Cinderella and Her Prince

Shubshri Kandiah as Cinderella and Ainsley Melham as Prince Topher, speak to David Spicer about their fairy-tale reunion - being cast in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, after previously riding a magic carpet together.

DS: Shubshri, when you were in the musical Aladdin, you noted that Aladdin was the first movie you saw as a child where the Disney Princess looked like yourself. How does it feel be in a musical where the Disney representation did not look like yourself?

Shubshri Kandiah: It is an incredibly exciting step forward - not being restricted to playing roles where the colour of the skin is important. I hope that feeling is shared.

DS: In America they had a diverse cast for this musical in 1997, so have we taken our time in Australia?

Shubshri Kandiah: This is the Australian premiere, so this is our first chance.

DS: We can all whistle tunes from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific or The Sound of Music, but what great tunes will we hear in this musical?

Shubshri Kandiah: I love Ten Minutes Ago, A Lovely Night and In My Own Little Corner, which was one of the first songs I learned when I started singing lessons. It is very exciting to do that on the big stage.

DS: Does the story of Cinderella still resonate?

Shubshri Kandiah: The way this production is written, it is a contemporary look at the story. Cinderella not just a maid who turns into a Princess. She is in charge of her own destiny.

DS: In what way?

Shubshri Kandiah: She still gets a transformation from the Fairy Godmother. Cinderella remains in control with the Prince finding her. She decides on the path she wants to take, which is empowering.

DS: What bits of show business fairy dust should we excited about in this production?

Ainsley Melham: What they have done well is bring magic realism onto the stage. The sets and costumes are particularly lavish. The orchestrations are really lush, so the audience will be able to live the nostalgia of this tale in a beautiful sensory way.

As well, the classic tale Cinderella is given so much agency. The Prince is not well put together and a little unsure of himself. He’s lost his way and Cinderella essentially saves him.

DS: Growing up in Bathurst (in regional NSW) did you ever see yourself as a prince? That you were this handsome confident hero?

Ainsley Melham: I never saw myself as a prince. When I was first cast in Aladdin, that came as a surprise. It is really humbling to step into these sorts of roles.

DS: On Broadway a couple of years ago I saw your picture on a large billboard on Time Square – how did you take that?

Ainsley Melham: It was surreal experience When I first arrived it was like another stop on the tour. I had been moving the show around Australia - state to state - so at first New York felt like it was just another city. It felt weirdly anti-climactic. Then once I stepped on stage and heard the applause after the overture, I felt this was something special.

DS: (In Times Square) did you have to wear sunglasses?

Ainsley Melham: In our first apartment in Times Square we would have bright billboard lights shine all through the night, so we got used to wearing facemasks.

DS: Does music theatre have any further to go with inclusivity?

Ainsley Melham: There are always improvements to be made. Last year there was a lot of talk of Black Lives Matter. There are still minorities we don’t see. One of the conversations is about people with disability starting to happen on Broadway. Oklahoma was cast with Ali Stoker (who won a Tony). There are always improvements to be made. It shows that people in the arts are listening and are making exciting choices, ensuring what the public sees on stage is representative of Australia.

www.cinderellamusical.com.au

SEASON DETAILS

Venue: Capitol Theatre, Campbell Street, Haymarket

Season: From 16 November 2021

Performance Times: Tues 7pm (16 Nov only), Wed-Sat 7.30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm

Prices: From $69.90 (Transaction fees apply)

Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100