The show was, of course, written before the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements began. Robbie’s work colleague and best friend Velcro (Millie O’Connell) is just as engaging, possessing one of those singing voices that is nothing short of sublime. Elsewhere, Prince leaves a voicemail message for someone, asking them to text him back, surely the kind of mobile phone communication that would be done these days through a WhatsApp message or something.īayer’s Robbie manages to convey a sense of unease and vulnerability whilst commanding a stage presence that brims with an almost serene confidence. The references that the ‘ugly’ (inverted commas mine) sisters in this retelling and resetting of the Cinderella story, Clodagh (Michaela Stern) and Dana (Natalie Harman), make in ‘Fifteen Minutes’ are contemporary enough, but there’s a moment when someone points out that someone else can’t be gay because that someone else has a wedding ring on. Soho Cinders already shows occasional signs of not quite keeping up with the times.
Thus, the audience is made aware of a particular scene’s setting by, for instance, the air of authority that William George (Ewan Gillies) exercises as campaign manager for mayoral candidate James Prince (Lewis Asquith) in the campaign office, or because the off-stage narrator (unnamed in the programme, so I won’t spoil it by spilling the beans here) has simply told us that young Robbie (Luke Bayer) is in Trafalgar Square. Some preceding shows at Charing Cross Theatre have not been so sparing, but it is indicative here of the faith that the production places in the dialogue.
The stage is never filled with the kind of street clutter that prevents a speedy progress through the actual Old Compton Street and surrounding environs. It's certainly one heck of a party down Old Compton Street.There are no big scene changes in this production. Even without looking too hard for a moral it's plain to see that Will Keith's production is bags of fun, with an incredibly talented cast. Though there's the inclusion of a sexual harassment case which is so glossed over you forget it exists, the show highlights the importance of friendships and being true to yourself. Adam Haigh's stylish choreography also really shines in "It's Hard to Tell".Ī loose, satirical retelling of the classic fairy tale, the plot still manages to be good enough to stand on its own – mixing politics, family drama and bawdy jokes to great effect. Natalie Harman and Michaela Stern lark about the stage, giving it some real cockney welly as they toss out innuendos and dirty dance moves a-plenty. The best number of the night has to be handed to the Stepsisters' duet "I'm So Over Men". Stiles and Drewe's score is a mixed bag of cutesie duets ("Wishing for the Normal"), toe-tapping dance numbers and forgettable fillers.
Though underused in act one, O'Connell provides some of the big laughs of the show with her quirky and sarcastic nature, and really comes into her own in the second half with some smooth vocals. Just a harmless boy in love, his performance of "They Don't Make Glass Slippers" captivates the audience, and his chemistry with best friend Velcro (Millie O'Connell) is incredibly sweet. When Robbie begins dating mayoral candidate James Prince, things get complicated and Robbie ends up in a media scandal which threatens to take everything – and everyone – he loves away.īut don't worry, the show isn't as high drama as it sounds, with Anthony Drewe's book and Elliot Davis' script ping-ponging between cracking one-liners one minute ("There's so much bodily fluid on these sheets I could set up a fertility clinic") and heart-warming moments the next, in a true celebration of Soho.Īs Robbie, Luke Bayer is utterly charming and a real protagonist to root for. A young man living a humdrum life – working in a laundrette once owned by his late mother, paying rent to his stepsisters in an unorthodox way. Here we meet Robbie, the Cinderella of our tale.
Old Compton Street, London: where the buildings are painted like Pride's rainbow flag (or the houses of Balamory) and tourists mix with "prostitutes".
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