Full Cast Set For CINDERELLA: A FAIRYTALE at Bristol Old Vic
Joëlle Brabban leads as Ella alongside Joseph Langdon, directed by Lisa Gregan, in the Bristol Old Vic Christmas production.
Bristol Old Vic has announced the full cast for this year's Christmas production, Cinderella: A Fairytale, bringing together a company of local artists alongside performers from across the UK for a festive season packed with music, laughter and magic. Performances will run 27 Nov 2026 – 2 Jan 2027.
Director Lisa Gregan said, “I am genuinely thrilled to be working with such a brilliant cast on Cinderella: A Fairytale. We've brought together an extraordinary group of performers, including some fantastic local talent, and that feels especially important for a story that's all about love, hope and overcoming adversity. One of the most exciting things for me is how playful, inventive and multi-talented this ensemble are. I don't doubt their warmth, humour and creativity will help us create a Cinderella that's full of joy, music and magic this Christmas at Bristol Old Vic.”
Leading the company as Ella is Joëlle Brabban, whose theatre credits include starring as 'Lucy' in The Rivals (Orange Tree Theatre), 'Amy' in Little Women (Dugdale Arts Centre) and 'Emilie' in War Horse (National Theatre). She also starred as 'Little Voice' in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. She is currently performing in Love's Labour's Lost and Much Ado About Nothing (GSC/Orange Tree Theatre). A graduate of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, Joëlle is also an accomplished singer and multi-instrumentalist and makes her Bristol Old Vic debut in this beloved Bristol-born version of the classic fairy tale.
Joining her is Joseph Langdon, who returns to Bristol Old Vic to play the bird-watching Prince. Joseph first discovered his love of acting through the theatre's Engagement team before training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Since then, he has appeared in productions including West-End productions The Seagull (starring Emilia Clarke), Cyrano de Bergerac (starring James McAvoy) and Equus. He also starred in The Effect (National Theatre), Winners (Wardrobe Ensemble), Village Idiot (Ramps on the Moon/UK tour), as well as Bristol Old Vic productions Pigeon English and Talon. Returning to the theatre where his journey began makes this Christmas production a particularly special homecoming.
Another familiar face to Bristol audiences is Bristol performer, singer and writer Dionne Draper as the Queen. A recipient of both the Women of The West Award and the Lord Mayor's Medal, Dionne is one of the city's best-loved creative voices. Alongside her acclaimed acting career, she founded Sing With Soul and created the sell-out one-woman musical DAWTA, championing community, creativity and social justice through music. Her theatre credits include Othello (Young Shakespeare Company) and Little Shop of Horrors (Torch Theatre) while screen credits include The Cure (Channel 4) and Trollied (Sky 1).
Cathy Walker makes her Bristol Old Vic debut as Ella's scheming Stepmother. Her extensive stage and screen credits include The Unfriend (West End), Witness for the Prosecution (County Hall), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre), Present Laughter (Theatre Royal Bath/ ETT) and EastEnders (BBC).
Bristol-based actor and musician Guy Hughes joins the company as Ella's obnoxious Stepbrother. Guy reunites with Lisa Gregan following the 2024 Christmas production Little Red. His other numerous Bristol Old Vic credits include Twelfth Night, Cyrano, The Nutcracker, The Little Matchgirl and Angels in Bristol. As an actor-musician, Guy has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare's Globe, Cheek by Jowl, Edinburgh Lyceum, Liverpool Everyman, working with some of the UK's most celebrated directors including Emma Rice, Tom Morris and Declan Donnellan.
Completing the family as the spiteful Stepsister is Daisy Ann Fletcher, who trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland after receiving the Andrew Lloyd Webber Scholarship Award. Originally from Leeds, Daisy has worked with theatres across the country including Leeds Playhouse, Tron Theatre, Cardboard Citizens and the Belgrade Theatre. Previous credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream (Southwark Playhouse), Dick Whittington and Sleeping Beauty (Oxford Playhouse) and Stay (Traverse Theatre). She is also a regular collaborator with award-winning Yorkshire company Wrongsemble.
The company also features the production's composer Alex Heane as on-stage Musical Director, making a welcome return to Bristol Old Vic following appearances in The Little Matchgirl and Wise Children. Other credits include Oliver Twist (Tobacco Factory Theatres) and Jane Eyre (National Theatre). He is joined by Bristol favourite Harry Miller as Master of Ceremonies and Musician. Following his appearances in Bristol Old Vic's acclaimed 2025 musical How to Win Against History and The Colour of Dinosaurs, Harry once again brings his trademark musicianship to the festive season. Alex and Harry are reunited after performing as musicians in Bristol Old Vic's 2024 Christmas hit The Little Mermaid.
From artists whose careers began on Bristol Old Vic's stages to performers who have become much-loved figures in the city's cultural life, this year's company celebrates the creative talent that makes Bristol such a vibrant place to make theatre. Together they'll bring a fresh telling of one of the best-loved fairy tales, filled with live music, laughs and plenty of Christmas magic.
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