Matthew Bourne’s ravishing Cinderella waltzes back to Sadler’s Wells this Christmas, and it is unlike any Cinderella you have seen before. Set in London during the Second World War, this thrilling and evocative love story reimagines the classic fairytale as a wartime romance, danced to Prokofiev’s magnificent score.
When Cinderella meets a dashing wounded RAF pilot, the pair are swept up in a whirlwind romance amid the danger and glamour of the Blitz - a night at the legendary Cafe de Paris, a mysterious angel in place of a fairy godmother, and a race against time as the bombs fall. Choreographed and directed by the peerless Matthew Bourne with his company New Adventures, and designed by Lez Brotherston, it is a cinematic feast of romance, spectacle and dance.
Why it’s worth the watch
An award-winning wartime fairytale from Britain’s most popular choreographer.
- A Blitz-era retelling. Bourne relocates the fairytale to wartime London, all searchlights, ballrooms and heart-stopping romance.
- Prokofiev’s score. The story is danced to one of the great ballet scores, played to cinematic effect.
- A Christmas tradition. New Adventures’ 24th festive season at Sadler’s Wells, marking the production’s 30th anniversary.
- Strictly limited. It plays 1 December 2026 to 17 January 2027 only, before continuing on tour.
