Mr. Cinders

Recently Updated

Introduction to "Mr. Cinders"

"Mr. Cinders" premiered in London’s West End at the Adelphi Theatre on February 11, 1929, running for 528 performances until March 29, 1930, after transferring to the Hippodrome on July 15, 1929. With music by Vivian Ellis and Richard Myers, and a book and lyrics by Clifford Grey and Greatrex Newman, this musical comedy flips the Cinderella tale, casting a male lead as the downtrodden hero. Produced by Julian Wylie and J.C. Williamson Ltd., it starred Binnie Hale as Jill Kemp and Bobby Howes as Jim Lancaster. Revived in 1983 at the Fortune Theatre with Denis Lawson and Christina Matthews, it ran 472 performances, fueled by Sting’s hit cover of "Spread a Little Happiness." A 1920s gem with a Depression-era bounce, its wit and tunes like "On the Amazon" earned it a lasting spot in West End lore, blending farce with a fresh twist on a classic fairy tale.

The Creative Team Behind the Show

Vivian Ellis and Richard Myers composed the sprightly score, with Clifford Grey and Greatrex Newman crafting the book and lyrics, infusing 1920s camp into a Cinderella spoof. Julian Wylie produced the original, with Binnie Hale’s radiant Jill and Bobby Howes’ cheeky Jim leading, joined by Clifford Heatherley as Sir George and A.W. Baskcomb as Lumley. The 1983 revival, directed by Tim Flavin after a King’s Head debut, featured Denis Lawson’s Jim and Christina Matthews’ Jill, with Graham Hoadly as Lumley and Steven Pacey as Guy Pacey’s "I Want the World to Know" a nod to his "Blake’s 7" fame. Producers Robert Mackintosh and Wylie, with orchestrations by Ellis, kept the Roaring Twenties vibe alive, while Newman and Ellis added "Please, Mr. Cinders" for the Fortune transfer, amplifying a team whose flair turned a fairy tale into a theatrical romp.

A Cinderella Tale Turned Upside Down

Jim Lancaster, a put-upon servant at Merton Chase, slaves under his haughty stepmother Lady Agatha and her spoiled sons, Lumley and Guy. When American heiress Jill Kemp, fleeing a traffic scrape as maid "Sarah," arrives, romance sparks amid the Lancasters’ ball at The Towers. Lumley frames Jim as a jewel thief Jill’s necklace planted in his pocket but Jim nabs the real crook, butler Smith, earning a £1,000 reward. Songs like "Spread a Little Happiness" and "One-Man Girl" propel the chaos, with a hat-fitting twist echoing Cinderella’s slipper revealing Jim’s heroism. Jill’s true identity stuns all, pairing her with Jim, while Lumley and Guy wed Minerva and Phyllis. A gleeful 1920s inversion, it ends with love and loot, proving even a Cinder-fella can win the day.

Performance and Reception

The 1929 Adelphi debut, after a Blackpool tryout and UK tour, dazzled with 528 performances, The Observer calling it “a riot of fun” for Howes’ Jim and Hale’s Jill, though some sniffed at its fluff. Its July 1929 Hippodrome shift cemented its hit status, outpacing peers like "The Five O’Clock Girl." The 1983 Fortune revival, opening April 27 after King’s Head previews, ran 472 shows until July 22, 1984 Sting’s "Spread a Little Happiness" cover boosting its buzz. Critics lauded Lawson’s “spry” lead and Matthews’ charm, per The Times, though The Guardian found it “datedly quaint.” Two 1983 cast recordings one piano, one orchestral charted, with over 500,000 attendees across runs, its frothy joy a tonic against gloomier fare like "Sweeney Todd," securing its revival as a West End darling.

Legacy in West End Theatre

"Mr. Cinders"’ 1,000+ total West End performances across 1929 and 1983 outshine many 1920s peers, its 1934 film "Mister Cinders" with Clifford Mollison and a Goodspeed 1988 run spreading its reach though Broadway eluded it. Ellis’ score, bolstered by Sting’s 1982 UK No. 3 hit, endures via recordings and amateur stagings through Faber Music, with "On the Amazon" a cabaret staple. The 1983 revival’s success sparked by changing tastes mirrors "Me and My Girl"’s revival arc, influencing light musical comedy’s resurgence. No Oliviers or Tonys, but its 2009 Shaw Festival nod and 2021 Scarborough amateur revival hint at staying power. A Roaring Twenties relic turned 1980s hit, it’s a West End footnote less "Les Mis" epic, more a charming echo of flipped fairy-tale glee.