Sleeping Beauty

It was a privilege to come along to your performance following the year you have had dealing with the backlash from the actions of your very own ‘baddie’. It has been heartening to see how the community got behind you to enable you to have the funds to put on Sleeping Beauty this year.

Thank you for the wonderful welcome and the kind invitation to the christening of Princess Rose, although I did think I might have been asked to bestow a wish on her. Maybe it should be a wish for the whole company that you continue onwards and upwards into forthcoming years.

Your commemorative programme was well set out and an informative read. It was great to see pictures of previous productions and some took me back to the time I watched the show in the Church Rooms.

It was wonderful to see a full house which included supporters from other local pantomime groups who were taken advantage of by many members of the cast. The script by Alan P Frayn was good and it ticked many of the panto boxes, although there was no obvious slapstick scene the jokes and silly one liners came thick and fast, including several about the King’s PANTIES.

The curtains opened to the prologue between the main positive and negative forces in the show. It was good to see the cloth with the half lilac and green washes to delineate Fairy Lilac (Jenna Rowe) and Witch Hazel (Nicola Willcocks) areas on the stage and although the smoke jet in the middle of the stage worked well, I would have preferred separate ones at either side of the stage. Both actresses gave outstanding performances they portrayed their given characters brilliantly. They both had superb singing voices, great timing, excellent stage craft and Witch Hazel’s laugh could have shattered glass.

We were then welcomed to the village of Muddleby on Marsh depicted by appropriate scenery provided throughout the show by Border Studio Hire. The ensemble completed a lively number with a complementary dance routine. All those involved were well drilled and looked like they were enjoying themselves, especially one young lady on the front row. The dance sequences continued during the show and were energetic, varied and executed well it was apparent that everyone had worked hard to learn their moves. I particularly enjoyed the dance with Witch Hazel with its creepy movement and atmospheric lighting.

The juggling court jester Muddles (Paul Johnson) welcomed us to the palace. He delivered his lines with conviction and interacted well with both those on the stage and the audience and provided us with some terrible jokes. His routine with his little mini me’s was delightful.

Nurse Hettie Harpie (Curtis Danby) arrived with a flourish to be nursemaid to Princess Rose. As the dame he commanded the scenes he was involved in and related well to other members of the cast on stage. He found a friend in the audience who I’m sure dreaded his various entrances on the stage. The schoolroom scene worked well but maybe think about your positioning so that you do not turn away from the audience and speak upstage, they would rather see your expressive face.

The regal couple Queen Marigold (Rachel Best) and King (Martin Green) arrived with their baby Rose to present her to the village. They worked well together and addressed their courtiers with clarity; however, I didn’t see much of the King when the dance routines took place!

Fetch (Teresa Sweet) and Carrie (Sarah Rowe) were excellent throughout the show, their timing was impeccable, especially with the place names when they were meant to deliver the invitations, and their delivery of punch lines was done with aplomb during the complete course of the show. Brilliant performances.

All the fairies were dresses beautifully in costumes related to their names, they delivered their lines clearly and sang tunefully. The scene where their presented their gifts to the Princess was enchanting.

The split performances of Princess Rose at 12 years old (Baylee Morgan) and 16 (Laura Baille) were well cast.  Both showed spirit, strong characterisation and powerful singing voices. During their scenes they both lit up the stage with their smiles, had excellent diction and Laura created a believable partnership with the prince. Congratulations to both.

When there is a princess, there has to be a prince and Prince Alexis (Emma Richards) appeared in act 2 ready to save the day. This performance was great, particularly since I found out that she took the part on with very short notice. She was expressive in her dialogue and tuneful when singing (it was a shame her mic was not turned on for her first number.)

Egor (Jake Juszczak) proved a useful sidekick to Witch Hazel and stayed in character whenever on stage adding to her menacing presence, well done.

Music played a big part in this show, although sometimes I did feel that the band were a little overpowering, there was a pleasing variety of songs which were delivered with gusto. I realise that including all the members of the cast in the songs gives them a chance to be part of a scene, but because you have the principals in radio mics it meant that those on the side or in front of the stage couldn’t be heard as they were not close enough to the stage mics.

The scene changes were accomplished quickly with no obvious noise and the props used were appropriate and well handled. The lighting was applicable and enhanced the various scenes.

Make-up and hair and wigs appeared correct and the costumes were period, numerous, well-fitting and colourful. It was also great to see that footwear had been considered so often it is missed out. Your costume department must have spent many hours creating the various sets of costumes for the complete cast, well done to all.

Thank you for inviting me to your production I really enjoyed it. I would like to congratulate all the members of your team. The whole company should be proud. Congratulations.

      

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