Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty Panto was the first show back on stage post pandemic from North Ormesby Minstrels and was certainly worth waiting for.
The full cast gave energy and performance from start to finish and the audience and I appreciated having their cast back to entertain once more.

The show opened with the castle page “Muddles” played by Marty Maenami singing with lovely voice and full choreographed number and followed by a beautiful song from comedy dame Nurse Hetti Harpic from Jill Stevenson too, before embarking into their comedy roles for the rest of the performance, that is much loved by all.  Karen Coates as the Fairy Good Lilac had rhythmical rhymes, grace and poise, and accompanied by 4 children for her song that was a delightful great number. The dancing from the whole cast in the opening section was all slick and well rehearsed

The parents in the story were King Cactus (Colin Conroy) and Queen Marigold (Laura Weir) playing the stiff upper-class roles and contrasted by the village duo idiots “Fetch” and “Carrie”- brought to us by Garry Dring and Helen Brooks, equalled in their energy and gusto antics especially in their slapstick scene with foam and wallpapering comedy sketch. Very expressive in their characters and great to watch.  At the baby’s christening scene appeared the baddy, “Bad Witch Hazel”, excellently created by Gita Bhanvra – who was very expressive and her fearsome cackle achieving boos from the audience and very responsive to them.

As time passed and the Princess Rose then appears as young lady played by Melissa O’Neill, who gave a sweet song rendition and a nice voice, to then embark in the tale of her treachery and sleep. At the school classroom was a comedy scene with principals as children – fun and jokes and an obvious song with good choreography, again well rehearsed.  The young Prince Alexis as principal boy from Laura Waterfield, was a good performance throughout and had beautiful voice in her “Where I belong”  song.  

The 16th birthday Party was a lively event, lovely costumes and great dancing for full cast number. Then followed by “Masked dancers” spoof – King and Queen as Fast food – pizza and chicken, Gang-nam style from Fetch and Carry and Dancing Daisy from Nurse Hettie in hilarious costume and antics as the cow.

At the opening of Act II the action was outside the palace before the Princess was tricked into the “tower” and to find the spinning wheel room with nicely made wheel prop.  As the tale unfolds and they are falling asleep, the principals  rendition of “Go to sleep” song was lovely, and the Bad Witch Hazel song “I put a spell on You” song showed her good voice, and expressive face and great cackle  - a true baddy.  In the dream sequence during their sleep, the duet from Prince Alexis and Princess Rose was really nice, as their voices worked well together.  The effects created for the forest scene was great, with dark creepers screens and emerging glowing monsters and skeletons, adding a new twist of sinister to the show, before the time moved on with a twist to the happy ending of grandson saving the day. In traditional panto style the song competition using “Sweet Caroline” was used as transition to a full finale with all on stage in full colour and sparkle and well rehearsed choreography to complete the show.

A full packed panto performance, with colourful lighting through haze, and plenty of mics for good sound with backing tracks used, on a fixed-set that was painted well and topical.  This society has been missed, a great show once more after an enforced break left us without for too long.  Well done all and great to have you back Minstrels.

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