Sleeping Beauty

Flower-bedecked trellis arches and flats provided the backdrop with two diagonal staircases dominating up centre leading up and down between the two levels, and a break-up gobo scattered the light across the floor.  This pretty but simple set remained unchanged with just differing and appropriate pictures appearing on the projection screens to provide various environments.  After the welcome and safety voice-over the screens changed to rustic country scenes of trees and flowers and a pyro flash announced the arrival of the Good Fairy Lilac.  The introduction was clear, with dynamic and engaging dialogue between Fairy Lilac and Witch Hazel that smoothly took us into the opening number under full spectrum lighting to match the rainbow of colours in the company’s outfits.  The lighting throughout perfectly complimented the mood and enhanced the appearance of all scenes.  All characters were mic’d and there were no technical difficulties to spoil the clarity of the sound.  Music intros were well-timed to lead from speech into song and the balance with the vocals was supportive of the energetic projection of the group.  I should have liked a little more vocal volume on Hazel’s strong solo on the stage left gantry but the rays of blue backlighting were most effective and dramatic.  Some entertaining sounds punctuated the action during the Christening scene to the delight of the young in the audience and the Countdown theme was used to good effect in the ‘fast-forward’ of the time.   The pyro fountains and glitter confetti were the climax to an exciting show.  

The music was craftily selected with songs wholly suitable for their moment in the show and the singing was full and melodic, with some outstanding harmony - quite an achievement to get the young cast to hold their individual lines.  There was a comfortable balance between the softer numbers, the hugely energetic and rousing company routines, the comic performances and the dramatic challenges between characters with all voices clearly audible and, I’m pleased to say, good diction.  

Pantomime ball scenes really do call for spectacle, and the extravagance of your gowns, all so well-fitting as well, was outstanding.  Not one scene, not two, but three!   The blue tones of the Christening scene made way for the pinks, lilacs and purples of the Act I finale and then the vivid contrasting shades of the beautiful Wedding end to the show; all hooped Victorian ruffles and furbelows.  The gentlemen courtiers were as generously garbed with brocade jackets and jabots.  But these were not the only eye-catching sets of costumes - villagers in mob caps, palace skivvies in red, rainbow fairies, three pretty pink princesses, woodland rabbits, pin-stripe suited Boris and Donald - all quite, quite splendid (and you know I don’t throw around superlatives lightly!)  The wardrobe team are to be applauded for finding Dame’s dresses that fitted a more mature than usual Kid!  I do like my Dames to be covered and the gloves were a good addition to the short-sleeved styles as were the high boots beneath the rather short skirts, which obviously made it easier to move around, while the exaggerated design of her nurse’s uniform and teacher’s outfit were perfect in their comic value.  Equally exploited in their comedy potential were the primary coloured dungarees of Muddles and the duo Fetch and Carrie in their crazy op-art suits.  Fairy Lilac’s delicate butterfly wings made a striking contrast to the commanding presence of Witch Hazel with her truly Maleficent horned head wrap.  There wasn’t a stitch out of place from the variety of head wear down to the uniform jazz and character shoes.

The make up and hair artists must have taken hours preparing the cast with the carefully plaited hair of the ensemble and maintaining the huge number of wigs - colourful, madcap, or powdered pompadour, on and off throughout the show’s run.  The changes were done speedily and when removed the hair looked just as neat!  Noticeable make up included freckles for Muddles, curlicued eyebrows and polka dot rouge for Fetch and Carrie, moustache for the King, wonderfully over-the-top Dame make up and, of course, a pretty and natural look for the Fairies, Princesses and Prince.  The overly bronzed countenance of Donald compared with that of Boris pointed up the significance of these characters’ names and drew a laugh from the audience.

The choreography that supported all of the big company numbers was performed very slickly by the cast of mixed ages.  It is remarkable that even the smallest, youngest member knows the words and the steps and shows  such confidence, with none of the fidgeting, dress pulling, hair or face touching that can so often occur in children’s shows.  These youngsters are clearly being taught the discipline of stagecraft from an early age - it is a pleasure to watch.  The movement around the space was surefooted and the energy displayed by everyone whether taking a lead or providing a supporting role was clear from the start right through to the last notes of the finale.  Most of the routines were far more complex than we see in the majority of local pantomimes - not surprising given the experience of the choreographer but the rehearsal choreographer must take credit for drilling the cast to such high standard.  The skill with which the ladies handled their fans in the ballroom scene was really extraordinary.  Well done.  UV scenes are sometimes too ‘dance-y’ and consequently lose the point, which is to highlight the UV costumes.  This was a cleverly simple design of moves and costume and as such was admirable. 

It is said that pantomime is the hardest theatre genre to master.  Certainly a director is taking on having to provide a mixture of comedy, pathos, melodrama, song and dance, and slapstick, and, in amateur theatre, a cast largely unskilled in any of them!  That the Kidz R Us panto comes across as so entertaining is thanks to a hand that draws all the elements together.  If one is to be at all critical it could be to note that manoeuvring a large cast around the stage, giving each performer the space to be seen without simply lining everyone up straight across the front or around three sides, is a challenge.  A few times I felt that we were looking at the straight line.  Another move to avoid if possible is a speaker stepping forward from a position to deliver the line and then stepping back into place - not natural.  These are not points that would be noted by the average audience member, however, and when they occurred it did nothing to spoil our wholehearted enjoyment or hamper the flow of the action.  You were able to use the various areas of this unique stage to its full potential, bringing in characters on the wing gantries as well as the upper stage and keeping people on the move.  There was a good involvement of the steps to justify their imposing up centre placement - one or two of the young ladies needed more practice manoeuvring their hooped skirts so as not to tilt them immodestly! but for the most part I was impressed by their ability to climb and descend the staircases safely - no mean feat.  The comedy was well directed to keep the cast on track without ‘playing for the laugh’.  The humour of throwing the baby to Nurse before she squirted the front rows, the tip-up bench, the cricket bat ‘caning’, the traditional Chase were all examples of audience-delighting moments. I’m sorry that I missed some of the very clever word play between your highly engaging Fetch and Carrie, possibly because the speed of delivery didn’t always allow the wit time to register.  

The casting of three Princesses was a novelty I haven’t come across before and your three young ladies did credit to their roles, blending beautifully together to create the whole and singing their When I Grow Up really delightfully both in solo and together - not the easiest melody.  I confess I did enjoy seeing a traditional Dame and, on the night I visited, Principal Boy, but I’m aware this is becoming less familiar now because of a greater awareness of gender identity among younger audiences.  It was pleasing also to see the entrances of Fairy Lilac and Witch Hazel ascribed as per tradition, stage right and stage left respectively, and how well those two ladies understood their opposing characters.  The boos that greeted the Witch were well-parried without throwing her.  The young Rainbow Fairies were a delight, looking pretty as a picture in their rainbow of wigs and delivering their lines with conviction. Likewise, young Muddles who managed to encourage the audience to greet him in a quite masterly fashion. This pantomime deserved to have full houses - the production rivalled anything at the Hall for Cornwall in terms of spectacle.  Warmest congratulations to everyone involved in the production - you did a splendid job.

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