Cinderella Acrostic Synopsis
Cinderella by Dougie Squires
Theatre Royal Brighton, 1995
Cinderella and her best friend Buttons are trying their hardest to get everything organised and tidy. Her father Baron Hardup is returning home from a magic conference and he is bringing with him his new wife.
In an unguarded moment, Buttons reveals that he truly loves Cinderella and he believes that she loves him too.
Nearby, a poor beggar woman is being picked on by some thoughtless village children. Cinderella soon puts a stop to it. She tries to hide the old woman as best she can, but being so poor she can’t offer much. They go into the forest to collect firewood and pick some flowers to welcome home the new stepmother.
Dandini, Prince Charming’s sidekick, is in the forest awaiting the return of his master from his travels. The Prince arrives at the same time as a fox. Being a huntin’ and shootin’ kind of gentleman, he can’t can’t resist the lure of the chase. Cinderella furiously interrupts this grisly scene, demanding the release of the fox. The Prince is captivated by the passion and beauty of this mysterious peasant girl, but before he can even manage to get her name she has disappeared back into the woods. Desperate for some way of finding her, he decides to hold a ball on New Year’s Eve and invite all the women in the land, so he can see this enchanting beauty once more.
Eagerly, Cinderella waits for her father. When he does arrive, he brings with him not one, but two possible stepmothers. The sisters Abby and Fabby haven’t decided which of them will marry the unfortunate baron. The self-obsessed duo are less than impressed with the sight of Cinderella and Buttons and decide they’ll do as servants.
Royal invitations for the ball arrive. Cinderella receives hers but there is no point in her even thinking about a royal ball as she has nothing nice to wear. The sisters grab their invitations greedily, and start their long and laborious preparations.
Even though it’s a while before New Year’s Eve, for Abby and Fabby it’s never too soon to start the beautification process. There is mud to be packed and facial hair to be removed. After all, there’s a chance of a royal romance at stake – in all the excitement both sisters seem to have forgotten Baron Hardup!
Lonely and dejected, Cinderella sits in the kitchen crying. It’s New Year’s Eve, the night of the ball, and she’s home alone. Abby and Fabby cruelly forced her to tear up her invitation before swanning off to the palace themselves. Dependable Buttons had tried to cheer her up with a ball of their own, but Cinders was just not in the mood. A knock at the door interrupts her tears and there stands the poor old beggar woman. Invited in to enjoy the warm fire, she reveals her true identity – she is Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother! A few magic moments later the astonished Cinderella finds herself transformed into the beautiful Princess Crystal, complete with a coach, horses and a pair of glass slippers. With a final warning to leave before midnight, off she goes to the ball.
Love is certainly in the air. Free from the attentions of the sisters, Baron Hardup notices the charms of the Fairy Godmother and from the moment Cinderella arrives, the Prince is enchanted. The evening flies by too quickly. Before the Prince has a chance to declare his love and propose, the clock strikes midnight. Panic-stricken, Cinderella flees, leaving behind a glass slipper. The heartbroken Prince declares that whosoever fitteth this slipper shall be his bride.
After searching everywhere, the Prince finally arrives at the Baron’s house. Disappointed, Abby and Fabby admit defeat, they can’t even squeeze their toes into the delicate shoe, no matter how hard they try. The loyal Buttons fetches Cinderella, who had been locked away by the devious sisters. The slipper, of course, fits perfectly. A double wedding is to take place – the Prince and Cinderella, and Baron Hardup and the Fairy Godmother. Needless to say, they all – even Abby and Fabby – live happily ever after.