A review from 5D Music & Theatre writer Maria Robertson.
Production photography by Adele Keith – https://adelekeith.pixieset.com/
A To Z Aberdeen is the theatre group which produces this fun musical based on the traditional story of Cinderella. This version focuses on a young lad called Robbie played by Robbie Mackenzie. He has two, not so ugly, stepsisters. His step dad is in prison and his mom has passed away, leaving him struggling against the cruel girls telling him there is no will and that their dad is going to take over the launderette which he runs and earns his living from. Dana, played by Rachel Green, and Clodagh, played by Bekkah Davidson, run a strip club next door, although they proclaim to be “over men” in their main hilarious song together.
The whole cast was cleverly picked and fit well with their roles. Megan Fraser plays Velcro, Robbie’s best friend and colleague at the launderette. They have an adorable duet called “Wishing for the Normal” all about wanting to find someone to go for dinner with, or just have a mortgage with. So many seemingly normal things that many of us take for granted. Unfortunately for Velcro it cannot be Robbie, that she gets goldfish with, as he is definitely far more interested in men, although maybe does not have much luck with them, the only similarity with his stepsisters.
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The Prince of this story is James Prince, played by Lawrie Gibb, who is running for Major of London supported by his fiancée Marilyn Platt, played by Abbey Latham-Wright. Prince’s campaign manager is William George, a chauvinist played by Euan Murray. Financial support comes from Lord Bellingham, a wealthy entrepreneur played by Iain Kingston. For those of us used to seeing Iain round the corner in the Sheriff Court doing his day job of being a lawyer it is quite amusing to see him in socks and garters in one scene.
There are touches of the traditional Cinderella story throughout this musical, for example Marilyn leaves a shoe in her and James’ lounge at one point, and the stepsisters are utterly mean to the lovely Robbie. However this is a more real life version, no Fairy Godmother arrives and magically fixes everything and an, orange decorated, rickshaw replaces the pumpkin carriage as they go off to Prada to buy an outfit to go to the…no not ball, it’s a political networking event!
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The show contains a glorious amount of smut and giggles, not just from the marvellous Clodagh and Dana. Obviously with the action based in Soho this was to be expected, so soon after pantomime season it was fun to go a bit further than a bit of innuendo. After a driech start to the year with snow and floods it is great to escape real life and have a thoroughly good laugh.
No expense is spared with the brilliant sets and costumes. Unusually for the Art Centre the stage has been extended so the 5 piece, very talented, band has a sunken pit behind a walkway which the performers come out onto. This is cleverly used at the end of some scenes for two characters to come along singing, as the crew hastily change the set on the stage behind them whilst the audience’s attention is diverted.
Unfortunately the last show is on Saturday 24th so there’s not much time for you to get a ticket for the ball, so to speak. If this show is anything to go by we do not want to miss out on tickets for their 2027 show of the wonderful Dear Evan Hansen.
Further information: https://www.aberdeenartscentre.com/whats-on/soho-cinders
Maria Robertson is the Chief Music & Theatre Writer for the 5D Pop Culture Website and provides reviews & coverage of local Aberdeen music & theatre gigs. She’s an experienced writer for numerous sources and is a self-confessed live gig addict ever since seeing The Counting Crows at the Barrowlands in 1994.
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