Sleeping Beauty

SLEEPING BEAUTY
Date 6/2/26
Society Torpoint Players
Venue Torpoint Council Chambers
Type of Production Pantomime
Director Marc Styles
Written By Marc Styles
Musical Director Marc Styles
Choreography Tegan Styles

It was a privilege to attend the Torpoint Players pantomime, Sleeping Beauty. Even
before the performance began there was a palpable air of excitement from the
audience. This was largely due to the superb house lighting enhanced by a large
glitter ball and smoke effects filling the hall. The stage was set simply but effectively,
and I instantly knew I was in for an evening of fun.
Playing to a full house, the wonderful cast had the audience eating out of their hands
from the outset. This heartwarming fairytale followed the traditional story of cursed
spinning wheel, the finding of true love, the archetypal Dame versus the evil ‘baddy’
and, of course, the happy-ever-after ending. Yet the story had been re-imagined
cleverly, balancing tradition with a fresh take on a well-known pantomime. The script
was tightly structured, with contemporary references used sparingly and effectively
rather than relied upon for easy laughs. References to neighbourhood businesses,
topical issues and frustrations in the community engaged the mainly local audience.
The Fairies masquerading as the Torpoint ferries hit the mark throughout, especially
when they were ‘blue lighted’ and inevitably late! The direction kept the action
moving at a brisk pace, ensuring the show remained accessible to younger
audiences while offering enough wit to engage adults. The use of the song ‘Happy
New Year’ to indicate the passage of time as Beauty grows up expedited long story
telling and was indicative of the creative strength of the director.
I liked the music choices. From disco to ballad, the musical numbers were well
integrated into the storytelling, supported by disciplined choreography that focussed
on precision over spectacle. The ensemble therefore worked well together,
especially in the choreographed ‘Dancing Queen’ despite there being at least 20
actors on the small stage at this time! But the most impactful use of music and
movement came at the start of Act 2 when we faced the introduction to the lair of
Carabasse. We had actors bursting through side doors in brilliant costumes and
moving through the audience to ‘Thriller’. These kinds of effects made much of what
was available in the venue yet was not over ambitious. The balance was just right.
Although quite how the spectacular dragon and associated effects were achieved
amazed me.
There were strong performances from all the principal actors. The Dame balanced
the role's extravagance with restraint, offering nifty audience engagement and

precise comic timing. This actor was strongly supported by Silly Billy who
commanded great reactions from her facial expressions. Silly Billy was endearing
and good bridge to the audience. I found myself looking forward to her reappearance
in the story signalling the next big laugh. The actor playing Beauty was well cast.
She conveyed grace, kindness and exhibited a warm tone to her voice. Her on stage
relationships with the actor playing Prince William was convincing and they
performed a moving duet.
A standout performance was given by the actor playing Carabasse. She was very
compelling as the ‘baddy’ and formed a very good partnership with her side kick
Claude. Their relationship was most believable through the active listening and good
eye contact which was not always maintained elsewhere in pairings. The promise of
‘causing mischief in Millbrook’ was hilarious and elicited many boos and jeers from
the audience who loved their performances. It was almost a shame that Carabasse
went to the ‘good’ side in the end as I was enjoying her performance so much. She
was fully commanding with excellent diction and tuneful singing.
The supporting actors ensured the flow of the story and added the essential colour to
the performance. The aloofness of the King and Queen and servility of the Pages
with their petty squabbling showed how the director got the best from the actors. In
keeping with wholly inclusive community theatre ethos of the Torpoint Players, each
actor had their time on stage. Even the smallest part of the ensemble was integrated
into the story. The Fairies’ conversational style in telling the story was great fun and
they sang in harmony which was pleasing to hear.
The design elements of this production contributed significantly to the overall impact.
The set was simple yet versatile and visually engaging, allowing for swift transitions
between scenes. It gave the performers as much space as possible which was
essential as there were times when the whole cast were on together. The use of the
curtains was successful in making the transitions very slick. I must mention the detail
in the lair of Carabasse. The use of lighting and special effects brought another
dimension. It was a spectacular amalgamation of the imagination of the director and
creative genius of Andy Martin Production Support with lights and sound.
One final remark. The costumes were vibrant and perfectly matched the roles and
there was no poor quality to be seen. The attention to detail was impressive and well
worth the investment.
In summary, this was a well-crafted pantomime that understood its audience and
genre offering an entertaining and well executed theatrical experience. It succeeded
through polish, energy, discipline and pure joy.
Thank you to the front of house team who made me feel most welcome and provided
the highest quality hospitality. I was most grateful to the cast and crew who spent
time talking to me in the interval and after the show.

PLEASE NOTE: Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what he sees at the
performance in question. The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance
and it is inevitable that his assessment will be affected by that knowledge.

The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in
particular the performance viewed. It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only
be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed. Any criticisms
expressed may not have been valid at other performances, and are only made to encourage higher
standards in Amateur Theatre.
It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and
encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer
will prove helpful in improving future productions.

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