Cinderella (Broadway) Analysis Part 1
Broadway's 2013 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein Cinderella is probably my favorite version of the fairy tale. The thing that really makes it special is the main characters, Ella and Topher, and how in each other they not only find someone who believes in them, but someone who inspires them to believe in themself. Not to mention their story features almost every good life lesson you can ever learn.
Cinderella’s strength as a heroine (though often overlooked today) has always come from her quiet inner strength. Her patience and kindness in living with her cruel family and her unwavering hope that things will be better someday. It may not seem like much, but being kind to those who are cruel to you, and being positive when your situation seems hopeless is no easy feat.
Though she’s treated like a servant in her own home, neglected, ridiculed, and emotionally abused, Ella isn't sulking around complaining. She finds reasons within herself to be happy. That’s why she can return Madame’s cold treatment with warmth and friendliness, that’s why she smiles and jokes around with Crazy Marie. As unhappy as her circumstances are, she hasn't let them define her, or crush her spirit. I love that this version emphasizes the value and strength that that takes, but still acknowledges Ella’s weaknesses and allows her to change and grow.
Prince Topher is the best interpretation of the typical fairytale prince I've ever seen–because he’s anything but typical. For once he’s dealing with the actual responsibilities of being a prince and ruling a kingdom instead of the usual dilemma of having to find a bride. And he’s a flawed person with a distinct personality, not the usual interchangeable pretty boy. In fact he’s kind of a dork. His name is Topher ffs. And the fact that they cast Santino Fontana with his guy-next-door/everyman looks says a lot about what kind of character they wanted to portray. I've heard some people (both critics and fans) say that he didn’t look the part of a prince, but that's exactly the point. Topher is not supposed to look like the typical fairytale prince because he isn’t a typical fairytale prince. He’s human, with just as much conflict and depth as Ella, so of course they cast someone who looks human and not like a model. But that’s what’s so great about this interpretation. They humanized a character that’s traditionally been more of a plot device than an actual character.
Ella and Topher Parallels
In this version, Ella and the prince are equals, they’re both flawed and both grow throughout the story. And though they’re on opposite ends of the social spectrum, their lives parallel each other. Both are meek and obedient to a fault, both are pushed around, having their lives ruled by someone whose cynical worldview contrasts with their persistent kindness. Madame, hardened by life’s hardships, believes there’s no room for love, you just have to survive, even if it means marrying for money, or taking advantage of people. Sebastian similarly believes in a dog eat dog world, doing whatever he can to preserve his power and privilege, even if it means stepping all over the poor and taking from the less fortunate. But in spite of this, Ella and Topher share an inner strength that hasn't let their kindness and sense of justice be corrupted by this worldview.
Kindness in A Cruel World
There’s no love at first sight here. When Topher and Ella first meet it’s before the ball, she doesn't know he’s a prince, and she’s in her peasant clothes covered in soot. But he takes notice of her just the same. Not because she’s beautiful (in fact no point is ever made that she’s a beauty, there’s no fairest in the land stuff), the thing that gets his attention is how she defends Crazy Marie. And likewise, she doesn't stop to take a good look at him until he gives her a coin as a gift “in appreciation of a true friend.”
Their initial connection isn't from love or attraction, but a mutual appreciation of the other’s kindness. It not only makes them notice each other, it sparks something that causes them both to take a good look at themselves.
For Ella, to have someone not only acknowledge her kindness, but show admiration and commend her for it –she who for years has never received so much as a thank you from her stepfamily –it makes her begin to value her goodness.
And for Topher, to see someone who has so little being kind to someone who has even less –the total opposite of the greed and cynicism that surrounds him in the palace – it makes him reflect on the kind of ruler he'll become.
The other thing they share is their loneliness.
It’s Good to Dream, But Don’t Just Dream
Ella lives with her step mother and sisters but she’s basically the maid and their relationship consists of her being bossed around and insulted by them. She certainly makes the best of her situation (never complaining and always keeping a smile on her face) but after Madame furiously rips up her father’s coat (the last thing she has of his) we see just how alone she is and how much pain she lives with.
“In My Own Little Corner” shows how she deals with her pain through dreaming of better things, and this is both good and bad. It’s good of course because it not only keeps her mind off her unhappiness but it also gives her hope. Her life may be lonely and dreary, but no one can order her around in her dreams and there’s no limit to what she can do or be. All the things and places she sings about show her rich inner life and imagination, and it also reveals how much she longs for a different life. Which brings us to the negative side of her dreaming.
She’s having fun singing and acting out her fantasies until one of them gets a little too real, apparently. When she imagines she's a “huntress on an African safari," things suddenly get scary, she forgets her gun and runs into a lioness, and then with a sigh of relief she’s back to the safety of her corner. I think this transition in the song shows her fear of actually acting on her dreams and leaving the world she knows, however awful it may be. The fact that her "little corner" is on the porch of the house is symbolic of this. She’s not in the house –with her cruel stepmother and unhappy life –but she hasn't left the house either. She’s using her dreams merely as a temporary escape. But dreaming will only take her so far.
“I wish I had a true friend”
Then we see Topher sing a reprise of this, and we learn that he too escapes his lonely life through dreaming (although his “little chair” is a big throne). Before this, during “Me, Who Am I”, we see his longing for meaning in his life, we see his insecurities about being king, and we get a sense of his isolation as well. He’s singing about his doubts and his worries, and his royal entourage (seemingly oblivious to his concerns) are singing about how perfect he is. They’re essentially brushing off his problems and it’s obvious that everyone around him (Sebastian being the ring leader) is just keeping him complaisant, not taking him seriously, and only interested in his power as the future king. Like Ella, he has yet to act on his inner struggles and dreams. They’re both sitting on the sidelines of their life.
