Cinderella

Cinderella the traditional story  – version by Tom Sandow

My watercolour of Cinderella

During my childhood the family performed many annual pantomimes and I always looked forward to each one. For me the first introduction to acting, the theatre, and the design of stage sets – very exciting. Some were large pantomimes with lavish sets whilst others might be smaller but even those I found of great interest, how sets could be adjusted to suit a given budget. Cinderella was the most chosen pantomime because my father would supply the Shetland ponies to pull the Cinderella coach. This pantomime has always been my favourite. Even from an early age the correct casting would matter to me and, in most cases, both Cinderella and Buttons were usually of the wrong ages in my view. Cinderella should be a teenager of about seventeen years and Buttons perhaps a year older. Here is a version of Cinderella that I have put together and I hope you like it children.

Ye Olde England

In a bygone age of olde England, its people were not very happy for they were burdoned with great taxation and petty rules imposed upon them by a rather grumpy old King who was reclusive and knew or cared little of his subjects, or their daily grinds or worries. He had surrounded himself with countless ‘agreeable’ persons who protected him from realities. Not that he was likely to venture outside of his palace to mix with his subjects who would find jollity for themselves in simple ways. The miserable King had decreed that all revels and entertainments, including tavern singing, had to be vigorously licenced for 364 days of the year leaving just the one day, the King’s birthday, when festivals and a holiday was freely allowed.

His Young Prince Charming

Fortunately his son, the young Prince Regent, was opposed to is father’s dictating attitudes and mixed and travelled as much as possible to see for himself life with the people deliberately dressing in common clothes so not to be recognised. The Prince believed that when he bacame King everything would be so different but for the time being no authority was vested in him.

On this one particular holiday the locals of a small township enjoyed themselves in the market square that was full of trades-people and celebrations. The drinking taverns were bulging and the streets packed with stalls and traditional frivolous pursuits. Music, Round-a-bouts, booths and circus folk all added to the excitment for all. not that they cared much about the miserable King or his birthday.

The township was not far from where the young Prince lived with his father in the Palace. On this particular day he ventured out, secretly, with his valet Dandini, both were riding through the countryside dressed, as usual, in common clothes. Venturing into the town they knew that the Prince would not be recognised. They both joyfully joined in with the flolicking, engaging in the pig chasing contest. After sometime spent in the local hostelry the Prince decided to leave Dandini to find some quiet in the surrounding warm green countryside. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon. ‘I will meet with you here in about one hour’ said the Prince to Dandini.

The Prince spied a quiet woodloand

A distance from the town was a small area of woodland where the young maiden ‘Cinderella’ was seated upon a log that afternoon escaping, for a short time, the hardship of her home. Her father was the local blacksmith who could earn a good living had he been reliable but, instead, he chose to spend too much time and money in the local hostelry so that he struggled to make ends meet. This particular day he was there, as usual, seated not far from Dandini. Seated with a big red round face laughing with fellow tradesmen.

Cinderella’s father did have a young fellow to help with the trade and to be a general ‘do all’. He was called ‘Buttons’ because that was about his worth! Joked the blacksmith’s younger twin sisters Gertrude and Mildred. Both were still spinsters and not very attractive. They were extremely lazy and failed to contribute much to the running of the house or the business.

The Daily Grind

To the recently departed wife of the blacksmith was born their only child, Priscilla. Very beautiful and just seventeen years of age. She was victimised and despised by the two elder Aunt’s because of her youth and beauty. She was made to be a servant to them both and made to do all the meniel chores around this dilapidated dwelling. The cleaning and the scrubbing and the cleaning of the fires of all ashes was left to poor Cinders. She was constantly seen sooty and the Aunt’s would call her ‘The Grate Princess’! In their course humour. Buttons then called her ‘Cinderella’, also great humour in his reckoning.

Prisciila’s father was most weak and totally dominated by his two sisters who controlled what little money was available and kept young ‘Cinders’ in constant rags of clothing. On this day she escaped to the woods via the jollity of the town and watched the circus folk and laughed at the simple lovable antics of the clown jesters. But, being penniless, she eventually chose to visit the woods where she often went for solitude and quietness.

