Review: Birmingham Royal Ballet Cinderella at The Lowry Theatre*

Birmingham Royal Ballet Cinderella at The Lowry Theatre

[Ad-gifted] If you want to be whisked away in a magical carriage as you watch whimsical characters of dancing mice and frog coachmen then you don’t want to miss  Birmingham Royal Ballet‘s Cinderella which is currently running at The Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays.

Choreographed by non other than Sir David Bintley, the show boasts magnificent costumes, stunning stage set-up as well as non-stop flawless and graceful dancing which is awe-inspiring.

The story keeps to the classic and timeless fairytale of a young woman who lives with her cruel stepmother and stepsisters but gets to go to the ball with the help of her Fairy Godmother in a sparkling carriage to meet the prince. Watching this timeless tale retold though ballet was genuinely breathtaking as we watched the characters progress from abyss to bliss.  Will Cinderella’s wildest dream come true with a happy ending or will it be scuppered by her stepsisters?

What I thought of Cinderella?

From the moment we sat down, I could feel the excitement of the buzzing theatre. I remember feeling electrified when I watched Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Beauty and The Beast some years back and wondered if this performance would be as good. The lighting by Peter Teigen and music by Sergei Prokofiev had me enchanted from the moment the show started.

The performance started sombre and almost eerie like showing Cinderella (performed by Beatrice Parma) playing her true form and the hardship she experienced daily from her cruel stepmother (Daria Stanciulescu) and stepsisters (Eilis Small and Olivia Chang Clarke). The whole performance has no words, so each movement was executed in the language of dance, to perfection in an almost angelic manner to tell the story, and the audience was mesmerised!

The performance is broken into three acts, Act I shows Cinderella and her miserable life from the passing of her mum to how she has to work like a slave to serve her stepfamily to the announcement that there is to be a ball and the preparation for it as well as the arrival of the Fairy Godmother (Isabella Howard). Act II takes place in the palace where the ball is in full swing and Prince Enrique (Bejarano Vidal) makes his entrance as he searches for the one who will capture his heart.  Dramatic scenes enfold as the clock strikes midnight and Cinderella has to flee the palace in a hurry inadvertently leaving behind one of her jewelled slippers. Act III is the shortest act where the Prince goes in search of the mysterious slipper owner and soon is reunited with her.

The production was sensational, the orchestra conducted by Paul Mercy has to take centre stage as they set the mood of each moment, helping the audience to understand what was unfolding on stage. The Artists of the Company comprising of dancers from all over the world did a fantastic job in lifting both the main dancers, Beatrice Parma and Bejarano Vidal as they spellbound us with their fluid movements with the help of Sir David Bintley‘s magnificent choreography. I  personally loved both the stepsisters played by Eilis Small and Olivia Chang Clarke. Eilis Small was such a joy to watch and her comic timing coupled with her facial expressions was perfectly executed with the help of Olivia Chang Clarke who was flawless.

Other scenes which stood out include when the dressmakers, hairdressers and a dancing master all attempt to turn the two stepsisters into the belles of the Ball as well as the dramatic moment of the clock striking midnight and the magical world begins to disintegrate.

As you can tell, I enjoyed every moment of the performance from the spectacular choreography, stunning costumes, effortless scene change on stage as well as the synchronised dance movements. An iconic performance not to be missed!

Cast

Cinderella Beatrice Parma
Prince Enrique Bejarano Vidal
Cinderella’s Stepsisters Eilis Small and Olivia Chang Clarke
Cinderella’s Stepmother Daria Stanciulescu
The Fairy Godmother Isabella Howard
Spring Reina Fuchigami
Summer Celine Gittens
Autumn Amelia Thompson
Winter Rachele Pizzillo
Dancing Master Gus Payne
Dressmaker Louis Andreasen
Wigmaker Shuailun Wu
Frog Coachman Tom Hazelby
Lizard Footman Tom Hazelby & Marlo Kempsey-Fagg
Violinists Philip Aird & Robert Simmons
The Prince’s Friends Gus Payne, Haoliang Feng & Mason King
Major Domo Rory Mackay
Mice Pages Honey O’Sullivan, Betsey Ridley
Dressmaker’s Assistants, Stars, Lavies, Caveliers and Waitress Artists of the Company

Creatives

Sergei Prokofiev Music
David Bintley Choreography
John Macfarlane Designs
David Finn Lighting
Conductor Paul Mercy

How much are the tickets and how long is the show?

Tickets are priced from £20 to £54.50. Lasts approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Runtime: Act I: 30 minutes | Interval: 15 minutes | Act II: 40 minutes | Pause: 10 minutes | Act III: 25 minutes
Special effects: Dry Ice

How do I book tickets to watch Birmingham Royal Ballet Cinderella?

To book tickets please call The Lowry at 08432086000 or via their website here.

The performance will be running until Sat, 8 March 2025 with shows at 7.30 on Thu, Fri and Sat and there is also a matinee performance on Sat at 2pm
Audio Described Performance: Saturday 8th March 2025 at 2pm:  (Touch Tour at 12.30pm)

Where will the performance be held?

The Lowry
The Lyric Theatre
Pier 8
The Quays
Salford
M50 3AZ
Manchester
Tel: 0843208 6000

Notes:

• The Lowry welcomes all visitors regardless of their disability and strives to meet all individuals needs where possible.
• They welcome assistance dogs.
• The Lowry website is fully accessible and features BrowseAloud.  Browsealoud adds speech, reading and translation support, facilitating access and participation for those people who need support reading print, dyslexia, low literacy, mild visual impairments and those with English as a second language. To use this feature, simply click on the grey ear logo located in the footer.
• If you are driving to the show, we would recommend for you to park at The Lowry Outlet which is opposite the theatre, but be aware as there is lack of signage from the car park area to the theatre, so best to ask someone or use google maps to find your way.

  Pre paid car parking tickets can be purchased up to 24 hours prior to your performance. Please note they are unable to sell pre paid tickets on your performance date, and you will need to pay at the ticket machines in the car park. The tickets can be booked at the same time as your seats via their website, or over the phone on freephone 0343 208 6000. The cost is £6.50. This allows you to park for the day.

About The Lowry Theatre

The Lowry is a registered charity committed to using visual and performing arts to enrich people’s lives. They present audiences with a diverse programme of theatre, opera, musicals, dance, music, comedy and visual art as well as events and activities to expand the horizons of audiences and artists alike.  At the heart of their work is a commitment to the local communities and young people. Tapping into the work on their ur stages and in their galleries, they offer thousands of free creative participation opportunities each year. They are passionate about nurturing talent, developing creative professionals of the future and raising aspirations.

About Birmingham Royal Ballet

Birmingham Royal Ballet is one of the world’s great companies, a true powerhouse in classic ballet and contemporary dance. They’re proudly rooted in Birmingham, their home since 1990, at the same time, they tour around the UK and internationally, bringing world-class ballet and live music to the widest range of audiences in our nation and beyond.

They perform everything from grand romantic ballets to breathtaking new dance works inspired by our world today – including many pieces created just for them by the world’s best established and emerging choreographers.

They’re bringing new life to the greatest ballet traditions – but under the leadership of Carlos Acosta, their Director, they’re also pushing the art form into electrifying new directions, underpinned by the artistry, creativity and technical excellence for which they’re known around the world.

You may also want to read this:

Review: Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Beauty and The Beast at The Lowry Theatre

Review: Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes at The Lowry in Salford, Manchester

Review: Waldo’s Circus of Magic & Terror at The Lowry Theatre

Photo Credit: The Lowry/Johan Persson

* We were provided with press tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions are our own.