UK Theatre Network

Adrian Berry's adapation of the well-loved story CINDERELLA is given new life in this thoroughly entertaining, quirky, top quality show at Jackons Lane.

From the opening scene, Cinderella, ( beautifully played by Stacha Hicks), ambles through the audience in her other guise as Aunt Ella who finds an abandoned baby on a beach. That baby turns out to be Cinderella. It's a wonderful opening to this clever adapation that immediately propels us into the world of the piece. Hicks has a quality of immediacy and freshness that instinctively engages us on many levels. Her comic physicality marks her out as a very special performer and although it's difficult to chose her best moments, being so many in this role, her rendition of the Tango dance with Buttons the 'magic mouse' is a laugh-out-loud highlight.

Christian Lee delivers a touching performance as Victor, the gauche teenager & talented magician at Dr Kane's School, who falls in love at first sight when he meets Cinderella, the latest recruit. Casting a skilled magician in this lead acting role is genius and allows for the additional element of magic to be worked into the storyline. Already a well know entertainer and comedy magician, Lee shows us another string to his bow with this promising debut.

Dr Kane (Gordon Warnecke), the baddie in the piece, who runs the school purely to exploit the talents of it's pupils for commercial gain, doesn't know what to do with Cinderella as she doesn't seem to possess any talents of commercial value he can manipulate. Reminded by Aunt Ella of her specialness for just 'being herself' in the world, Cinderella gains strength in adversity in realising at least she 'knows who she is' and that's enough for her to be brave enough to go for what she wants - Victor's love.

So & So Circus Theatre (Kaveh Rahnama/Lauren Hendry) two of the other pupils at the school, replacing the traditional Two Ugly Sisters, are a further innovative addition to the storytelling and bring a dazzling display of highly skilled circus and tumbling routines with daredevil acrobatics and cheeky characterisations that wow and delight. Cinderella's entrapment in the world of reality TV and eventual escape with Victor is an ingenious way of highlighting to the children in the audience that life outside the world of 'the box' is far more colourful, and is to be lived to the full. 'Follow your heart'...Aunt Ella tells Cinderella and so she does.

With a simple and effective Gothic setting, colourful, funky costumes and moody atmospheric lighting, this year's excellent production at Jacksons Lane is a heartwarming, magical treat for both children and adults alike - a real 'must-see' during the Christmas Season.

CAST:

Stacha Hicks as CINDERELLA

Christian Lee as VICTOR

So & So Circus Theatre as CANDY & COLIN

Gordon Warnecke as DR KANE

SHOWS:

Wednesday 16 10am & 1.30pm
Thursday 17 10am & 1.30pm

Sunday 19 2pm & 5.30pm
Sunday 20 12pm & 3.30pm

Monday 21 2pm & 5.30pm
Tuesday 22 2pm & 5.30pm
Wednesday 23 2pm & 5.30pm
Thursday 24 2pm (Christmas Eve)

Saturday 26 2pm (Boxing Day)
Sunday 27 12pm & 3.30pm

Monday 28 2pm & 5.30pm
Tuesday 29 2pm & 5.30pm
Wednesday 30 2pm & 5.30pm
Thursday 31 2pm (New Year’s Eve)

January

Saturday 2 2pm & 5.30pm
Sunday 3 2pm

Listing Information

Venue

www.jacksonslane.org.uk
Travel Tube: Highgate (northern line) Buses: 263, 134 & 43

For more information please contact Clare Lewis (Marketing Manager) on
020 8347 2415 or via

clare@jacksonslane.org.uk