Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CINDERELLA to make West End premiere in 2020

This will be Cinderella like you’ve never seen her before.

Andrew Lloyd Webber | Photo by Getty Images

Based on an original idea by Emerald Fennell (Killing Eve), with lyrics by David Zippel (City of Angels, The Woman in White) and score by theatre royalty Andrew Lloyd Webber, this new adaptation of the fairy tale classic is meant to be completely fresh and never before seen. The specifics are totally under wraps at this stage, but what we do know so far is that the plot revolves around Prince Charming realising he’s gay and running off with another man, leaving Cinderella to find her way through life and love.

“I have long wanted to write my own version of Cinderella but could never find a take on the classic story that really grabbed me,” said Lloyd Webber on his new adaptation. “Emerald Fennell has written something truly exciting and original, and the moment I read her outline I knew I’d found my latest collaborator. I’m very pleased to be working with David Zippel, a hugely witty lyricist, once again. I’m also excited to be reunited with Laurence and JoAnn, who I loved creating School of Rock with and who delivered a knock out Joseph last Summer at The London Palladium, where it rightfully returns in June.”

This version of the story will follow a long succession of Cinderella-themed musical, following Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Sondheim’s Into The Woods, Ellis and Myers’ Mr Cinders, and of course, the Disney animated feature film.

The show is set to open in September in London’s Gillian Lynne Theatre, taking over once ALW’s School of Rock closes later this year. We will update readers with more information as it comes in!

Gabi Bergman

Gabi Bergman (she/her) is a Melbourne-based performer and educator, and the current Deputy Editor-in-Chief of AussieTheatre.com. She holds a double degree in Theatre Studies and Film/Screen Studies, along with a Master of Teaching (Secondary Education). A passionate advocate for inclusion and diversity in the arts, Gabi brings her deep love of storytelling to the stage, the page, and the classroom. A lifelong lover of theatre, she spends more on tickets than she’d like to admit. Her most prized possession is her ever-growing collection of theatre programs.