Fielding, Harold

Fielding's Cinderella was notable for taking a new approach to the more traditional British pantomime, whilst also harking back to the lavish Drury Lane pantomimes of the late 19th century. It was based on the American musical version of the story composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, that had been originally written for a live CBS broadcast on American television on 31 March 1957 starring Julie Andrews as Cinderella. Although Rodgers and Hammerstein were already very well known for their stage musicals such as their 1943 Oklahoma!, this was their first musical to be televised.

Harold Fielding produced his expanded, re-orchestrated version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella in a style carefully designed to appeal to British audiences of all ages and interests. The stepsisters Portia and Joy were played in drag by the radio star Kenneth Williams and Variety's comic strongman Ted Durante, while the comedian Jimmy Edwards, well-known from the radio's popular programme Take It From Here played The King. By casting the twenty-two year old Rock 'n Roll sensation Tommy Steele as Buttons, and the singer Yana in the title role, Fielding was also appealing to younger pop fans and was going against the tradition of a female principal boy by casting the baritone singer Bruce Trent as the Prince.

Fielding's Cinderella, directed by Freddie Carpenter, was the first pantomime at the London Coliseum for fourteen years, and with spectacular sets designed by Loudon Sainthill and a large cast including a flock of live geese, it was the most expensive pantomime ever costing £100,000 to mount, with the ballroom scene alone costing £12,500.

From the guide to the Collection relating to Harold Fielding's production of 'Cinderella', 1958, (V&A Theatre and Performance)