Dundee Rep’s Christmas show takes to the stage tomorrow, and sees former artistic director Jemima Levick returning to direct the festive offering.
In this new version of Cinderella, the iconic glass slippers are replaced with a pair of magical wellies as Hannah Visocchi takes on the lead role of Ella.
Classic tale reimagined
Dundee Rep Ensemble member Annie Louise Ross plays her stepmother Lenore, while Ella’s stepsister and stepbrother are played by Leah Byrne and Adam Greene.
The classic tale has been reimagined by Irish playwright Lynda Radley with music by theatrical composer and musician Michael John McCarthy.
Director Jemima Levick was associate, and latterly, artistic director at Dundee Rep between 2009 – 2016. She went on to become artistic director and chief executive of Stellar Quines Theatre Company before being appointed artistic director of A Play, a Pie and a Pint in 2021.
“When I worked at The Rep, they called me the ‘head of Christmas’ because I always wanted to do the Christmas show,” Jemima laughs.
The Christmas connection
And perhaps it’s no coincidence, then, that Jemima’s first big break as a director was A Christmas Carol at Edinburgh’s Lyceum in 2005 – and the first production she ever directed at The Rep was 2008 festive show Beauty and the Beast.
Jemima says of returning to The Rep: “It’s really nice, It’s genuinely a bit like coming home and that’s partly because I still know some of the members of the ensemble. There’s something about coming back to the city that feels really familiar and comfortable and I have such fond memories.
“There’s also something magical about the building. Dundee Rep has one of the best stages in the whole of Scotland – it’s so intimate and yet it’s really big. It’s wonderful working with the team up here. It’s like coming back to a big hug.”
Following the disruption of last year’s Christmas theatre productions due to the rapid spread of the Omicron Covid variant, Jemima hopes this year will be a more positive experience for theatre-goers.
“Lots of people had a tradition of going with their whole family during the run and that has been disrupted, so we are hopeful that this year we get a clear run.”
Granting Cinderella more agency than in previous iterations, this version sees young farmer Ella dreaming big – but her aspiring social media influencer stepbrother and stepsister are more interested in their Instagram posts than helping her.
Pumpkins and magic
Jemima goes on: “It still has lots of traditional elements like pumpkins, magic and transformation, but Lynda Radley has managed to reimagine it and make it feel really contemporary at the same time.
“It genuinely feels like a version that’s converted into now rather than sticking to the old story. Sometimes when we update old classics some of the magic can be lost, but you can’t do Cinderella unless you have the magic and the transformation, otherwise it’s a little bit disappointing.”
Jemima says there are positive messages for slightly older children about looking after the environment in which you live and also discovering who you are.
“But there’s lots in there for the little ones as well,” she adds. “Lots of poo jokes!”
Cinderella runs at Dundee Rep from November 26 – December 31.
https://dundeerep.co.uk/whats-on/cinderella
