there's something I'm really fascinated by about a commonality in both Sony's 2021 jukebox musical Cinderella, and also Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical Bad Cinderella. (to be clear, I think they both fucking suck)(I mean, I haven't SEEN Bad Cinderella, but I have listened to the cast recording and it sucked)
there's a shared thread in both of them where Cinderella... does not want to go to the ball. and I just don't get it. in ONE of them, it would just be a bad writing choice, but it's in BOTH, and with both of them being like uwu feminist girlboss Cinderellas, I feel like there's a Point being made and I don't like it!
in Sony Cinderella, where she's like specifically a businesswoman dressmaker type Cinderella, she's like "oh no that doesn't sound like something I'd enjoy" until someone else points out "hey, you could probably get some new customers for your ballgown-making business at this big fancy ball, full of the type of people who go to balls", which, you know, I kind of feel like our supposedly savvy business-ella probably should've figured out on her own.
in Bad Cinderella, where our girl is like.... a misfit goth Cinderella, she just doesn't want to go, but the Prince is her friend and he specifically has to ask her MULTIPLE times like "hey I would really appreciate you being there for me" and she STILL turns him down twice. (there's like. a whole thing where she thinks he's friendzoning her, but he's also in love with her, and this is such a stupid show)
and I just think it's really interesting that in both of these "feminist" Cinderellas, she's not allowed to just want to go to the ball of her own volition. like it's less feminist to... want things for yourself. like a more "role model" Cinderella should be entirely disinterested in - as the adage goes - "a new dress and a night off" until others persuade her that she SHOULD go. I don't know if it's the "wanting something for herself" that's the issue or if it's the "girlyness" of getting dressed up and going to a party that makes people think it's a problem for her to want that, but goddamn.