The opening night of the West Australian Ballet’s Cinderella was festive indeed, it being the last performance for the company with David McAllister as Artistic Director.

There was a general feeling of goodwill towards McAllister – many in the audience no doubt having been enchanted by his infectious enthusiasm for the art of ballet (and life in general) during his two-year stint as AD.

Loath to leave, he appeared on stage several times before curtain-up, greeted each time with hearty cheers. He will be sorely missed, notwithstanding the eagerness with which Leanne Stojmenov has been welcomed as his successor in 2026.

Mayume Noguromi as Cinderella. Photo © Matt Jolenek

Cinderella was Jayne Smeulders’ first full-length choreographic production in 2011. Fourteen years on, this version (set in the 1930s) is an even more enchanting take on a fairy tale of which most countries have a version. Its main theme is a rags-to-riches reward for virtue, but in its emphasis on Cinderella’s relationship with her two spiteful stepsisters, it could be said to echo the problems of cyberbullying that many teenagers face...