Take Charge of Your Life or Someone/Something Else Will
Jean-Michel serves as the conscience to Topher and Ella. By making them aware of the struggles the peasants are facing, he forces them to examine their own lives and the lack of initiative they’re taking. Hearing about the injustices the people are facing inspires Ella to do something to help them, and by helping and speaking out for them, she’s actually speaking out for herself too. She’s not starving or homeless, but she too is being treated unjustly in her life. It’s a strange thing that it’s often easier to help others than it is to help yourself.
Topher first hears Jean-Michel from the palace shouting for him to “take responsibility for his actions.” He’s talking about the land that Sebastian is taking away from the people unbeknownst to Topher, but on another level, this also speaks to Topher’s conscience since he’s literally letting Sebastian take responsibility of both the kingdom he's supposed to be ruling, as well as his life choices. Topher is constantly going along with whatever he says, apologizing all the time, and taking no initiative. When he does ask questions or express doubts, Sebastian tells him not to worry and Topher doesn’t press him, blindly trusting him and not taking charge of any decisions over his kingdom/life. When Sebastian suggests he marry to distract the people (never mind if he wants to or not) his immediate response is: “But I don’t know any girls.” Then before he can object the ball is ordered and he stands mumbling in confusion as the set pulls him off stage-- a perfect visual metaphor for the lack of control he has over his life.
Don't give away your heart
Don't take what the world gives you"
Just like Ella, his life is being dictated for him. In a sense, they have unwittingly "given away their heart," putting their power (the power/ potential we all have as human beings) in someone else’s hands. Topher's journey is to reclaim his power, Ella’s journey is to realize that she has power.
The Only Time You Have Control Over is Now
Similar to “Me, Who Am I”, there’s a fight for attention between truth and complaisance in the next song, “The Prince is Giving a Ball/ Now is the Time.” The ball is announced and the people go crazy with excitement at the hope of marrying the prince, becoming queen and having all of their problems solved. Jean-Michel knows this is merely a distraction and tries to rile up the people to act, to no avail.
While the ball and the time to act are opposing ideas for everyone else, for Ella, the stars have aligned and the music is pointing the way. The prince is giving a ball and now is her time to act –to not only take a risk and live out one of her dreams for a night, but to speak out on behalf of the people.
Before the song ends, Madame snatches up her invitation and besides, Ella has no dress of her mothers to wear in this version. After they leave for the ball and Jean-Michel mocks her, she sassily breaks into a reprise of “In My Own Little Corner” and this time the lyrics are purely about the ball. She sings triumphantly about how jealous her sisters would be to see her, and then her singing becomes somber as the reality sinks in; this isn't some fantasy that could never happen, the ball is happening right now and she’s missing it. She sings the last line “all alone in my own little chair”, with an angry pout.
Dreaming and waiting isn't enough anymore. What Ella needs now is the courage to act. Enter Crazy Marie.
Everything is Possible If You Believe
Crazy Marie, being in actuality a fairy godmother, could have just showed up in her fairy garb and worked her magic immediately. Instead, she encourages Ella to talk about going to the ball, asking her specifics and throwing in her own details until it seems real to Ella and she’s smiling again. Only then does she reveal her magic.
After Marie reveals herself to be a fairy, Ella still has her doubts and Marie sings “Impossible,” working a little reverse psychology until it hits Ella that hello a beggar woman just turned into a fairy before her eyes but somehow going to the ball is impossible? Soon she's excited at the possibility of Marie's magic fixing her situation. Then suddenly Marie tells her “No, but you can do it, you can make it alllllllll happen,” to which Ella replies: “Never, I couldn’t.” And I can’t blame her confusion. Here is your fairy godmother waving around her magic and when you ask her to use that magic to help you (which is what she’s there for) she tells you to help yourself? Really??
And here’s where we see the real purpose of her magic. Yes, she’s granting her a wish (and if anyone deserves that kind of a break it’s Ella) but the magic also serves to help her believe in herself. If MAGIC exists and animals can transform into men, and pumpkins into carriages, then is the idea of her having a better life really so far-fetched? Is the idea of her being the one to change it really impossible? Even the detail of the invitation she whips out being torn serves to push Ella out of her comfort zone and to "not wait for everything to be perfect, just go." The important thing is that she finally take the first step to act. And sure enough, Ella takes over the song in a role reversal until she sings with full conviction that "Impossible things are happening everyday." The final touch for me is Ella's gown. This version, while following the original fairy tale by featuring multiple balls, doesn't have a magical dress sent by Ella's dead mother, or even an old dress of her mother's to redo. Instead, the gown is magically revealed from her shabby peasant dress. Apart from being a marvel of theatre quick change and costume design (it all happens on stage) it's very fitting to Ella's journey that she isn't merely transformed into a beautiful, confident, brave princess; instead it's shown to be something she already has within her.
That’s also why the magic is temporary. She’s not trying to change Ella’s life for her, she’s using her magic to inspire Ella to see her own power and change it herself.
areudirty
pixelskylines
tangentwithtanner
discoholicmusic
titsay
romaincrisis
gummygunk
turnnoffyourmind
stormborns
gracieabrams
theartofmadeline
yousharknotpass
