Review: English National Ballet’s My First Ballet: Cinderella – moments of real magic
Lily Hyde sees My First Ballet: Cinderella, a production of an incredibly high standard for audience members of any age, with a strong calibre of dancing.
| Title | My First Ballet: Cinderella |
| Company | English National Ballet |
| Venue | Sadler’s Wells East, London |
| Date | 3 April 2026 |
| Reviewer | Lily Hyde |
The cast in the photos illustrating this article is different from the one reviewed.
Many ballet dancers, when recollecting their first ballet, will talk about being taken to a performance at a young age, and something resonating with them on a level they couldn’t fully understand. Quite simply: they knew they had to dance.
However, it feels increasingly rare that ballet can have this effect on young people. Of course, there’s the perennial Nutcracker, which no matter how much ballet companies try, is confined to six (seven if they’re really pushing it) weeks of the year, but many of the classics, even when filled with princesses, fairies, and woodland creatures, are unable to fully hold the attention of younger audiences, or indeed, cater directly to them.
English National Ballet’s ingenious solution, My First Ballet: Cinderella, is not only a delight for children, but also for audience members of any age. Don’t let the intended audience mislead you into thinking this is a lesser offering; this is a production of an incredibly high standard, with a strong calibre of dancing from ENB School students and young graduates, a rich and elaborate nature-themed production design by Rachael Canning, an adept narrator, and an intelligent revision of Prokofiev’s score – heavier and darker than his Romeo and Juliet, here it has a sprightly and ethereal quality.
A brisk eighty minutes with one interval, the ballet is skilfully choreographed by George Williamson, who not only fills the music beautifully, but also creates an impressive sense of scale with a cast of just fourteen.
There is mime, but Adam Peck’s accomplished dramaturgy means that no one is ever lost as to what’s happening. Kate Donnachie’s narrator is a warm and assertive presence, but she skilfully manages to guide the audience’s attention, rather than being the sole focus.
Despite a three-show day, the cast was on fine form. Elsie Pinder was a sweet and gentle Cinderella. An elegant dancer with beautiful lines, her resignation to the grimness of having to wait hand and foot on her dreadful stepfamily was matched by a resolute inner strength. Her pas de deux with Kota Haratini’s Scarecrow and Rio Barker’s Prince Rowan were sweet and ebullient. As magical as it was to actually see bedazzled ‘glass’ pointe shoes in Act II, credit must be given as to how well Pinder danced in them, maintaining a delicacy in her balances, lifts, and turns. Those shoes were deader than Natalia Osipova‘s – I genuinely don’t know how she did it.
Rio Barker brought a dreamy quality to Prince Rowan (a quality he shares with Cinderella). A strong dancer and a stalwart partner (even when navigating the chaos of Cinderella’s stepmother and sisters wrangling him at the ball). His stage presence wasn’t entirely there, but he has ample time to grow and develop.
The undoubted stars of the show were Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters. Sabrina Stilson as Cinderella’s Stepmother gave Faye Dunaway’s Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest a run for her money. Deliciously camp, with her face painted in heavy makeup that even the most inexperienced drag queen would say was a bit much, she brought a spiky viciousness to her dancing and had a very real power over her slightly hapless daughters, Prudencia and Hortensia.
Played by Viviana Gumez and Lucinda Paykel, respectively, the two sisters in garish neon dresses lit up the stage, balancing demanding choreography with comedic beats and many pratfalls along the way. Gumez especially brought a real mastery to her dancing and characterisation. She is definitely one to watch.
This is a tight-knit show, with a small cast, but there wasn’t one weak link. Olivia Mousdale was an enchanting Fairy Godmother, Kota Haratini was an energetic Jester (albeit one somewhat beleaguered by the stepsister’s antics), and Rían Ó Braonáin brought a campy revulsion to his Dance Teacher/Dress Maker in Act One.
In lieu of the seasonal fairies, we have a variety of forest animals, whose costumes were a highlight of Rachael Canning’s production design. All danced incredibly well, but Leo Godfrey’s Autumn Fox and Vidya Cannonier-Watson’s Winter Owl were real standouts.
My First Ballet: Cinderella is a very fine piece of work with moments of real magic that dazzled the audience. It does a lot with little – the pumpkin carriage was a moment of theatrical wonder, as was the swap of the Cinderellas at the stroke of midnight. Hopefully, it will have a very long life and enchant many generations of children and adults. The children at Friday’s evening performance were absolutely mesmerised, and so was I. Were there tears in my eyes multiple times throughout the performance? I couldn’t possibly comment.
Lily Hyde is a cultural and dance writer based in London. Her writing has appeared in The Fence and The Creative Independent, and she runs the cultural newsletter, Falling Upwards. She is currently writing her first novel.
