Theatre review: Fun and quirky Cinderella at the Masque, Cape Town, Dec 2021

Theatre review: Fun and quirky Cinderella at the Masque Theatre, is very much a musical celebration and shout-out to life, living, in Cape Town, Dec 2021

What: Cinderella – a magical, musical celebration When: December 9-18, 2021 ⭐ Extended season – January 6-8, 2022 ⭐ Where: Masque Theatre, 37 Main Road, Muizenberg, Cape Town Tickets:  R100 https://tickets.computicket.com/event/cinderella/4438168  #CinderellaAtTheMasque

The director, creative team and Cinderella Company had six weeks to rehearse Cinderella for the festive season production at the much loved community theatre, The Masque. Working from a script, written by director Fae Wheeler, they got cracking. While getting into character, they had a lot of fun. The team posted photos and videos on Instagram, of shopping trips to buy Cinderella frocks and accessories. I cracked up watching the footage – especially with Wayne Ronné who plays one of the stepsisters, Constantinia. They did a photo shoot in the Company Gardens in front of the Iziko Museum –contextualizing Cinderella in Cape Town. An image from The Company Gardens shoot is flashed on-screen, during the show. It is a dreamy fairytale -with Cinderella wafting through the gardens. I could imagine the Company Gardens as an epic setting for Prince Charming’s Grand Ball. 

While rehearsing this show, the dreaded Omicron variant tossed in additional curve balls into the Rona landscape, year two. The company carried on- with grace and fortitude.  On Wednesday, December 8, it was show time at the preview and press night. I thoroughly enjoyed the show – the energy, music, singing – and the costumes- especially Constantinia’s hideous white shoes.  As he did in the footage on the Instagram videos, Ronné cracked me up with his facial expressions - and balancing on the shoes. 


The company is terrific. Amy Blanchard is a regal and somewhat batty Queen – lovely voice – and what a dress. Erika Marais delivers Lady Vivianna de Meanfacé(wicked stepmother) with a firecracker repartee of cutting ripostes. Tami Schrire as Herald and Aidan Lewis as Prince Charming are a kick-ass tag team. Wonderful acting. Kudos to the other principals - Erin Gemmell as Cinderella and Bonolo Moloi as the Fabulous Fairy Godmother- another glam dress- couturie3r chic.  

"I Gotta Feeling",  by the Black Eyed Peas is a kind of theme song for this production– the version with ‘mazaltov’. [Mazaltov - congratulations- cheers- and also -phew we made it – we have accomplished a lot]. The lyrics: “I got a feeling. That tonight's gonna be a good night… Tonight's thenight(Hey) let’s live it up (Let's live it up). Fill up my cup (Drink. Mazel Tov (L’Chaim).” [L’Chaim/L’Chayim- to life – to living.] I raise my cup to team Cinderella. Mazaltov, for creating a fun, quirky and whacky Cinderella in the madness of Rona.  It’s a lovely aspirational tale. I won’t plot spoil but Cinderella has her own ideas as how she wants her happy ending to play out – without pressure- or decrees.

✳Featured image- Prince Charming (Aidan Lewis) and Cinderella  (Erin Gemmell) in Cinderella at The Masque, Cape Town, December 2021. Images supplied.

✳Related coverage on TheCapeRobyn:https://thecaperobyn.co.za/theatre-preview-cinderella-a-magical-musical-celebration-at-the-masque-cape-town/ and https://thecaperobyn.co.za/happiness-interview-fun-and-joy-of-staging-cinderella-at-masque-cape-town-december-2021/