The Ash Girl

A contemporary retelling of Cinderella

Please note: Adult themes. Parental guidance advised

This wondrous drama explores the beauty and terror inherent in growing up

"…with hints of the Brothers Grim, medieval allegory and anthropomorphism. …it has a quirky originality…. Ashgirl is prey to self-doubt and is under the thumb of her stepmother, while her prince is an exiled Asian isolated and unhappy in his new country. Wertenbaker's biggest innovation is to suggest that the forest en route to the palace is populated by an animalized version of the Seven Deadly Sins, which are out to destroy humanity. She even adds a further allegorical figure, Sadness, who tries to tempt Ashgirl towards death, and battles with the Fairy in the Mirror for her soul. The result is like a mix of C.S. Lewis and Sondheim's Into the Woods: an eclectic fairy-tale anthology." — The Guardian