Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty - perhaps, along with Cinderella, the most dearly loved of our traditional pantomimes with the story's long history stretching back as far as the 14th century.  The tale has been adapted into many artistic formats over the years, with Disney and pantomime probably seen by the widest audiences.  There is nothing like a live production, which is able to make it so much more personal than film with minor changes to the basic story to suit local audience, available cast, budget and venue.  This version, written in house, has given a couple of unusual twists to the traditional tale of the 100-year sleep - changing it to 500 years, which gives Wardrobe the interesting task of supplying both ‘medieval’ and 20th century clothing for the large cast, - and having no Prince!  It was also noticeably a deliberately ‘naughty’ script, not quite as vulgar as Jim Davidson’s, with the double entendres coming thick and fast to much delight in the large audience.  Tabs were closed when the audience entered so no preview of the set, and we could see only that two arches flanked each side of the stage.  Pink and blue tabs warmers awoke with a gobo swirl of pink dots that came to a focussed halt DR for the entrance of the Fairies.  It was after their prologue that we finally saw the set. This revealed its ingenious construction only some way into the show when it was required to represent different locations.  First impression, though, was of a pretty blue stone-walled Palace with archways, window openings, and at centre a recess backed by a fine stained glass and leaded window.  This backing stood on a low raise offering a second level, and further steps each side provided yet another.  Three legs at SR and SL, matching the blue stone, gave ample access to and from the wings, and use of the central aisle also helped the swift movement of the cast so there need be no hold ups.  At centre stage on the raise stood Princess Aurora’s crib swathed in net (which I have to say looked a little unkempt; maybe SM could iron the draping).  The subsequent changes were subtle as the overall vision of a blue Palace remained.  The centre section turned, and its wall became convex for ‘somewhere else’, allowing behind it the replacing of the crib by a flower-bedecked bier for the sleeping princess with standing floral displays, and later for Carabosse’s Lair with cauldron and throne, a scene that also had the addition at L of a fenced enclosure for the dragon.  Two travellers, paged across promptly, were enough to provide cover for the changes; a dark forest and an interior Palace corridor with an imposing crest at C.  Minimal additions were needed to supplement the different locations - wheeled crates worked as tables for Jelly’s accoutrements and, being strong enough to stand on, provided elevated platforms for character song presentations, and a love seat with accompanying small table dressed with her doll and teddy ably indicated the young Aurora’s Bedroom.   As the Princess awoke 500 years later the legs had been altered from blue stone to 1960s’ psychedelic swirls.   All very clever and economical, the turning and resetting were effected quietly by the crew, and the full company had room for their movements and dance routines on the open floor.  A scaffolding platform out of sight supported the band who could be glimpsed through the upper windows of the Palace.  So often a live band, especially when on stage, can make it difficult to balance their volume against the vocals but this worked really well here; half hidden behind the set, their sound was suitably muted to allow the amplification to be adjusted to match the levels of the performers’ speaking and singing.  This resulted in an overall sound that was audible, comfortable and pleasing, and the personal mics picked up the clear diction of the cast with no delays, even in song. 

 A huge wardrobe, ranging from medieval to the glam rock of the ‘60s, was collected for the large cast, most of them having to change at least once and a silver and lilac finale theme brought the show to a co-ordinated conclusion. Music choices were intimately well supported by the experienced band - Just Like Paradise a bright opening that was tunefully delivered giving the show a lively start after the conversational prologue.   A bouncy Step In Time had the use of props as an added complication but handled well, and Aurora's Spotlight with Muddles was a well staged and touching duet with some delightful countermelodies, sensitively performed by both.  The commanding presence behind Carabosse’s Evil Like Me was perfectly supported by Jelly, the two adding a great sense of fun to their threat in a presentation given full-on theatricality with exaggerated over-enunciation and facial expressions to humorously challenge the observers.  A dramatic Voulez-Vous saw the company succumbing to the hypnotic influence of Carabosse and Jelly with individual angular and staccato movements that led to the climax of the spinning wheel’s slo-mo entrance before the lull as the Fairies, in exquisitely plaintive and beautifully balanced harmony, sent them to sleep in the Skyfall finale to Act 1.  It was clear throughout that everyone on stage had spent a great deal of rehearsal time and put in much dedication and energy to learning the words and moves to all the musical numbers that filled this show before culminating in a joyful finale.

This was a vibrant non-stop romp through a familiar story incorporating its basic key points and by subtle alterations making it original, so heartfelt congratulations are due.   With strong leading characters in the story and talented performers to fill the roles plus a dedicated production team, the stage was set for a successful pantomime.  This was a thoroughly enjoyable production and I feel sure this dynamic duo of directors will be asked to take the reins again. 

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