Prisciila was seated upon a log as usual with the birds and furry animals playing around her feet because they knew her and trusted her. After a time she observed a very old woman bending in great pain to gather sticks. She also was dressed in rags. Priscilla felt so sorry to see this crooked form and asked her why she was doing this. The old woman said; ‘I must gather sticks my child because I am so poor, sticks are my only warmth’. Priscilla felt so sorry for the old woman and suggested that she be seated whilst she gathered the sticks for her. ‘No my child, I could not allow you to do this’. But Priscilla insisted. The old woman said; ‘this is such a kindness my child for my back is in such pain. One day you will be greatly rewarded for this kindness’. Eventually the old woman went away.

Cinderella sat again upon the log feeling most hopeless and unwanted and then she started to weep. Visualising a future for herself much like the old womans. After some time the Prince Regent saw Cinderella seated upon the log with her tears falling. He was so taken for he could see, even at a distance, that Cinderella was by far the most beautiful of girls he had ever seen – even dressed in rags. Far more beautiful than any titled lady ever presented at Court. The Prince thought to himself; I must speak with her but I must stay as a commoner, I will assume the identity of Dandini.

The Prince thought for a time about the conversation he might engage her with. He then approached but, upon seeing him, Cinderella became startled and a little frightened stood up and ran away as fast as she could go, back to the town and was soon lost in the crowds. The young Prince was distraught. ‘Who was she? He asked himself. ‘I must find her again, she must be of this town. I will search every house’. Wondering the streets he could not see her anywhere so eventually he rejoined his valet Dandini and told of the wonderful experience.

Dandini was not impressed!

‘Forget her Lord!’ ‘You know that such a meeting would be impossible for you, you being a Prince and her being some retched peasant girl. You must think of your duties and position’. Said Dandini snobishly, and thinking that, perhaps, the Prince was inheriting the same eccentricity that his father showed.

The Prince could well understand the reasoning given by Dandini and the implications of such a future and was, indeed, almost convinced. However, within the walls of the Palace he became very depressed with the life of this constant Court that bored him so. He could not lose for one moment the wonderful vision stuck in his mind, of Cinderella’s lovely face – the unknown face of the girl of the woods (as he called her).

After some days the Prince summoned Dandini. ‘Dandini’, he said ‘I have thought of a great plan, I intend to find this girl of the woods once again and you will help me with it’. Dandini being negative replied ‘I do not see how Sire, she may not even be of that town, she could even be of some band of gypsies who have long departed’,

‘I do not think so but non the less’ said the Prince, ‘I intend to organise a Grand Ball at the Palace and invite every maiden from that township. Surely this will be the way to meet the girl of the woods again’. In due course the Prince revisited the town and met with the town Elders and the Mayor to explain his quest and the plan to them. He requested that invitations be given to all single girls of the parish, for persons to visit every house and, he himself, would take part to locate the correct dwelling. The Elders and the Mayor thought, also, that perhaps the young Prince may be inheriting some of his father eccentricities.

Meanwhile poor Cinderella was at the rear of the house washing and scrubbing clothes suffering much more abuse from the twin sisters or, ‘ugly’ sisters as Buttons would call them – out of earshot of course. Buttons was also deeply in love with Cinderella but she did not care for him much at all, for he was rather uncouth with a course humour. She did not like the title ‘Cinderella’ and told him so but he could not understand why.

The disguised Prince toured the poorest areas of the town, being sure that Cinderella could not possibly be the daughter of a tradesman. It was Dandini, upon his horse, that located the blacksmith’s yard and seeing young Buttons working the forge said ‘good morning young fellow, is anyone at home in this household? ‘Aye, Sire, the ladies of the house’ he replied. ‘Be a good man and clean the hooves of my horse whilst I make enquiries’ Said Dandini a bit pompously. ‘Aye, that I will do’ replied Buttons with a sardonic grin and a touch of his cloth cap. Father of course was to be found in the local hostelry.

News of the planned Ball

Gertrude answered the door and Dandini said to her ‘I am the valet of the Prince Regent, he is planning a Festival Ball at the Palace and wishes to invite all single ladies of the township’…. at that Mildred appeared; ‘what is this about a Festival Ball? she shouted. Not wishing to be rude Dandini then explained the plan to invite all maidens of the town and requested how many such maidens were present within the household. ‘Just the two of us’ replied Gertrude quickly. With a frown Dandini gave two invitations to the two sisters and left. He then collected his horse and gave sixpense to Buttons for his trouble.

