A FLEET of articulated lorries, harnessing the equivalent power of 4000 horses, is set to roll out of Birmingham this month as Birmingham Royal Ballet begins its UK tour of Cinderella on a scale comparable to any major rock band's road trip.

Broadcast by the BBC as the 2010 Christmas Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet's version of Cinderella won the Best Classical Choreography at the prestigious 2011 Critic's Circle National Dance Awards for David Bintley's elegant choreographic work.

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production of Cinderella premiered in 2010. It is a full-evening (2 1/2 hour) ballet in three acts closely following the traditional Cinderella story of the wicked stepmother, ugly sisters, the fairy Godmother and of course, the slipper.

In a break from the character portrayal in Cinderella that has dominated in recent years, David Bintley returned to the original idea of having ballerinas as the two sisters who are ‘ugly on the inside’, rather than being played by two men. He also added a short prologue showing Cinderella and father at her mother’s graveside. This also serves as the introduction of the wicked stepmother who comes to dominate the family.

Birmingham Royal Ballet's Cinderella is at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, January 25 to 28. Call the box office for tickets.