Sleeping Beauty

The Theatre Group had to find a new venue after the very sad closure of Whitehaven Civic Hall. I didn’t quite know what to expect on my first visit to the new venue, Egremont Market Hall, but I needn’t have worried. The stage facilities seemed to be adequate , and the stage big enough to accommodate the big production numbers.

This was a very good pantomime from the group and the stars of the show were undoubtedly Lisa Stockdale, as Nanny Nora and Shaun Donald as Barney the Court Jester.I have to say I prefer a male Dame but Shaun and Lisa make a very formidable duo, and their engagement with the audience was excellent. Maddy Carr was a lovely Princess Aurora and Cassie McCluskey played a very confident suitor Prince Michael. Megan Smith was a good, good fairy and Jennifer Todhunter was a very ‘booable’ baddie. Every other principal character performed their tasks very well.

The songs and production numbers were performed very well but I felt the songs ended very abruptly at times, there was no natural ending to the otherwise excellent routines.

Lighting and sound were generally good and the wardrobe department had done a good job, as did the crew, set changes were quick and slick.

A downside to the venue was the seating, they were not particularly comfortable, and I left with a numb bum, but feeling very seasonal. Well done Theatre Group, you overcame the loss of the Civic very well.

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