A re-imagined version of the fairy tale Cinderella is set to burst into community venues across Yorkshire next month – including Hawksworth Wood Village Hall.
Leeds-based theatre company Wrongsemble present ‘The Not So Ugly Sisters’, a co-production with Red Ladder Theatre Company and Leeds Playhouse.
Telling the children’s story from the perspective of Cinder’s famous sisters, the new musical has been written for families and young people – though its appeal looks set to entertain everyone beyond.
For Red Ladder producer Chris Lloyd the community performances provide an opportunity to reach people who might not normally go to a theatre – and provide great entertainment for just a fiver. He said:
“We’re essentially touring high-quality theatre to non-traditional venues.
“We’re hoping to reach people who may go to their local community centre but who might not think to go to somewhere like the West Yorkshire Playhouse. We’re charging £5 a ticket, which is a really low price for quality family entertainment in your local community hub.
“They might not have experienced going to a theatre, but they know their local venue. Hopefully they will have enjoyed themselves so much that they either think about coming again or think they might bite the bullet and go to a theatre.
“We’d like people to enjoy it and feel part of it. There’s nothing in it to put people off, it’s not on for too long, it’s entertainment aimed at the family and is suitable for everyone.”
Writer and director Elvi Piper explained more about the show. She said:
“In the original story the sisters are vilified as being ugly, jealous and cruel.
“In this version we are reminded of the original story, then see how the story is reported, and finally get the sisters’ version as they reclaim it with the phrase ‘We’re not the baddies in someone else’s story – we’re the heroes of our own!’!
Sisters Dolly and Barb run a hair salon in Yorkshire where audiences meet them on the day of Cindy’s big royal wedding to Prince Smarming – a wedding to which they are not invited.
“It very much has female empowerment at its heart with the message to not judge people on how they look and observe ‘kindness first’,” Elvi added.
“And to top it off it’s filled with songs from many genres including blues, musical theatre, and pop; it’s basically a 55-minute feelgood musical romp for every generation!”
The Not So Ugly Sisters will be performed on Wednesday 6 April 2022 at Hawksworth Village Hall (HOPS), Hawksworth. Tickets are priced from £5
For more information and to book visit the Wrongsemble website.
Other April dates
- Sunday 3rd – Grove Hall, South Kirby, Pontefract
- Tuesday 5th – BITMO’s Gate, Belle Isle, Leeds
- Thursday 7th – Space2, Gipton, Leeds
- Friday 8th – Guiseley Theatre, Leeds
- Sunday 10 – The Civic, Barnsley
- Tuesday 12th – Rotherham Civic
- Saturday 16th – Gipton WMC, Leeds
- Tuesday 19th – Queens Mill, Castleford
- Saturday 23rd – St John’s Church Hall, Staincross, Barnsley.
