Review: CINDERELLA: A FAIRY TALE, Royal Lyceum Theatre
Cinderella: A Fairytale runs at the Lyceum until 3 January 2026
This year’s Christmas show at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, is Cinderella: A Fairytale, written by Sally Cookson, Adam Peck and the Original Company and directed by Jemima Levick.
Ella (Olivia Hemmati) and her father (Richard Conlon) are extremely close. Since she was little, they’ve spent their time in the forest watching the birds and learning their calls. There’s some really beautiful puppetry here with the colourful birds against Francis O’Connor’s exquisite set design.
Ella is reluctant to meet her father’s new wife. He is warm and gentle and she is...quite the opposite. After her father passes away, Stepmother takes over the family home. The usually charming Nicole Cooper seems to revel in being utterly horrid for a change. Dressed in garish colours, she is strict with her own children and absolutely vile towards Ella. Alongside Stepmother, Brother (Matthew Forbes) and Sister (Christina Gordon) move into the home and take Mummy’s lead on how to treat their new stepsister.
Ella meets the Prince (Sam Stopford) out in the woods one day, and he’s understandably enchanted by her. Hemmati’s Ella is sweet, kind and witty, and she knows a lot about his favourite subject- birds. He invites her to attend the Royal ball but neglects to mention that he is, in fact, the Prince. Stopford’s Prince isn’t quite the traditional charming, but he’s a bit dorky and funny and the perfect fit for Ella.
The casting for this show really is first-class. Richard Conlon is a calming presence, puppeteering a bird that still watches out for his beloved daughter. Nicole Cooper brings a lot of comedy to the Stepmother who becomes increasingly unhinged as the play unfolds. Matthew Forbes and Christina Gordon have excellent character development and work brilliantly together. Carly Anderson is a brilliant Queen who is also a very supportive mother to the Prince.
The Royal Lyceum Theatre is a pretty magical place for a play like this. It’s a gorgeous building and quite intimate compared to many others. The little ones in the audience are properly captivated by this production, and running at around two hours including an interval, Cinderella: A Fairytale is well-paced, ensuring nobody gets restless.
The storytelling in Cinderella: A Fairytale is wonderful, it’s beautiful to look at, and the cast are superb. There’s not a single fault to be found in this magnificent festive treat.
Photo credit: Mihaela Bodlovic
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