Sleeping Beauty

This was my first foray as a NODA Regional Rep, and I received a very warm welcome from Fladbury Players to their production of Sleeping Beauty.  This was a show that has had a long, Covid-affected gestation, and Fladbury Village Hall was packed with an enthusiastic, raucous audience, who were clearly ready for some panto fun!  The cast certainly delivered on that front, with a colourful and entertaining show, full of song and laughter and most of the expected panto traditions (sadly we didn’t get the chance to shout ‘oh, no it isn’t/’oh yes it is’).

The show was anchored by the duo of comic jester Barney (Jonathan Brotherton) and Dame Nanny Nora (Rob Brown, in a seemingly never-ending sequence of excellent costumes.)  They both shone in assured performances (although I did wonder why Barney introduced the ‘button that shall not be pressed’ by pressing the button!)  They showed plenty of interaction with the audience, who lapped it up. 

Our Sleeping Beauty, Aurora, was nicely played by Hannah Paterson, until the arrival of her Prince Michael (Harry Stanley, in a confident showing.)  In fact, so powerful was the Prince’s presence that he managed to wake up the entire court before he had kissed the Princess!  I also enjoyed Chris Gooderham’s put-upon King Septimus, and Scarlett Wheeler showed some good stage presence in keeping us all in order as Lord Chamberlain.  Special mention also to Connor Holman, who showed off an excellent Aussie accent as one of Aurora’s unsuccessful suitors.  Yet the stars of the show were the utterly charming (and well-rehearsed) chorus and fairies, who excelled in the musical numbers (well done in particular for dancing all the way off at the end of ‘Ghostbusters’) and showed an infectious joy in performing.

Costumes were bright and colourful and make up was effective where used.  There was little in the way of scenery, with backdrops being provided by photographs projected onto a white screen at the back.  This wasn’t to my personal taste, and it was notable that when some scenery did appear – in Carabosse’s castle – the visual impact was significantly enhanced.  The odd flat at the side of the stage would also have helped to mask the ‘exit queue’ into the wings. 

But, when all was said and done the final curtain fell,  my main impression from this show was of a group that were delighted to have made it back onto the stage and of an audience who were equally pleased to see them there.  Well done to all at Fladbury Players for delivering a really fun show (oh, yes you did – see, I got the chance to say that after all!)  I look forward to visiting you again in the near future. 

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