A FLEET of articulated lorries harnessing the equivalent power of 4000 horses are on their way to Southampton as Birmingham Royal Ballet begins its UK tour of Cinderella in the city.

This epic production, which is at Mayflower Theatre from Wednesday to Saturday, is 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.

It is a two and a half 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.

The music is the complete original score by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev which premiered in 1945 at the Bolshoi in Moscow but the choreography, by Company Director David Bintley, was created for this version.

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.

John Macfarlane’s designs offer some true coups de theatre including a giant ticking clock and a beautiful carriage.

The ballet offers ample opportunities for acting and comedy, particularly for the two sisters, Skinny and Dumpy, but also roles for dancing lizards, mice and a frog!

Featuring over 50 backstage staff and nearly 40 dancers, the production also includes the Royal Ballet Sinfonia bringing Prokofiev’s spiky, lush and romantic score to life.

Tickets are available from mayflower.org.uk or 023 8071 1811.