Bibbidy-bobbidy-brilliant

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This article was published 17/08/2019 (2531 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The story of Cinderella has come a long way since 7 BC when the Greek geographer Strabo recorded Rhodopis, the story of a slave girl who marries the King of Egypt. That’s the thing about fairy tales, of course. They are constantly being reshaped in response to the world around them.

The 1950s were an especially big decade for the story of Cinderella. Disney released its animated version in 1950 and seven years later, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II teamed up to create Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

One of the best known (and arguably most iconic) versions of the musical is the 1997 TV film starring Brandy, which also featured Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother.

Not content to let Whitney Houston have the final word, the original book by Hammerstein was retooled by Douglas Carter Beane and made its Broadway debut in 2013, running for 770 performances and snagging a Tony Award for Best Costume Design along the way.

It’s a crowd-pleaser for sure, and while the new book essentially does the bare minimum to make it a contemporary story, that didn’t stop the enthusiastic opening-night crowd from rising to their feet with a standing ovation at the curtain call Thursday.

Director Rob Herriot and his team of artists boldly navigate a sea of multiple contrasts — traditional and contemporary, satirical and sincere – to create a delightfully swirly destination of sparkly, glittery magic. The design is all around perfect, offering a duelling esthetic of classic storybook and pure camp that somehow works together marvellously.

And that Tony Award wasn’t for nothing: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is a wardrobe-lovers paradise. The Rainbow Stage production features costumes by Vincent Scassellati and Kenneth Burrell that are every bit as award-worthy as the originals by William Ivey Long.

The chamber orchestra, conducted by musical director Paul De Gurse, has all the richness of a full orchestra and beautifully supports the solid vocals of the talented ensemble onstage.

Colleen Furlan is a breath of fresh air as the title character, imbuing a traditionally passive role with motivation and passion, with a soprano voice every bit as beautiful as the gorgeous dresses she gets to wear. Darren Martens, Winnipeg’s answer to Aaron Tveit, plays Prince Topher (or Prince Charming, if you will) with a perfectly princely voice and effortless stage presence.

Although both Cinderella and Prince Topher are given more to work with in this updated version, Martens smartly doesn’t overplay his role, letting Furlan’s Cinderella steal the spotlight again and again.

The supporting cast and ensemble is uniformly strong, displaying a variety of comedic tones and styles that all somehow work together fantastically. Laura Olafson (Gabrielle), Melanie Whyte (Madame), and Aaron Hutton (Jean-Michel) play their roles with skill, wisely managing a delicate balance without ever being over-the-top.

An over-the-top quality is certainly present, though, and in some incredibly fun ways. Kevin Klassen as Lord Chancellor Sebastian and Nelson Bettencourt as his henchman, Lord Pinkleton, are both clearly having a blast, while Paula Potosky (Marie, a.k.a. Fairy Godmother) is totally entrancing.

But it’s Andrea Del Campo (Charlotte) who really steals the show, often going in to the territory of pure camp. It’s a bold choice and one that pays off with her fantastic rendition of Stepsister’s Lament.

Opening night wasn’t without its problems, which isn’t surprising for a show with such intricate technical elements. There were some microphone issues, a mysterious piece of rogue door that flew across the set, and a few of the should-be magical transformations didn’t fully reach their potential — but the magic is still there, even if it doesn’t always totally work.

At two hours and 45 minutes, the show is a good 20 minutes too long, and the kids sitting nearby were getting antsy by the midway point of the second act.

Despite the long runtime and some opening night jitters, Rainbow Stage’s Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is ultimately exactly what it needs to be: completely enchanting. It’s the epitome of theatrical spectacle, and the kind of show Rainbow Stage does best.

frances.koncan@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @franceskoncan