Tag Archives: J. M. Barrie

A KISS FOR CINDERELLA

★★★

The Space

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A KISS FOR CINDERELLA

The Space

★★★

“a beautiful hidden gem that is perfectly suited for the festive season”

We all know the story of Cinderella. Everyone roots for her reunion with the prince – and her glass slipper. JM Barrie’s lesser-known play, A Kiss For Cinderella, tells the story of a kind hearted but delusional cleaning lady in WW1 London who believes that she is the real-life Cinderella, destined to marry The Prince of Wales. This new production, adapted and directed by Bethany Sharp, has many good ideas and a wonderful cast. At this point, the show is short of a slipper and could benefit from further exploration to give it that fairy tale flare.

The play is funny, with credit to Barrie’s writing and Sinthu Bhairavi’s delightful performance as Cinderella. Bhairavi’s portrayal is intelligent, playful and endearing. She captures Cinderella’s naivety and insanity without turning her into a caricature, allowing the audience to see why the policeman (Matthew Lyon) is falling in love with her. The policeman meets Cinderella at the home of Mr. Bodie, Cinderella’s employer, who is beautifully played by Simon Balcon. The policeman becomes suspicious of Cinderella’s interest in the German language and follows her home, where he discovers she’s hiding two European refugee children. They too are caught up in Cinderella’s fantasy that she will be invited to meet the prince.

The story, which is more than a century old, explores themes which remain relevant today: War, immigration, poverty and how we cope with harsh realities. Unfortunately, Sharp’s adaptation of this political dramedy, with Steven Shawcroft as assistant director, is missing the creative risk and tenacity to dig into it. The costumes (Stephanie Schreiter) in the dream scene are clever and imaginative, aiding the audience in understanding that this is Cinderella’s hallucination. However, a lack of attention to detail at times undermine her thoughtful designs. There’s no need for an actor’s trousers to be falling down only because he wasn’t given a belt. The same issue presents itself with sound design. There is some use of sound to give context or ease transitions, but most scenes (such as the ballroom scene) feel too quiet, causing the actors to work extra hard to keep the energy from dropping. Tiaras off to them, they actually do a valiant job!

Sharp shows a clear understanding of directing a show in the round. The blocking is dynamic, and the actors have excellent awareness of the audience. However, the once off dramatic opening of the double doors, only to reveal the theatre’s terrace, feels excessive and out of sorts with the otherwise sensible use of the space. At this point Cinderella is passed out “in the snow”, centre stage. By revealing the outside world to the audience when we are meant to believe that Cinderella is near death in the freezing cold, the integrity of the performance space becomes compromised. If Sharp and Shawcroft found some link between the story and the abrupt reminder that we are in a theatre, the sensational moment could have worked. However, there is no follow-through and as an audience member you don’t know what to do with this extra information in relation to the play.

A Kiss For Cinderella by JM Barrie is a beautiful hidden gem that is perfectly suited for the festive season. Sharp can be applauded for recognising the play’s potential and giving it a moment in the spotlight. This show promises praiseworthy acting and fun moments for an overall charming Christmas story.


A KISS FOR CINDERELLA at The Space

Reviewed on 5th December 2024

by Lara van Huyssteen

 

 


 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

ONE MAN POE | ★★★ | October 2021
AARON AND JULIA | ★★½ | September 2021

A KISS FOR CINDERELLA

A KISS FOR CINDERELLA

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Peter Pan
★★★★

Park Theatre

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Peter Pan

Peter Pan

Park Theatre

Reviewed – 11th December 2018

★★★★

“This production is funny and touching, with a delightful simplicity”

 

This is a charming production, based on JM Barrie’s original text, and occasionally updated with contemporary references. Peter Pan is a story that many of us have grown up with. We wait for Captain Hook’s villainy, clap to save Tinkerbell, and look on in wonder as Peter flies. This production manages to create the atmosphere of those childhood encounters with the story, without the full on nature of pantomime, or the facilities of a large West End theatre.

Several of the cast play multiple roles. Alfie Webster plays two pirates and a dog, and Harveen Mann successfully managing to convince with her five characters! We are aware that it’s the same actor, and that’s part of the joke, particularly when she transforms from Jukes to Cecco. There are plenty of laughs to be had and some outstanding performances, particularly from Nickcolia King-N’Da as Peter Pan and Alexander Vlahos as Hook. King N’Da’s Peter is an innocent, cocky and immensely likeable boy. It’s a lovely moment when he first flies in, peddling through the air with a huge grin. He is a kid we could meet on the streets of Finsbury Park, ballsy, joyful, vulnerable and stubborn, but with added magic. His encounters with Hook are nicely done, and Hook’s use of a leaf blower as a weapon is inspired. Vlahos is a different kind of Hook. He is full of himself, overconfident, and hilariously terrified of the crocodile. He struts and preens with more than a little camp thrown in, ably and enthusiastically aided by Smee, played by Natalie Grady, who also plays Mrs Darling.

The two Darling boys are convincing as kids, Adam Buchanan plays Michael as a very believable little boy with a giant teddy, and Jason Kajdi is John, his older brother. Rosemary Boyle plays Wendy, and beautifully portrays the difficulties of a young girl becoming a woman. She is attracted to Peter, very much wanting a kiss. Wanting him to be her ‘husband’ rather than her ‘son.’ But, of course, he doesn’t get it. She finds it hard to be a mother to the lost boys too. I’ve never understood Wendy so well before, and it adds another level to the emotional strata of the story.

This production is funny and touching, with a delightful simplicity. In a space such as the Park Two Hundred it is good to see such a well designed and flexible set. Gregor Donnelly has done a great job with it, allowing the cast to easily transform the space from the Darling’s home to Neverland, to a pirate ship and back. When the sound and lighting, by Adrienne Quartly and Nic Farman are added, the stage is set for magic to happen. The only thing that I didn’t like was the puppet of Nana, the dog. In contrast to the naturalistic, yet fantastical feeing of the rest of the production, Nana looked like an autumnal sea monster that, despite Alfie Webster’s able puppetry, failed to convince. Jonathan O’Boyle’s direction is assured, and he has enabled his actors to shine and enjoy themselves hugely in this lovely show.

 

Reviewed by Katre

Photography by Chris Gardner

 


Peter Pan

Park Theatre until 5th January

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:
Building the Wall | ★★★★ | May 2018
End of the Pier | ★★★★ | July 2018
The Rise & Fall of Little Voice | ★★★★ | August 2018
Distance | ★★★★ | September 2018
The Other Place | ★★★ | September 2018
And Before I Forget I Love You, I Love You | ★★★★ | October 2018
Dangerous Giant Animals | ★★★ | October 2018
Honour | ★★★ | October 2018
A Pupil | ★★★★ | November 2018
Dialektikon | ★★★½ | December 2018

 

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