We were invited to the opening night of The Not So Ugly Sisters in exchange for this review.

The Not So Ugly Sisters is the Cinderella story told from the point of view of her (not so ugly, but actually quite pretty) sisters. It’s fun, it’s glitzy, the songs are catchy; and aside from it being a really great show, it’s also very thought provoking.

Set in their hair salon, sisters Dolly (Daisy Ann Fletcher) and Barb (Lucy Rafton) are dealing with the fallout from the forthcoming royal wedding between their sister, Cindy and her future husband, Prince Smarming. The sisters talk, sing and dance their way through childhood tales, recounting the usual fallings out between sisters and best friends. They talk about how they all pulled together to get though the death of their mother and the time they all met the Prince at the ball and how that all went down.

There are broken hearts and broken friendships to mend along the way. This traditional Cinderella story is flipped to show the other side of the tale and it is really interesting. It really makes you think about trolling, cancel culture and how stories can be manipulated to make people out to be different to how they really are. Of course the sisters are not ugly, nor were they mean to Cinderella, and there is a happy ending, so happy that I might have shed a tear or two.

Aimed at families with children aged 5+, this 55 minute long show is long enough to tell the story; but not too long that little ones would lose interest. My 11 year old was completely rapt from start to finish. The story moves at a good pace, with upbeat and catchy songs making a regular appearance. The finale is a Christmas song we all know and love, and we are all encouraged to sing along in our seats.

With it being a family show, younger family members are encouraged to wear pyjamas to the early evening performances; with pre-bookable packs of milk and cookies also available (there’s a well-stocked bar for older family members who aren’t driving).

It has been so long since we darkened the door of a theatre; I’d almost forgotten how magical it could be. It was a fabulous way to kick off our festive season. There’s nothing quite like a Christmas show to get you in the mood for mince pies and festive magic. If you’ve not yet booked tickets to see a Christmas show; then tickets to see The Not So Ugly Sisters should be top of your Christmas list!

The Not So Ugly Sisters at Waterside Arts runs from 24th November 2021 to Saturday 1st January 2022. 

There are also some BSL and Relaxed Performances which might be useful to know about. 

• Saturday 11th Dec at 11:00- BSL interpreted and relaxed performance.
• Saturday 18th Dec at 11:00- BSL interpreted performance.