A Musical Version Of Cinderella Arrives In London This September

Alex Landon • 14 January, 2020

Cinderella shall go to the ball!

Much as we love living here, life in London is rarely confused with a fairytale. However, that might just change this summer, as a brand new musical makes its world premiere in the capital. Cinderella is set to open at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in September 2020, and producers are promising “a complete reinvention of the classic fairytale”. Does that hint at Cinderella as a wry, world-weary millennial? We can but hope, but here’s what we know for now…

The new spin on the old favourite is a joint effort from Killing Eve writer Emerald Fennell and West End royalty Andrew Lloyd Webber. It’s been developed from an original idea of Fennell’s, which was described as “truly exciting and original” by Webber – indeed, the promotional materials feature a spray can-wielding Cinderella, which is a pretty fresh take. They’re not the only star names involved in production; David Zippel, the lyricist behind Broadway productions of City of Angels and The Woman in White, and who’s also worked on Disney’s film versions of Hercules and Mulan, has written the songs.

There’s no word on casting at this early stage – though we will of course endeavour to keep you in the loop – but it’s enough to raise the excitement levels. Its residence at the Gillian Lynne, meanwhile, means that it’ll soon be time to bid adieu to School of Rock, which concludes its London run on March 1st before heading off on a UK tour. The theatre will then undergo a little refurbishment ahead of Cinderella’s opening – an erstwhile Disney princess needs a swish pad, naturally – and then it’s off to the ball!

Keep an eye on this page for casting announcement and ticket updates.

Featured image: Cinderella, via Twitter

Also published on Medium.

Tags: films and tv, summer, theatres