lumbered' with these show off roles for male techniques. So the choreography may not, in fact, suit the taller dancers?

[Richard LH]

6 hours ago, Odyssey said:

Melissa Hamilton, who is dancing Fairy Godmother, in today’s performance ( Paul Hamlyn)

I don't recall hearing of this before...is it  some sort of special event?

[Sophoife]

53 minutes ago, Jane S said:

Ashton was 44 and Helpmann was 39.

 

(I know because I've been looking at the comparative ages of the first cast and the current casts - almost everyone in this run's openng night is older than the person who created their role in 1948.)

 

So actually when I saw them together in 1969 they were in their sixties and when Helpmann did it in Australia he would have been in his seventies! I remember quite well his Australian shows and he was the dominant figure on stage - but maybe that was just his outsize stage personality? I'll be really interested to compare my memories with the current production when I see it on 27th April. Ashton's stepsister was quite shy and very much dominated by her sister Helpmann IIRC. As a tiny child I was mesmerised by the fairies and by Cinderella and her Prince (I'm told I cried when she danced with the broom!), later on I could appreciate the whole production.

[Fonty]

6 minutes ago, Sophoife said:

 

So actually when I saw them together in 1969 they were in their sixties and when Helpmann did it in Australia he would have been in his seventies! I remember quite well his Australian shows and he was the dominant figure on stage - but maybe that was just his outsize stage personality? I'll be really interested to compare my memories with the current production when I see it on 27th April. Ashton's stepsister was quite shy and very much dominated by her sister Helpmann IIRC. As a tiny child I was mesmerised by the fairies and by Cinderella and her Prince (I'm told I cried when she danced with the broom!), later on I could appreciate the whole production.

 

So, Mukhamedov should be perfectly capable of doing it.  Maybe partnered with Johnnie Cope?  I am liking this idea, and I am sure many people would be prepared to put up with antics they have previously found tedious, purely because of the novelty value.    Maybe I should suggest it to Mr O'Hare?  I am trying to think of other suitable candidates.  

[Mary]

Perhaps a very dark, twisted and frightening version with Ed Watson and Wayne McGregor?

😄

 

 

 

(No offence Ed and Wayne, I know you are 2 of the nicest people one could hope to meet)

 

[Odyssey]

20 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

I don't recall hearing of this before...is it  some sort of special event?

I understand the matinee performance this afternoon  in which Fumi Kanenko  and William Bracewell, among others, made their debut was not open to the general public and was listed as a Paul Hamlyn performance. From what I recall the Foundation has been funding such performances for quite a few years - presumably as part of its education arm to widen  participation in the Arts. But I know  the Foundation recently generously supported a performance of the Nutcracker for NHS workers and  I can recall these ‘Hamlyn’ performances listed previously when the schedule of performances is released. I assume it may also be the case for Opera .

[capybara]

The performance on the afternoon of the 30th March was a Schools Matinee.

Melissa had implied  on IG that she is also dancing The Fairy Godmother on Fumi’s and Will’s other (public) dates.

[OnePigeon]

I think the problem for modern step sisters is that they were created on two distinct personalities who had a real life fraught and antagonistic relationship.  Ashton used to refer to Helpmann as ‘she’ and ‘her’ in his correspondence with mutual friends and this bitchy relationship really helped to define their performances; Ashton casting himself as the poor bullied one in the relationship to the scheming Helpmann was exactly how he viewed their relationship after the war.  They were both famous personalities and celebrities in a way that we rarely have these days in the ballet.

 

I agree that casting older former dancers is a good idea, but I think they need to be dancers with a strong connection and relationship that the audience can tap into to bring out the added fun. Like all the best partnerships, they need chemistry.  I think Macmillan was very good in the footage I’ve seen of him - he’s definitely having a lot of fun with the role and bringing out the humour.

[LinMM]

Yes am expecting to see her on the 14th (Melissa Hamilton as Fairy Godmother) 

Edited March 31, 2023 by LinMM

[Richard LH]

43 minutes ago, Fonty said:

Maybe I should suggest it to Mr O'Hare?  I am trying to think of other suitable candidates. 

Mr O'Hare himself? 😂

[Richard LH]

47 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

I understand the matinee performance this afternoon  in which Fumi Kanenko  and William Bracewell, among others, made their debut was not open to the general public

Sorry Odyssey  it was your reference to the performance being today, and to Paul Hamlyn, which confused me...I now gather you are referring to yesterday's Schools Matinee performance.

Edited March 31, 2023 by Richard LH

[Odyssey]

Sorry, my mistake. I thought it was indeed today.

