My First Ballet: Cinderella at Lighthouse, Poole Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Helen O
I’d never seen a ballet before, so sharing in my daughter’s very first experience of English National Ballet’s My First Ballet: Cinderella this morning felt incredibly special. There was a real buzz of anticipation between us as we took our seats at Lighthouse, Poole — one of the stops on the company’s national tour, which is pirouetting its way across the country introducing budding ballerinas to the magical world of ballet.
Appearing at Lighthouse, Poole for two enchanting days of performances on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th April 2026, it presents a fantastic opportunity to open the door to a lifelong love of ballet for the young audience.
We were seated in the Theatre with a brilliant view of everything happening on stage. It’s a space that feels perfectly suited to a performance like this — intimate, welcoming, and just the right size for young children to be gently introduced to the wonderful world of ballet.
In this reimagined take on the traditional story, we meet the nature‑loving Ella, who lives on the edge of an enchanted forest. She has suffered not only the loss of her beloved mother, but also her father, following his marriage to Ella’s sharp‑tongued stepmother. Now at the mercy of her stepmother — accompanied by two boisterous stepsisters and a never‑ending list of chores — Ella finds herself pulled away from the nature she loves so dearly.
Cinderella’s journey to discover her true self begins when an invitation arrives inviting the family to the Prince’s Garden Ball. Guided by her magical Fairy Godmother, Ella reconnects with the nature she cherishes and heads to the ball, enchanted by the Palace garden and the nature-loving Prince.
The use of a narrator was brilliant — especially as, even with a well‑known story, such as Cinderella, it can be challenging to follow the plot through music alone- particularly for little ones. This particular narrator, Kate Donnachie, was spectacular. Not only did she give each character their own distinct voice, tone, and accent, but she slipped in and out of those roles with complete ease, delivering the entire performance without a single hesitation.
Our favourite part of the show was the solo dances by the different woodland animals- dressed perfectly to depict their characters. My daughter was captivated and also enjoyed trying to guess which animal we would see next.
We absolutely loved the set design, it felt magical – the way that the set was easily moved around, to depict the different locations throughout the performance, was brilliant. The costumes were equally impressive, perfectly designed to bring each character to life and in some cases, add a touch of humour.
This stage show is choreographed by George Williamson with this new production performed by students of the English National Ballet School Graduate Artists Programme. What a magical career these students have ahead of them, so much potential.
The performance is accompanied by a shortened, recorded version of Prokofiev’s spellbinding score, which is the perfect backdrop to the magnificent dancing.
The show is recommended for ages 3+ which I feel is suitable. However, the show runs for approximately 1 hour 40 minutes (with a 20 minute interval), which I feel is quite a long time to keep youngsters of this age entertained, which might be something for parents to bear in mind.
Tickets cost from £17.50 each, which I feel is great value for a performance such as this. With more opportunities to see this show on Sunday 19th April 2026, I’d absolutely recommend booking a ticket for this family experience.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: Ticket prices from £17.50
Buy Tickets here: https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/my-first-ballet-cinderella/
Address: Lighthouse, 21 Kingland Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1UG
Photo Credit: English National Ballet