Sleeping Beauty

The Broxbourne Theatre Company regularly use the Civic Hall Venue for their productions. The stage facilities seemed to be adequate and the stage large enough to accommodate the big production numbers.

This was a good pantomime from a group who has a reputation for traditional productions around the Christmas period. The stars of the show were undoubtedly Gordon Pownell as Dame Lucy Lastic and Sarah Earl as Sleeping beauty herself, the Princess Aurora. Ian Ellis-Hall and Alex Rolle as the King and Queen made a very formidable duo, and Scott Welsh’s engagement with the audience, although I felt, over worked at times, was much appreciated especially by the younger members of the audience.  Sarah-Louise Levy was a lovely Diamond Fairy and Lacey Cousins played a confident suitor Prince Rupert. Maureen Stretch played a ‘booable’ baddie and every other principal character performed their tasks well.

The songs and production numbers were performed well but I felt the songs ended rather abruptly at times with either a black out or walk off and there was no natural ending to the otherwise excellent routines. Everyone seemed to be working very hard, however there was a lack of vitality from the cast at times and I would have liked the chorus to smile more.

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

I enjoyed my first visit to the Civic Hall and look forward to visiting once again to see your next production “Blitz” later in the year.

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