[Fonty]

24 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Mr O'Hare himself? 😂

 

Now why didn't I think of that? 

 

I don't think it would be an issue that Ashton originally choreographed the step sisters to reflect his real life relationship with Helpmann.  How many people would know that these days?  I didn't.  And presumably the current people cast don't feel that way about each other.  At least, I hope they don't!

[emmarose]

2 hours ago, Fonty said:

How much dancing do the step sisters have to do?  I don't know how old Aston and Helpmann were when it was first created, but maybe there is an opportunity here to coax back some retired dancers?   I was just thinking about earlier comments, saying that the humour came from knowing the individual dancers and what they normally performed. 

 

Would someone like Mukhamedov be too old now?  Having seen him in the Cinderella  on tv at Christmas, I am certain he would be wonderful.  Edited to add maybe Bussell could take a turn, with....?

 

I can't help but feel dancers like Hay and Acri are somewhat wasted in these roles.

[OnePigeon]

32 minutes ago, Fonty said:

 

Now why didn't I think of that? 

 

I don't think it would be an issue that Ashton originally choreographed the step sisters to reflect his real life relationship with Helpmann.  How many people would know that these days?  I didn't.  And presumably the current people cast don't feel that way about each other.  At least, I hope they don't!

I only meant to explain why the original partnership and jokes worked so well and why other subsequent dancers may struggle more to bring out the humour without it falling flat or appearing too hammy. 

[MargaretN7]

The first time I saw Cinderella, 29th December, 1958, Fonteyn and Somes, the step sisters were Moyra Fraser and Margaret Hill. If assume Ashton was involved with that, then he was casting women early on.

[jm365]

Maybe one of you knowledgeable historians can say whether the choreography for the earliest women casts such as those MargaretN7 saw is exactly the same as Ashton did for himself and Helpmann.  One of my problems with the yesterday's female sisters was that I didn't think the actual choreography worked for them.  

[balletyas]

4 hours ago, Fonty said:

How much dancing do the step sisters have to do?  I don't know how old Aston and Helpmann were when it was first created, but maybe there is an opportunity here to coax back some retired dancers?   I was just thinking about earlier comments, saying that the humour came from knowing the individual dancers and what they normally performed. 

 

Would someone like Mukhamedov be too old now?  Having seen him in the Cinderella  on tv at Christmas, I am certain he would be wonderful.  Edited to add maybe Bussell could take a turn, with....?

 

[FionaM]

10 hours ago, alison said:

And do you mean "choreo" in that second paragraph?  It sound as though you mean costumes - and I can't imagine why the choreography would be described as horrible!

 
I do mean choreography.  The steps made for the season fairies in Act 1 were ugly and unmusical.  (The dancers did their best with it, and I know these ballerinas are not usually unmusical).  Bah humbug.  I need to not comment anymore. This ballet is more pantomime than ballet and rubbed me up the wrong way.  

[Dawnstar]

4 hours ago, Richard LH said:

Mr O'Hare himself? 😂

 

How about both O'Hares: borrow Michael from BRB. Real life siblings dancing the roles could be fun!

[balletyas]

5 hours ago, Mary said:

Perhaps a very dark, twisted and frightening version with Ed Watson and Wayne McGregor?

😄

 

 

 

(No offence Ed and Wayne, I know you are 2 of the nicest people one could hope to meet)

 

I’ve been dreaming of Ed doing it but I don’t think Wayne is right…but Ed could be brilliant!  But I also feel that the music doesn’t really help the sisters / unlike the Fille Clog Dance there are very few obviously ‘danceable’ bits for them….but that may just be my inability to really ‘get’ this music… 

[ninamargaret]

2 hours ago, MargaretN7 said:

The first time I saw Cinderella, 29th December, 1958, Fonteyn and Somes, the step sisters were Moyra Fraser and Margaret Hill. If assume Ashton was involved with that, then he was casting women early on.

I saw this as well, and have tried to remember the name of the person playing the second sister. I think Moyra Fraser had actually appeared in revue- don't know if she trained as a dancer. I may be wrong, but I don't think they were actually members of the company.

