The Ash Girl by Timberlake Wertenbaker

Balham’s award-winning theatre group, Southside, will stage ‘The Ash Girl’, Timberlake Wertenbaker’s lyrical and knowing version of the Cinderella fable, from Wednesday 28 – Saturday 31 May at Chestnut Grove School Theatre, Boundaries Road SW12. Tickets: £10, concessions £7.50, Wednesday and Saturday. Performances: 7.45 pm Weds-Friday, Saturday at 5.00 pm

Abandoned by her father to the tender mercies of her stepmother and two sisters, Ash Girl seeks sanctuary in the cold grey ashes of the fireplace. When an invitation to the Prince’s ball arrives – and with the help of a few friends – she finds the courage to step out and seek her destiny. But before Ash Girl can find happiness in the arms of her Prince she must fight the darkness that is holding her back. She discovers – as we all have to – that conquering our own demons by learning to love ourselves is the real fairy-tale.

The Ash Girl is a fascinating twist on the Cinderella story that explores the emotions of all the characters involved. The Guardian described praised it as ‘A mix of C S Lewis and Sondheim's ‘Into the Woods’: an eclectic fairy-tale anthology.’
‘As lyrical and thought-provoking as you would expect from the award-winning playwright.’ (Independent on Sunday).