Cinderella Ice Cream Seller has the tropes of the classic fairytale: a glass slipper, a prince, a ball and two ‘ugly’ characters, meddling their way into its story. But the prince isn’t looking for a wife, the ugly sisters are aunties with mean personalities, and the glass slipper is filled with ice cream. ‘I wanted to take a story that everyone knew,’ says David Gibb, writer, composer and performer of Cinderella Ice Cream Seller. ‘Cinderella is one of the big fairytales. Every kid and every adult knows it; the story beats are almost woven into the fabric of our beings. But we wanted to update it a bit, give Cinderella some agency.’  

During the two-person musical, Gibb and Lauren Harthorpe literally don 12 or 13 different hats between them as they portray an array of characters to tell the tale of Cinderella, and how she became a multi-millionaire ice-cream mogul. Live piano and guitar accompany the songs as two ice-cream parlour employees lilt, stomp and belt through the story. ‘I was really interested in the idea of ice cream, which has the same universality as the Cinderella story. There’s a story behind ice cream: the treat when you’re a kid, the break-up tub of Ben & Jerry’s, or the 99 with a flake from the van in summer. Everyone knows Cinderella and everyone has a relationship with ice cream,’ Gibb says. The storytelling is elevated with an array of props, principally ice-cream scoops, tubs and sprinkles. ‘The fake ice cream is actually one of the most fascinating elements for the kids,’ Gibb says. ‘They love to come down and see it up close at the end of the show. Obviously we couldn’t have real ice cream melting away under the tungsten lights.’

This take on the classic Cinderella story is Little Seeds Music’s Edinburgh Fringe debut. As a touring theatre company, they’ve taken shows across the country to great acclaim, with an ethos of making musical theatre fit for families without compromising on musical quality. After years of touring shows nationally like Luna Loves Library Day and Tales From The Lighthouse, ‘Cinderella Ice Cream Seller just felt like the right show for Edinburgh,’ Gibb says. ‘It’s quirky and fun, and big and heartfelt. The very idea that Cinderella is actually an ice-cream making multi-millionaire is, when you think about it, ridiculous. We felt like it really chimes with the spirit of the Fringe.’

The soundtrack, with original songs written by Gibb, doesn’t sound like a typical family musical. There’s a sense of sunshine to the acoustic guitar-backed numbers and Gibb's Bon Jovi-esque voice adds a rock quality to the big tunes. So, while it’s pegged to the children’s section of the Fringe guide, Cinderella Ice Cream Seller could easily land in musicals because there’s just as much for adults to enjoy. After all, who doesn’t love ice cream?

Cinderella Ice Cream Seller, Underbelly Bristo Square, Wednesday 30 July–Sunday 17 August, 11.40am.