[ChrisG]

I finally got to see Ashton's Cinderella on Thursday night and it was well worth the long wait. As a result I have a couple contributions to the ongoing debates around this production which I hope won't be too controversial. Firstly I loved Kristen McNally and Christina Arestis as the stepsisters. After a slightly slow start I really began to believe them as the slightly annoying elder sisters I never had (I just had slightly annoying elder brothers!), and the point where Cinderella made up with them at the end as a result felt very touching. The only productions of Cinderella I've seen before were the Wheeldon one (seen with Dutch National Ballet and ENB), the BRB Bintley one, and the Ratmansky version seen on Blu Ray, and all three of those productions had female sisters. My only exposure to Ashton's version prior to last night was the recently issued DVD with Sibley and Dowell that had Ashton and Helpmann as the sisters, and I have to admit  that I found them somewhat tedious and decidedly anachronistic. They came over as caricatures, but to my mind McNally and Arestis turned them into characters. My probably minority thoughts therefore are that I wish Kevin O'Hare had bitten the bullet and cast the majority of the performances with females in the stepsister roles (as had been Ashton's original intention) rather than the majority male casting that we're seeing in this run of performances.

 

Secondly, to enter the Mark Monaghan/Hayward debate, when I saw that the ballet was being revived and knowing that, owing to my location, I would only be able to see one performance, my immediate thought was that I would like to see Francesca Hayward as I thought she would be perfect in this particular role. I'm sure all the other Cinderellas have their merits - I would have loved to have seen them all, and I'm really sorry not to have seen Marianela in the gala (sadly my bank balance couldn't stretch that far!), but I'm so glad my decision didn't prove to be a mistake. I felt Hayward simply glowed in this role and Alexander Campbell to me is her perfect partner, not just physically in terms of height but in terms of empathy. Having seen them also recently in Sleeping Beauty, I really do think that they fit together well.

 

All in all then, a big thumbs up to me for this production, for the sets, for the lighting (apart from the overture where I got a spotlight shining right in my eyes), for the costumes, for the orchestra and most of all for the dancers. 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by ChrisG

[Candleque]

11 hours ago, Fonty said:

With regard to the step sisters, I can imagine that the people on here who go to several performances would find it tedious. 

Spot on. Rather dreading having to sit through the sisters act again and again 🙈. Because I was excited to see so many ballerinas making their debuts as Cinderella, I made the rookie mistake of booking multiple tickets for a show I had never seen. If it comes back (as no doubt it will given the investment) once will be enough for me. 

Am sure the Jonathan Gray review is in the Links; hope it is ok to quote one line:
"If only the producers had been braver, bitten the bullet, and given the ballet the pruning it really needs."

That's exactly how I feel. With all respect to Ashton, how long does a ballet have to be around before it is okay to make some tweaks? Agree Ashton is a genius, but that doesn't mean every work is perfect.

On the other hand, while not my own cup of tea, I know that pantomime is super popular in the UK. So my new marketing question to the ROH is: Why not communicate that element? This Cinderella really is the perfect entry ballet for families that love panto. But a lovely ballerina in a field of flowers does nothing to communicate the slap-stick humour that is half the show. Contrast with the original VHS cover image on the ballet's wikipedia page which features the step-sisters as well as Cinders and her Prince. (Note the page in the background appears to be in blackface so thankfully it is ok to make at least some needed changes for a modern audience.) 
 

[Jan McNulty]

5 hours ago, Candleque said:

Am sure the Jonathan Gray review is in the Links; hope it is ok to quote one line:
"If only the producers had been braver, bitten the bullet, and given the ballet the pruning it really needs."

 

 

It is - along with lots of other items.  It's always worth looking at the daily links!

 

 

[capybara]

6 hours ago, Candleque said:

Spot on. Rather dreading having to sit through the sisters act again and again 🙈. Because I was excited to see so many ballerinas making their debuts as Cinderella, I made the rookie mistake of booking multiple tickets for a show I had never seen. If it comes back (as no doubt it will given the investment) once will be enough for me. 

Am sure the Jonathan Gray review is in the Links; hope it is ok to quote one line:
"If only the producers had been braver, bitten the bullet, and given the ballet the pruning it really needs."

That's exactly how I feel. With all respect to Ashton, how long does a ballet have to be around before it is okay to make some tweaks? Agree Ashton is a genius, but that doesn't mean every work is perfect.

On the other hand, while not my own cup of tea, I know that pantomime is super popular in the UK. So my new marketing question to the ROH is: Why not communicate that element? This Cinderella really is the perfect entry ballet for families that love panto. But a lovely ballerina in a field of flowers does nothing to communicate the slap-stick humour that is half the show. Contrast with the original VHS cover image on the ballet's wikipedia page which features the step-sisters as well as Cinders and her Prince. (Note the page in the background appears to be in blackface so thankfully it is ok to make at least some needed changes for a modern audience.) 
 

Agree with pretty much everything said here - especially the need for cuts.

Notwithstanding the huge expense, I am now making my own cut by missing Act 1.