Cinderella on the Rocks





				Kobal's very first production, performed at the Grange Arts Centre in Oldham on 21st to 24th November 2001. Dante’s Inferno is the hottest club in town and each night all eyes are on hunky Michael as he hugs the Microphone, especially those of overworked barmaid Cindy, whose secret love seems to be forever unsaid. With Mike not noticing her and her sisters making a play for him she feels there is no hope, until a friend offers her a helping hand. With great music from the 70’s to the present day, there’s no end to the fun in this modern day recreation of the panto classic – for big kids only. Cinderella On The Rocks: 90% Proof (5% Unreliable witnesses, 4% blurry CCTV footage, 1% total fabrication) Origins of the show Cinderella on the Rocks was originally intended to be Proteus Theatre Company’s third production. It was early 1999, and while Proteus was preparing Death in Small Doses for performance Chris Morris hit upon the idea of performing a rock panto for adults, but due to the impending birth of his son (Dylan) he was unable to put pen to paper. After the production had finished Stephen Michael Lowe set about a plot, moving the story of Cinderella to the present day and setting it in a nightclub, with Cinders and the ugly sisters as barmaids working for their parents. Presenting the idea to the other Proteus members, the brainstorming soon started and with the suggestion of Jon’s that the girls’ father be a transvestite called Dante (always thinking of excuses to get himself in a dress), and other thoughts from the group about updating Buttons and Prince Charming, the idea soon became a fully fledged concept. Sitting on his own (as he often does), Stephen worked out a plot for the play and brought it to the group for discussion. With details altered and events re-jigged a plot was ironed out and in two eight hours sessions Stephen finished the script. A production date was decided, and rehearsals started in earnest, but the complexity of the task ahead soon led to arguments and disagreements, ultimately resulting in the cancellation of the show and the disbanding of Proteus. Fast forward two years and Craig Sharples suggests to Stephen that efforts be made to perform Cinderella on the Rocks. Stephen is enthusiastic, but is reticent to resurrect Proteus. They therefore discuss their intentions with several people, including among others Mark Distin – lo and behold KOBAL was born.