CINDERELLA is probably the most popular story in the world and for most people they are familiar with its retelling via Disney and pantomime, so it's a difficult task to make it different.

Scotland’s national dance company, however, pass the acid test as they celebrate their 50th anniversary.

Set against Prokofiev’s wonderful score, choreographer Christopher Hampson follows the traditional Cinderella story with the put-upon Cinders (Marge Hendrick) being bullied by her two step sisters (Claire Souet and Grace Horler) and her step mother (Aisling Branagan).

Cinders' father (Mathew Broadbent) is a drunken sot and leaves Cinderella to face this awful abuse alone.

At one point, when the sisters steal Cinders' treasured picture of her late mother, it was difficult to resist the temptation to boo.

But Hampson's Cinderella is a feisty lass and he uses roses throughout as a symbol of hope, to represent Cinders' love for her late mother and later, the Prince.

Hendrick's solos in this first 35-minute act are delightful and the narrative gets straight to the point; we meet the Fairy Godmother (Roseanna Leney) and we're off to the ball in special glass slippers.

Act two is in the Prince's (Evan Loudon) ballroom. The dancing is beautiful by an ensemble that includes a grasshopper, moths, magical roses and spiders.

Cinders and the Prince get it on here. While they both danced their pas-de-deux superbly it never quite felt like there was enough sexual frisson between the two, given this was the woman he was becoming besotted with and would seek as his wife.

Act three saw the prince find his true love despite the step sisters' funny attempts to wear the glass slipper. The entwining of roses symbolised the lovelorn couple would live happily ever after. And they deserved to.

ED WAUGH