Sleeping Beauty

What a great night we all had at Sleeping Beauty. The original book, music and lyrics by Eric Goold, revised by Robert Fyfe and J. Campbell Kerr, with additional material by Neil Cowan and Will Pollock brought fun and laughter, not to mention the big audience sing along.  As with all pantomimes, as well as having the nice good people and stories, we also experience the baddy in all of it, and Merlyn Souter playing Carabosse did not disappoint us with her performance as well as her amazing costume.  Maggie the Minion, Carrisa Falanga, playing her first role with Runway Theatre and in Scotland, also joined us.  The Fairy Queen, played by Holly Steel was a delight to listen to and watch as she danced on Pointe, with great ability.  Graeme Mackay as YoYo, the Jester kept us well entertained and certainly kept us amused in the “Twelve days of Christmas”.  Hannah Rice and Stuart McMaster as the Princess and the Prince blended well together.  King Ludo, Neil MacCowan, ably supported by Queen Monopoly Megan Watt, played his role extremely well maintaining his well know character throughput the entire production!  Will Pollock, Teeny Tiddlewinks as always, brought humour in the right places, with the occasional wander into his own script!! He also displayed a fantastic range from his fashion wardrobe. An addition to this years Panto was the opening of the jokes box following the interval (from the audience), with many fun jokes  being added to the already fun panto.  

While it is normal to see a synopsis of the theatrical tale in a programme it was great to read the information in the programme, taking us back into the historical fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. 

Music was well chosen and flowed well under the musical direction of David Dunlop.  Choreography was slick and appropriate and the overall direction just perfect for a panto.  The set was bright and colourful, and I particularly liked the opening scene and the Palace Ballroom.   There are many aspects to getting any production to the stage and the many people behind the scenes play as important a role as those on the stage ensuring all runs smoothly. It just leaves me to say a big well done and congratulations for once again fulfilling our expectations of a good old fashioned traditional panto with sweets, jokes, music and dance to the stage.  

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.