Sleeping Beauty

There’s one thing that you can guarantee with a Stourbridge Pantomime Company and that is Spectacle!  And in Steve Humpherson’s capable director’s hands – a young and excitedly expectant audience were not disappointed.

From the off “Sleeping Beauty” set the panto bar very high. The scene was set superbly by Dawn Shillingford’s Fairy Queen along with Beth Hemmings’ Fairy Moonbeam, Gaynor Whitehouse’s Fairy Stardust and Kate Berrington’s Fairy Sunlight eloquently outlining the familiar storyline bedecked in amazing costumes supplied by Triple ‘C’ Costume Hire.  They were interrupted by Denzy Davies’ evil Carabosse, bringing the joyous news of Princess Aurora’s impending christening to an immediate end with just the right amount of evil and villainy as he curses Aurora that on her eighteenth birthday, she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel – Denzy does his job superbly as he elicited the boos from the audience, determined to join in at every opportunity.

As we move forward to the eighteenth birthday celebrations we are introduced to the eclectic bunch of characters. Some highlights include Ricky Hammond’s Barney; the ballon sequence was a hoot giving him a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate his enviable comedy timing and consummate adlibbing. Millie Brown’s Princess Aurora was not your run of the mill Pantomime princess – giving the performance a slightly feistier feel which worked beautifully, her amazing singing voice also complemented a fine performance.  Our hero, Prince Michael, was everything the role should be, a confident and assured performance delightfully portrayed by Hattie Rudge. Jonathan Hunt’s glamourous Nanny Nora was perfection in female impersonation with a confident and thoroughly self-assured performance, ‘I Want to Break Free’ with Barney, was a showstopper. Ethan Davies’ Lord Chamberlain showed great power and strength along with a royally over the top performance from Thom O’Brien’s King Septimus and Emily Jeavons, giving as good as she gets as the Queen Sybil.  A great sequence with the suitors for Princess Aurora’s hand was delightfully played by Michael Boden, Sam-James Gordon and Harry Nicholas as Princes Boris, Andy and Lionel respectively incorporating Prince Lionel’s G&S rendition in Panto was a great move!

It was a pure delight to see such a huge ensemble, all giving their all and looking to be having such a great time while doing it.  Amy Roberts’ choreography was the perfect complement to this evening of talent, loved ‘One Way or Another’, the icing on the cake being Musical Director George Stuart’s exciting arrangements of the musical numbers delivered with great aplomb and confidence.

To achieve spectacle at this level you also the back up of an amazing Stage and Technical Team. Efficient and seamless scene changes under the direction of Stage Manager Margaret Taylor and Assistant Stage Manager Stewart Brasenell and the stage and flying crew. Matt Bird and The Lighting Factory provided fantastic lighting effects and Theatre SSL gave us great Sound.   

My thanks to everyone at Stourbridge Pantomime Company for their warm welcome and I look forward to seeing you all again for “Mother Goose”

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