Sleeping Beauty

Anyone who has been to a Hinckley Concordia Pantomime before will know that you go with high expectations. These shows have a reputation for quality performance. This year’s panto, Sleeping Beauty, runs over a four-week period in mid-January. The performance I attended marked the halfway point in the 26-performance run. At that point, the show was 99% sold out. Testimony to the Concordia Panto’s reputation. I attended with a small group of my own grandchildren, all of us looking forward to an entertaining evening. We certainly weren’t disappointed!

A feature of the production is its attention to detail in creating a true panto atmosphere.  Outside the theatre, bright lights announced that something special was going on. In the entrance and first-floor foyers, the whole experience began including the issuing of Panto Passports to the younger audience members, and the inevitable, and very popular, merchandise and refreshment booths.  On entering the auditorium, I could see the whole area filled with twinkling starlight and we were welcomed by the front-of-house team and settled in for the show.

And it hasn’t even started yet! A pyrotechnic flash and Gloria, the first of the three ‘good fairies’ appears, quickly followed by Harmony and Melody, who discuss their distribution of invitations for the Christening of Aurora, the Royal baby Princess. Unfortunately, one of the fairies has fallen down on the job and failed to deliver Carabosse’s invite, an error that causes that evil fairy to plot vengeance on the unsuspecting baby. The four fairies, good and not-so-good, are expertly played with just the right levels of kindness, humour, innocent confusion, and, in Carabosse’s case, malevolence, by Helen Shorthose, Emma-Jane Gladman, Francine Gardner, and Dan Hope respectively. Popping up regularly to keep the story on track, they attract audience cheers and boos, as appropriate, on each appearance.

Everyone knows the story of Sleeping Beauty, the evil spell, the spinning wheel, the pricked finger, the long sleep, and a happy ending. But this is a pantomime so the story, while faithfully retold, is embroidered with music, dance, and lots of fun. At the centre of the fun are the Royal Party. Queen Mavis (Phil Bevington, an experienced and ever-popular Panto Dame), King Cedric played by Will Shorthose,  a dim-witted but likable Consort who, while having to contend with the outrageous Queen Mavis, establishes his presence very effectively with his own comedic style, and Court Jester Muddles played by Craig Martin, another Concordia regular, whose scatty humour, and across the footlights banter, has the audience, young and old, rolling in the aisles.

While it is the comedy that gives the show its energy this production ensures we never lose sight of the story. To help us we have Aurora (Sleeping Beauty herself), played charmingly by Laura Norton, looking and sounding just the part of the beautiful Princess, and her admiring Princes Tom, Dick & Harry (well, it is panto). Tom, played very effectively by Ben Burgess is the dashing hero whose kiss wakes Aurora from her century of sleep, while vain Dick & studious Harry, the two disappointed suitors,  are convincingly portrayed by panto newcomers Josh Longmuir and James Cox.

Along with the comedy, a mainstay of panto is the music. The pantomime band, led by MD Steve Sanders, made sure that the songs, dances, and many of the slapstick routines were enhanced by sympathetic and easy-listening musical support.  With Concordia Pantos you get the impression that nothing is overlooked or given short measure. Choreography was stunning, elegantly combining very young and more experienced dancers in some impressive routines. The costumes were amazing, and just right for every member of the company, Queen Mavis having a different outfit for nearly every appearance, although I confess the leather thong adorning Buttons’ frog costume is a picture I’m trying hard to forget! The many different sets – smoothly and discreetly changed, were well-constructed, colourful and they made great use of the stage space. The special effects including the Topmost Turret scene, the way they managed the disappearing Aurora,  and of course, the magnificent dragon, drew deserved gasps of amazement from the audience.

The whole enterprise of the Concordia panto is run by a dedicated team led by John Hill, the driving force behind the pantomime company, and they deserve huge credit, and thanks, for giving so much pleasure and providing an experience to many people,  young people in particular,  who may, as a result, develop a lifetime’s enjoyment of live theatre.

Colin Blackler

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