Impressive local talent, both on stage and behind the scenes, offer an enjoyable ride fuelled by humour and catchy, often upbeat songs. So it doesn’t matter too much that Midnight the Cinderella Musical takes a little too long to get where it’s going.

Pip Mushin and Dean Murphy wrote the book and also direct this show, which could take on the world with some editing and a bigger design budget. Music and lyrics are by Anthony Costanzo and John Foreman, with a helping hand from Kate Miller-Heidke.

They draw on a century or more of classic musicals to create songs that are often highly entertaining and even feel instantly familiar. They include two funny, fabulous showstoppers: Being the King, which starts off rather Gilbert and Sullivan before moving into Broadways’ golden age, and Stuffed!, which is more of the latter complete with tap dancing. Even when it surprises, like the romantic leads’ leap-and-catch, Kelly Aykers’ energetic choreography feels right.

Midnight the Cinderella Musical. Photo © Pia Johnson

Cleverly presented as a storybook not only read but occasionally rewritten by a girl called Stella, Midnight is about Ella, a young woman with a...