Getrude and Mildred were ecstatic with excitement. Buttons had heard the whole conversation of course only being yards away. Cinderella thought much about this handsome stranger she had seen in the woods that day and had told Buttons about the encounter – he mentioning more than once how foolish she might have been in running away and wondered if she may see him ever again. Buttons was not happy at all to hear about any other person and would change the subject whenever it was mentioned. It was also in his interest – he selfishly thought – not to tell Cinderella the truth about the visit of Dandini or the story about just two tickets for a Ball instead of three tickets.

The two Aunt’s entered the kitchen and seeing Cinderella scrubbing at the washboard said; ‘keep scrubbing you horrible little person’. We want this house in prime condition for the Prince Regent has invited us both to attend a fine Ball at the Palace and he may return with us later! ‘What of me? asked Cinderella. ‘You. YOU! Said one ‘why would a Prince of England be the least bit interested in a person like you? At this point the henpecked father returned saying; ‘what is this shouting about? The twins chuckled and told him their news. Father said; ‘but what of Priscilla, why is she not also invited? ‘For one thing’ replied one sister, she has no suitable clothes to wear and we have no money to lavish. In any case, she is far too young!’

Eventually the date of the Ball arrived with the twin sisters spending much time to prepare themselves to look their best without much success perhaps. The chosen invited went on their way to the Palace in specially provided coaches. Still the young Prince had failed in the task of finding again his ‘girl of the woods’. He was most sad. Cinderella, not knowing anything of the truth, had thought that only a few tickets were given for the Ball and, in any case, could not consider going anyway because, what the two sisters said was true – she had only rags to wear.

Cinderella’s Dream

Alone in the kitchen she sat watching the flames dance in the fire grate and visualised the dancing at the Palace. The flames then became acrobats and she thought about the circus folk in the square and how happy they seemed and thought to herself; ‘perhaps tomorrow I will run away and join the circus troupe’, she would be happy with them she felt sure. Eventually she fell asleep in the chair by the fire but awoke with a start to see a beautiful woman standing in the kitchen who said; ‘Cinderella, I am your special guardian, I am here to care for you. Your wonderful kindness to the old lady in the woods has inspired me to come and help. For only kind hearts deserve fortunate guidance. You shall go to the Ball but you must remember that my powers will stop at precisely mid-night’. The guardian then created a simple but wonderful crinoline for Cinderella. Shortly, if by magic,  a coach arrived at the door of the house to take Cinderella to the Palace.

Cinderella goes to the Ball

At the lavish Ball the young Prince was dancing with lovely companions but none could compare to the girl of the woods. As he danced around he suddenly saw her standing at the entrance to the Ballroom! It was she! He delightedly thought. This wonderful face. Eventually he approached Cinderella who could see that this was the young man she ran away from in the woods that special day but could not understand how the Prince Regent could be the same person when the person in the woods was not Royally dressed at all. The Prince explained everything and the whole point for this Grand Ball was to find her – Cinderella!

Cinderella was overwhelmed. She now despised her Aunt’s for the lies and the cruelties. The Prince would dance with no other for the rest of the evening but time past so fast and twelve o’clock mid-night struck but she could not hear it over the wonderful sounds of the music and she was ecstatic with happiness. Suddenly, as she danced with the Prince, she was again dressed in her terrible rags not that he had noticed. The crowd gasped. the band stopped playing then all the guests began to snigger then laugh then laugh very loudly and mocked poor Cinderella who then tried to run away again but this time the Prince held her tightly. The Prince became angry and shouted ‘the Ball is over! I ask you all to leave, none who have mocked this girl will ever be welcomed into my presence again. In her finery or in her rags I have found my Princess, the future Queen of England!

The two Aunt’s tried to find favour but were sent away along with the others.

When the Prince became King he imposed fine and popular laws and rescinded all the petty rules and freed his subjects. The new King and his beautiful Queen Priscilla were loved by all for the kindness shown and England became a very happy land.

Our website is designed to be non-political! International art and performing artistes unit the world with a message of pure talent be it dance song comedy or acrobatic skills, the full spectrum of escape from a rather sad planet ruled by great and poweful people. Perhaps they should take a note of cheer from this sequence by Gene Kelly in that wonderful musical film Anchors Away when he comes across a sad King who has banned music and dance.