Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty           Burton Amateur stage entertainers                 February 2016

On a damp Saturday afternoon what better way for a family to be entertained than with a trip to Burton Brewhouse to see Sleeping Beauty presented by Burton Amateur Stage Entertainers, an annual pantomime excursion outside of the normal pantomime season.

Greeted with a vibrant and colourful set and complimented by a cast well costumed in flamboyant ‘panto-style’ attire the setup of Sleeping Beauty was a visual treat. However, with modern lighting and the closeness of the audience heavy make-up is no longer required, leave that to the dame to carry off.

The fun storyline with a plot that allowed even the youngest members of the audience to understand worked well. The cast delivered their lines confidently, even over the enthusiastic audience although the need to continuously deliver the lines ‘out front’ is not always necessary as a variety in delivery works well and adds interest.

Whilst every member of the company worked hard to contribute to the production and their enthusiasm was evident finding more of a purpose for the ensemble, particularly during the introduction to songs, would make for a more fluid performance. Also adding a variety of shapes and positions on stage adds interest for the audience.

Movement was well executed and everyone sang well, some vocals were lost under the backing tracks and maybe radio mics would have helped in certain parts of the show. Always remember there are adults in the audience and tailor some of the action towards them, not just innuendos but also jokes they can laugh at.

The highlight of this production was how well this cast engaged, interacted and ‘played’ with the audience, not an easy ask particularly when the young audience members do not follow the script!

Well done to all involved in this fun and enthusiastic production.

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