You Can Listen to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella Right Now!

After a long series of lockdowns and delays, Andrew Lloyd Webber's new Cinderella musical finally premiered on June 25th at the Gillian Lynn Theatre in England. Being on the opposite side of the globe, I have no way of seeing this show in person, and I'm sure neither do many of you. It's time shine up your glass slippers because we're in luck! The official cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella was released today, and both acts have been uploaded to the official YouTube channel in chronological order! The songs recount the complete story of this new fairy tale adaptation, which is the next best thing to seeing the actual show. I am pleased to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this new version of "Cinderella" and can't wait to tell you all about. There will be a few spoilers in this post, so if you would like to avoid them, you can listen to Act 1 here and Act 2 here before reading it.

The story is pretty much how I interpreted it based on the first few singles that were released from the show. Cinderella is a trouble-making rebel without a cause similar to Princess Sam from Secret Society of Second-Born Royals. The superficial residents of Belleville openly mock her after she breaks their 49-year record of being voted "Most Beautiful Kingdom" when she defaces a monument. She sings to their faces that she is not affected by their taunts, but in private, she sings "Unbreakable," revealing that her tough skin is only a façade. The kingdom loses rapport and money as a result of Cinderella's vandalism, so the queen decides to hold a ball to find a wife for her son to build back Belleville's reputation. The problem is that Prince Charming, the favorite of the queen's offspring, disappeared on a daring mission and never returned, so the queen is forced to resort to the "spare," Prince Sebastian, to take his place. Prince Sebastian was mocked by the townsfolk just as much as Cinderella and sees her as the only person in the kingdom who truly understands him. Yet, as soon as preparations begin for the ball, the women of the kingdom suddenly find the prince a lot more attractive.

Overwhelmed by his newfound responsibility, Sebastian begs Cinderella to go to the ball so he doesn't have to be alone the. She is hesitant at first, telling him balls aren't exactly her style, but she comes around. After one of his servants tells her that he isn't interested in women who look like her but is too polite to tell her himself, Cinderella decides to get a last-minute makeover so she can look just as glamorous as all the other women of Belleville to please Sebastian. That leads to one of my favorite newly released songs from the new album, "Beauty Has a Price." This song sounds like it could have been written for an '80s adaptation of "Cinderella," which is neat because the two most famous versions both came out in the '50s. I love how it sounds like the Fairy Godmother character seduces Cinderella into giving up her most treasured possession to get a princess makeover and how it is implied that the glass shoes are as painful as walking on broken glass, reminiscent of the original story of "The Little Mermaid." It is a fresh new take on the "Cinderella" trope compared to countless other soulless retellings.

As a result of her over-the-top makeover, Prince Sebastian doesn't recognize Cinderella at the ball and treats her the way Simon treated Daphne when they first met in Bridgerton. She gets offended by his behavior and pushes him away. At midnight, Cinderella's stepsister, Adele, forces herself on Sebastian at the Stepmother's behest, and the queen announces that she is Sebastian's choice. It is at that moment Sebastian recognizes Cinderella, but she tells him it is too late because the queen has already announced his marriage to Adel. This leads into my favorite song in the show that was released several months ago, "Far Too Late." There are several things that I love about this twist. First, it addresses the fact that the original prince from "Cinderella" was a snob who refused to show interest in any of the other women attending the ball besides Cinderella. Perhaps if he had given some of them a chance, he may have found out that they were just as interesting. His stubbornness causes him to not even recognize Cinderella when she is right in front of him. Second, this is the scene that encompasses the show's theme of staying true to yourself. Prince Sebastian wanted Cinderella exactly the way she was, which deconstructs the problematic "makeover" fad of the '90s.

I am absolutely delighted to have the pleasure of listening to this soundtrack long before I will be able to watch the show. "Cinderella" is a story that has been done so many times that it is difficult to tell again in a new way. Andrew Lloyd Webber hits the mark perfectly by combining both modern and timeless aspects of the tale. Like most modern princesses, Cinderella is a feminist who has little interest in romance or dressing up. However, like most humans, she still has a desire to be loved and is just as capable of heartbreak as anyone else. I think the reversal of the modern "strong woman" trope is where the musical truly shines and grounds the contemporary princess archetype back in reality. Do you have a favorite song from the new soundtrack? Let me know in the comments below!