Lyric Hammersmith’s adaptation of Cinderella has it all
Fun, vibrancy, colour, laughs and the odd dollop of innuendo, the Lyric Hammersmith’s wonderful adaptation of Cinderella has it all – oh yes it does.
Written by award-winning writer and composer Vikki Stone and directed by Tonderai Munyevu, this outrageous twist on the classic fairy tale sees Tilly La Belle Yengo leading the cast as Cinderella in her Lyric stage debut.
Cinderella, played with superb streetwise London sass by Ms La Belle Yengo, is a bonafide boss-lady who runs her own business at Shepherd’s Bush Market.
One day the handsome Prince Henry (Damien James), who dreams of a more ordinary life, wears a disguise to the market and falls instantly in love with Cinderella.
With the paparazzi in hot pursuit, the Prince is forced to flee. And so begins the quest to unite the unlikeliest of likely romances, Cinderella and the hapless Prince.
Cinderella’s step sisters, Muffy and Gusset – played by Charlie Cameron and Meghan Treadway – are encouraged in their bratty ways by step mother Lady Jelly Bottom – the wonderful Lyric panto veteran Emmanuel Akwafo.
Also featured in the cast are Jodie Jacobs as Fairy, and performances from Maya De Faria, Jerome Lincoln and Bella Macdonald, a beneficiary of the Lyric’s Springboard programme, which offers training to underprivileged local talent.
As with all great pantos, the audience are central to the performance, but do avoid the front row if you’re scared of being pulled up.
You can breathe a sigh of relief after Lady Jelly-Bottom has picked her one and only victim early in the show, though. Well, if it doesn’t happen to be you, of course!
I visited with my 11-year-old daughter, Nellie, and we both absolutely loved it. Cinderella is an absolute must this panto season.
Until January 6. Tickets start at just £10 – and you’ll be safe in the knowledge that much of that money will go towards helping mould the west London stage talent of the future.
Call 020 8741 6850 or visit https://lyric.co.uk/shows/category/panto/ for tickets.
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Pictured top: The Company of Cinderella in Cinderella at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre (Picture: Manuel Harlan)