Keeping watch over Cinderella is the fairy godmother, played by Angela Matemotja

RELATED LINKS: We'll all go a-carolling GET you singing voices warmed up - the next few weeks is chockablock with carols by candlelight evenings. Read more Events CHECK out our comprehensive guide to city happenings and fun things to do. Read more What's hot THERE are a lot of things to do in Joburg. This is a round up, from hikes to art exhibitions. Read more This week in Joburg LUCILLE Davie has the low down on the best jols in Jozi this week. Read more Youth theatre ends year with Cinderella A MODERN version of the classic Cinderella by the Joburg Youth Theatre combines music, humour and audience participation. Read more Theatre JOZI'S theatres are buzzing with innovative, indigenous theatre telling the story of post-apartheid South Africa with passion and energy, accompanied by vibrant dancing and singing. Read more Fairytales come to the People's Theatre THIS spring, well-loved fairytales come to life at the People's Theatre, starting with the Three Little Pigs. Read more

Cinderella meets her prince: Christa-Louie van Heerden and Ruan Smit

Young and old love Cinderella THE Johannesburg Youth Theatre's Christmas play, Cinderella, was a hit with audience members of all ages on the opening night. December 7, 2005 By Buhle Makabane EVERYONE enjoyed the retelling of Cinderella on the opening night at the Johannesburg Youth Theatre - that much was obvious. A popular fairytale, it tells the story of a young girl badly treated by her step-mother and step-sisters after her own mother dies, only to be helped by her fairy godmother to win the prince. The audience loved the show. Both old and young enjoyed the humour and Cinderella's eventual triumph struck a chord with everyone, while her meeting with the prince was pure romance. Christa Louie van Heerden plays a Cinderella who knows what she wants. She overcomes all the hardships and challenges in her path through perseverance, honesty and kindness. The flower among the thorns: Cinderella, played by Christa-Louie van Heerden, and her two sisters, Hein van Zyl and Brenda Mukwevho The story goes that the handsome prince, in want of a wife, invited all the girls in the land to a ball. "The prince will not even look at you," Cinderella's step-sister tells her. But she doesn't count on a fairy godmother, played by Angela Matjemotja, who arrives just in time to prepare Cinderella for the ball. Other actors include Brenda Mukwevho and Hein van Zyl as the ugly step-sisters, who scratch, giggle and squabble their way through the show in wacky, wild outfits. Fanciful props, sparkling lights, bright colours, puppetry and imaginative effects set the stage for pure daydream. Cinderella and the sisters have beautiful voices complemented by the sister's weird dances. During the play children can give Cinders a hand with her chores, help her dress, draw the carriage to the palace, dance at the ball and even give directions to the actors. Cinderella was written by French author Charles Perrault. The play is on at the Johannesburg Youth Theatre until Wednesday, 21 December, on Mondays to Saturdays. Performances are at 10.30am and 2.30pm. The theatre is at 3 Junction Avenue, Parktown. For more information or bookings, phone 011 484 1584/5. Tickets are R40 for children and R50 for adults. Bookings can also be made through Computicket. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za