A tasty treat with marvellous music and silly storytelling, sprinkled with imagination.Rating
Good!
Spring sunshine has arrived at Polka Theatre, and with it comes an imaginative reinvention of the traditional Cinderella story (aimed at ages 5-10 years) in the form of a mini-musical, Cinderella Ice Cream Seller. Did you know that this princess was, in fact, an incredibly successful businesswoman with a whole chain of ice cream parlours named after her? Little Seeds Theatre Company are here to tell you exactly how that happened, and how her success inspired an ordinary shop assistant to make her own dreams come true.
Talvi yearns to have her own flavour of ice cream added to the menu and enters a competition to win an opportunity to do that, despite resistance from her rule-obsessed boss, Caldwell. As part of our visit today, the pair use songs and silliness to teach us the history of the store and how Cinderella foiled her mean sisters to set up her own successful chain of ice cream shops.
The Adventure Theatre is beautifully transformed into a colourful ice cream parlour, courtesy of designer Vic Spearing, which brings a few gasps from a delighted incoming audience. Cleverly, one of the counters doubles up as a keyboard, and Lauren Heywood, as Talvi, opens the show with an impressive belter that has the young audience sold from the off. Both she and David Gibb (who also composed the songs), playing Caldwell, play and sing beautifully, and have an excellent rapport with the kids, with whom there’s lots of fun interaction. Heywood, in particular, gives a brilliant physical performance that has the audience laughing out loud, and there’s a real sense that they’re on her side as she cheekily teases them and Caldwell. Tristan Jackson-Pate’s flexible direction means there’s natural space for improvisation and conversation with the audience within a structured storyline, which is joyfully embraced by the youngsters.
The show is filled with signature Little Seeds energy and vigour. Excellent, imaginative moments in the storytelling include using objects such as hats and a coat to create extra characters, and upbeat songs keep energy levels high throughout. The whole is enhanced by enchanting lighting design, creating some beautiful atmospheres that bring magic to the stage and immerse the audience in sparkling starlight, which fills the entire auditorium.
A positive message within the story encourages supporting others who are different and chasing your dreams to become part of something bigger than yourself. In a welcome twist, the traditional gender stereotype of the prince saving the day is overturned by Cinderella’s resolution to determine her own future, and she’s supported by both her manager and the audience in this, with cheering from the audience who are in full agreement come the end.
This reinvention of a classic tale brings the story bang up to date and adds interesting flavour. There’s much fun to be had at Cinderella’s, with marvellous music and silly storytelling, and it’s all sprinkled with sparkling imagination.
A Little Seeds Music Production
Writer and Composer: David Gibb
Director: Tristan Jackson-Pate
Designer: Vic Spearing
Dramaturgy: Renata Allen
Producer &Company Manager: Ellie Dimmock
Sound Design: James Ball
Cinderella Ice Cream Seller is aimed at ages 5-10 years and plays at Polka Theatre
until Wednesday 25 March
