Cinderella The Principal girl. She is mistreated by her wicked stepmother and her two stepsisters and is made to do all the chores and live in rags. After a visit by her Fairy Godmother she goes to the ball and meets the love of her life Prince Henrik.
Prince Henrik. Principal Boy, Cinderella’s ‘Prince Charming’. Falls immediately in love with Cinderella when he sees at the ball. Will stop at nothing to find the girl whose foot fits the glass slipper so he can marry her.
Grotessa & Horribella Cinderella’s step-sisters, more commonly known as the ‘Ugly Sisters’. Traditionally played my men. Over the top in everything they do including make-up, hair and costumes. They treat Cinderella like their personally slave rather than a sister. They are fiercely competitive with each other, bickering one minute then the best of friends.
Buttons. Baron Hardnut’s valet. Secretly in love with Cinderella. Has a kind heart and will do anything to help Cinderella and the Baron. Comedy role with interaction with audience.
Baron Hardnut-Tocrack Cinderella’s father. A small part. Too weak to stand up to her wife but has a kind heart.
Barbarous The Baroness. Cinderella’s evil Step-mother and mother to Grotessa & Horribella. The Baron’s second wife. Has a deep hatred for Cinderella and belittles the Baron constantly. Feels she married beneath her when she wed the Baron.
Dandini The Prince’s private secretary. Always by Prince Henrik’s side and very loyal. In love with Rose.
Fairy Godmother First seen disguised as an old woman. Once she sees how kind & thoughtful Cinderella is she reveals herself to be her Fairy Godmother. Performs magic so Cinderella can go to the ball in style.
Ragtag A pedlar who with his horse Dobby sells an array of dubious potions and trinkets. An old friend of Buttons.
Dobby the Horse Traditional 2-person pantomime horse.
Rose King Percival’s nurse. Tries her best to look after the King but does not always succeed.
King Percival A small part. Prince Henrik’s aging, doddery father. The King gets very confused and is obsessed with moths and still believes the war with neighbouring country Moravia
(Horribella suddenly starts skipping around the stage. Grotessa and Cinderella are bemused.)
Grotessa (to Horribella) What are you doing?
Horribella (still skipping) Following Doctor’s orders.
Cinderella The doctor told you to skip?
Horribella He did. He gave me a bottle of pills and the label says ‘take one pill for five days and then skip the next’. And this is my skipping day!
(Horribella stops skipping, she’s out of puff, bends over double).
Grotessa The last time I saw my doctor he asked me if I drank to excess. I told him I’d drink to anything.
Cinderella Alcohol doesn’t solve any problems.
Grotessa Maybe not but neither does milk!
Horribella (straightening up) Oh, all that skipping takes it out on me.
Cinderella You’re very unfit. Do you exercise?
Horribella I forgot to exercise today. (Pause) Would you believe that’s twenty years in a row I’ve forgotten to exercise.
Grotessa I tried exercise once.
Cinderella What happened?
Grotessa I spilt my large glass of merlot all over me. Such a waste!
Horribella Talking about merlot, isn’t it wine o ‘clock time?
Grotessa I do believe you’re right. Let us retire to the parlour and devour … I mean sip our way through that bottle of wine gifted to us by the local wine merchant.
Horribella (to Cinderella) Call us when dinner is ready.
(They both exit.)
Cinderella (to herself) I wonder where Buttons is, I really need his help. (To audience) If you see Buttons, you will let me know, won’t you?
(Cinderella starts to collect items from around the stage ready for preparing dinner. Buttons enters behind Cinderella; she fails to see him. Audience will shout out ‘He’s behind you’)
Cinderella (to audience) He’s where?
Audience He’s behind you!
(Cinderella looks round behind her but Buttons moves with her, constantly staying out of Cinderella’s sight line.)
Cinderella (to audience) Oh no he isn’t!
Audience Oh yes he is!
(Repeat the above action with the audience several more times.)
