English National Ballet, Cinderella Games

Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella adapted to be danced in-the-round at the Royal Albert Hall was the final programme streamed by English National Ballet (ENB) as part of its Wednesday Watch Parties.

Wheeldon is a highly inventive and creative choreographer, much in the demand internationally, and his Cinderella is a pure delight of choreography and stagecraft.

Now, it’s also provided the inspiration for film makers Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple – known collectively as Jess and Morgs, who’ve choreographed and directed the short film Cinderella Games, produced by ENB.

Cinderella Games imagines the fairy-tale with an alternative ending: after the ball the real Cinderella was never found, and instead a sinister game show now exists in which contestants compete for the Cinderella title

The short was filmed on location at the Royal Albert Hall and the Kempton Steam Museum, and showcases 35 inter-generational participants from a range of dance backgrounds, who perform alongside ENB dancers Chihiro Kawasaki and Matthew Hawkins.

Cinderella Games was screened during ENB’s autumn/winter 2019 tour as a curtain raiser for select performances of Cinderella. Throughout 2020, the film is being screened at film festivals worldwide.

Cinderella Games premieres online on ENB’s Facebook and Youtube pages.

Immediately after the premiere Jess and Morgs will take part in a special online Q&A to discuss their creative process.