Sleeping Beauty

The script for this version of the well known fairy tale, written by the director and fellow company member Lauren MacAskill, was full of witty one liners plus traditional panto jokes and local references which were lapped up by the appreciative audience. Leading the charge was Elaine Bunce as the magnificently evil fairy Maleficent with a truly frightening cackle. She set the singing standard high with her opening number “When Someone Gets Hurt” from “Mean Girls” and she certainly lived up to the show’s title. Foiling her evil plans fell to the wonderful trio of Good Fairies – Fairy Cake (June Cranna), Fairy Floss (Katherine Taylor) and the ever-so slightly dippy Fairy Dust (Elizabeth Ingram). These three ladies worked well together as they spread their magic around and their harmonising – especially in the rendition of the Gorrillaz “Dare” to close Act One – was beautiful. Comedy was in the safe hands of Mother and Son duo Nurse Nellie Numpty, played by the larger than life Lewis Moggach, and Muddles, played by the energetic Sarah Tassell. These two actors have played similar roles over the last few years and have built up a great rapport. This was obvious when they led the battle of the audience participation song – I’ll never look at a potato the same way again! Helping them in their comedic efforts this year was Gregor Cameron, in his first Aurora panto, as Archie the flustered Archbishop of Huntly – especially so when in the company of Nurse Nellie. Their rendition of “Teenage Dream/ Break Free” from the musical “& Juliet” was hilarious. Lily Chaplin was excellent as a feisty Princess Aurora showing the world she didn’t need a handsome Prince to come to her aid - but one would be handy to carry her luggage on her adventures! This honour – or task – fell to the ever faithful Prince Freddie strongly played by company stalwart Martin Bell. Their voices blended well in the duet “Only Us” from “Dear Evan Hansen”. Strong support was given by Lauren MacAskill (the domineering Queen), Scot Hector (The King) and Neil Bell-Forsyth (as Maleficent’s evil henchman Malvolio). The singing and dancing from the ensemble and principals alike was of the extremely high standard we have come to expect from this company especially so in the rousing finale “Spread The Love Around”. The ten piece orchestra were note perfect to my ears and added greatly to the enjoyment of the performance. The set was kept relatively simple allowing for quick scene changes and was bold and colourful. The costumes too were colourful – and sparkly – and appropriate to the characters. Congratulations Aurora on another successful pantomime.

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