We talked with BAFTA-winning writer Ian Kershaw about his version of the fairytale classic Cinderella, coming to life at the Dukes this Christmas! Read more about Ian's writing process, his favourite parts of the show, and his Christmas traditions.

What can audiences expect from this version of Cinderella? 

"It’s not a panto, it’s a big, glittery, Christmas feel-good, heartful, hilarious adventure!  

You’ll meet a Cinderella for our time - Ella’s not the traditional Cinderella, she wears dungarees and Doc Marten boots. She’s smart, funny and tough, climbs trees and runs a farm, looking after all the animals pretty much singlehanded and that’s all before her new step-family rock up with loads more work for her. And there’s no Fairy Godmother to wave a magic wand to solve her problems – she has to try to solve them herself and maybe call on her friends for a little help!  

You will also see an utterly sensational cast of incredible musician-actors who have come to Lancaster to tell this joyous story and have chosen to spend their Christmas with you." 

What messages or feelings do you want audiences to take home with them after watching the show? 

"That life is for living to the full! The importance of friends and family – whoever they are! To look after each other and that kindness and goodness will ultimately be rewarded and that the baddies will always get their comeuppance!" 

You have written BAFTA winning episodes of Coronation Street, how does writing for TV that compare to writing a show like Cinderella? Is it a challenge writing work that will be performed in The Round theatre space? 

"The main challenge is that I know people aren’t sitting at home and haven’t just turned the telly on while they have their tea - they’ve booked tickets, put their coats and boots on to head out in the cold and in the warmth of the Dukes to…what? The unknown! Is it going to be good?! We all have a duty to give them a good time and this show will do that – you will have a great time!  

Also, it is so completely exciting to be back in the Round Space again, where we can get so close to the actors we can see up their noses! There’s no second takes, it’s live art and that is exciting and thrilling – nobody knows what will happen next! Nothing beats that!"  

Who was your favourite character to write and can you tell us more about them? 

"Oh I completely love each and every character you’ll meet in the show! Ella is so brilliant, she’s fearless, quick-thinking and clever (that’s who I wish I could be!) Her father, works hard and tries to do his best but doesn’t always get it right (maybe that’s actually me?). Clarissa (step-mum) and her daughters Grizelda and Greta are hilariously and hopelessly misguided thanks to having had their heads turned by material things. Chuck in a bumbling King and a Prince who just wants an ordinary life and you have a riotous gang of gorgeous characters to hang out with!" 

In the show we see Ella learn to believe in herself and her own magic, what makes you believe in your own magic? 

"Getting to the end of a day, falling sleep and then being able to start all over again – that’s magic in itself, isn’t it?!  

But yeah, dream big - in the night, and the day, then try to make them come true. You never know you might just do whatever it is you want to be. I never thought I’d be lucky enough to be able to tell stories for a job but here we are, that’s proper magic!"  

Finally, we see families come to the Dukes every year to watch our Christmas shows, do you have any Christmas traditions you find yourself doing each year? 

"Seeing family, eating too much food, watching loads of telly and going out to see plays and shows!  

We also have a Boxing Day tradition that we’ve been doing for 26 years, we go for a walk and take a selfie in the same spot, print off the photo and put it in an album where we can then flick through and see ourselves magically getting younger with every turn of the page!" 

Join us for the magic! Book here to see Cinderella this Christmas.