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11:49 pm
Cinderella Play Review
I just came back from the Cinderella Play at the Esplanade, featuring Lea Salonga. It was my treat for my parents and I got us realllllyy good seats. I could see all the actors’ faces so clearly!
The play is a light-hearted and fun play on the classic fairytale, with lines and scripts that insert current events and modern day behaviour. Lea Salonga plays Cinderella (duh!). It got off to a slow start, and if I might say, a tad boring. It did pick up around the mid of the 1st act with the fairy god-mother, played by Charlie Parker, doing her magic and making Cinderella’s wish come true. Now, the fairy god-mother is HILARIOUS!! She would make funny comments and actions that made me laugh. In fact, my favourite line in the whole play was “Some people are so dumb!” by the god-mother, referring to the prince and cinderella.
Lea Salonga was amazing, as usual. Her voice was so clear and I could hear every single word she sang (some others left me struggling to figure out what they were saying). The prince, Peter Saide, was charming and… TALL! When he was dancing with Lea Salonga, the height difference was so apparent. He had to bow down a little. She was almost on her tippy toes! My mom also commented that in some scenes, Peter Saide looked like Jim Carrey!! haha!
The stepsisters and stepmothers were really played over the top, in a funny way! I loved the exaggeration of the characters, with Portia being this almost blind idiot, and Joy being a miserable, spiteful, unjoyful person. (Note the play on their names… the total opposites to their meanings!).
The sad thing was that the theatre wasn’t remotely full. There were so many empty seats, I felt so bad for the cast and crew. I guess when they planned this run, they didn’t anticipate the economic crisis hitting. Also, I think the run of this play is too long – 20 days! It might have been better if they played for 10 days and gotten a better crowd for each show.
The play is still running in Singapore, Esplanade Theatre until Jan 20. So if you want a fun time, go see it!
Additional Note: I forgot to mention that the props and set were very well done. I especially loved the dresses in the wedding scene. The blue and white gowns were soooo gorgeous. I want one of those!
The stage was a bit narrow though and that became apparent during the dancing scene in the ball. The dancers had to dance carefully and nearly banged into each other a few times.
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Sounds interesting. How much is the ticket?
I bought the $138/person tickets. But there are cheaper ones.
Standard
Sun – Thu Evening (8pm)
Sunday Matinee (3pm)
S$160, S$135, S$110, S$85, S$60, S$35
Fri – Sat Evening (8pm)
Saturday Matinee (3pm)
S$180, S$150, S$125, S$100, S$75, S$45
I enjoy live theatre. But this play would would require a very long trip on my part. lol How special, though, that you could see this with your parents. Very sweet.
I went to see it tonight and was very disappointed. I paid $125 per seat which is more than I pay to see a top show in London.
For that price I expect to be entertained with a good script, good acting and a high standard of technical execution.
Sadly it failed on all accounts. Yes Lea Salonga can sing but it takes more that one person to put on a show.
The script is a ramshackle of immature panto, slow dialog and dreary musical lyrics . Sure everyone knows the story but no effort made made to embellish it or make it the least bit exciting. The script had been messed around with in a way that just made it worse. For example there was no reaction from the ugly sisters when the lost shoe is put on Cinderella because they aren’t in the scene. The next you see of them they are at the wedding all smiles and all the bullying build up forgotten. It’s doesn’t gel.
The acting was quite amateurish, not out of place in secondary school play. The ugly sisters way over acted. And the special effects weren’t special at all. For example the coach looked impressive but the wheels at the front spun faster than the ones at the back (or vice versa) and in the finale they didn’t spin at all. It just looked poorly put together.
The orchestra did as best they could but the music score is no Chicago.
After 2 hours I was left scratching my head wondering who the target audience is. Its got too many silly slapstick jokes to be for adults and too much boring dialog for children.
The ending couldn’t have come quick enough for me.
Dreadfully dull. The theatre is 3/4 empty for a reason. Don’t waste your money!
Thanks for your review James. I agree on some of your points. This musical is no Phantom of the Opera (not even close), just meant to be a fun time where we suspend reality for a few hours.
James, this is a Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella not the Disney adaptation. It’s a classic musical play! One has to understand how it was written, its background so as not to be disappointed.
Here’s some videos of Julie Andrews in the original Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hmCnOPYxVQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHtoxJ8as1s&feature=related