Cinderella as you’ve never seen it to open at Lyric Theatre

It’s the much-loved story of Cinderella with a modern - and welcomed twist - and it opens at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre on Thursday night.

ANY fairy tale where the Prince Charming needs saving by the woman wearing the glass slippers is a good one in our books – and that’s just the beginning when it comes to the modern evolution of Cinderella, which opens at Sydney’s Lyic Theatre next week.

Starring Shubshri Kandiah as Ella, that’s another twist – no longer are princesses always blonde haired and wide, blue eyed.

“I think it’s an incredibly exciting show for that reason,” the 27-year-old South Asian performer told Insider.

“Getting the chance to read the scripts and have a play with these characters, it was very clear to me that these are really 3D characters – it’s not that wishy-washy 2D version of a princess.

“She snaps at people, she has insecurities, she’s a real person – and I think that’s relatable.

Shubshri Kandiah plays Cinderella in the Rodgers + Hammerstein's performance coming to Sydney next week. Picture: Richard Walker

“And I love that version of a princess that we’re presented with. In many ways, she saves the prince – she’s the one that shows him the person that he could really be.”

Growing up in Perth as an aspiring actor, Kandiah never dreamed a role like Cinderella would be within her grasp.

Cinderella’s leading lady, Shubshri Kandiah. Picture: Alex Coppel

“It was never really something that I ever thought would be achievable,” the Brisbane-based woman said.

“Even going through uni, from what I had seen of casting, I very much limited myself – saying I can only do the types of roles only suited for people that are ethnic, because I’ve never really seen anything other than that.

“So getting the opportunity to play this role is really special, and I’m really excited about the way casting has moved, and we are seeing more diverse talent onstage and more diverse stories come me out as well, which is really fantastic.

“I get a lot of Instagram messages from parents and kids actually, who have seen the show and have South Asian heritage – and it’s really nice to hear from those people and how much they have enjoyed the show, which is quite different from the original tale.”

Ainsley Melham and Shubshri Kandiah star in Cinderella. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Just having returned from a three-week holiday through Europe after Cinderella closed in Brisbane, Kandiah was excited to fly into Sydney yesterday for next week’s premiere – and even more excited to be reunited with her co-star Ainsley Melham, who plays Prince Topher. The pair’s onstage connection was easy to foster, after playing alongside each other in Aladdin in 2019.

“As soon as we started working together for this one, we were like, ‘oh, this is easy’, because we’ve already done this before, so take off the chemistry thing,” she laughed.

“It’s very nice to work with someone who you get along with so well, offstage as well as onstage.”

Bathurst-born and raised, Melham’s journey to the stage started with children’s music group High-5, leaving in 2016 after touring nationally and internationally with them for three years. The same year he was cast as Aladdin – a role he later took to Broadway. And after taking Cinderella to Melbourne and Brisbane, it’s his home state’s turn.

“I have a place in Chippendale, so I’m thrilled to be going back to do the show in Sydney,” he said.

“It’s always lovely to come back to Sydney.

“It’s actually lovely to travel again, because up to the last couple of years, most arts workers were grounded, so being on tour again is such a thrill.

“And this is such a beautiful reinvention of this story, particularly from the standpoint of Cinderella’s journey through the show, and even the Prince.

“To be fair, we’re used to seeing the Prince sweep in and save the princess, but it really is the other way around.

“Cinderella is given so much more agency and we get a Prince that is a bit goofy and a bit vulnerable, and he doesn’t know how to handle these huge big life things that have been thrown at him.

“I think that’s a cool way to reinvent the story, particularly today, and for young people to see powerful young women and vulnerable men.”

Cinderella opens at Sydney Lyric Theatre on Thursday, October 23.

cinderellamusical.com.au