Review by Paul Towers, 25/11/2022
Sleeping beauty by Morgan Brind
Directed and designed by Morgan Brind
Produced by Little Wolf Entertainment and Loughborough Town Hall
At Loughborough Town Hall til Monday 2nd January 2023
“a traditional pantomime with lots of added glitz”
If you want a traditional pantomime with lots of added glitz then Loughborough Town Hall’s 2022 offering of Sleeping Beauty from Little Wolf Entertainment is perfect for you.
Whilst the basic story is as old as time the modern references make it fresh and current. This doesn’t detract from the traditions that seasoned panto goers will relish. It is all there on stage; the handsome prince, the beautiful princess, the dozy jester, the outrageous dame and a villain to give Maleficent a run for her money. The story is simple a desperate king and queen make an enemy of the King’s sister, Carabosse, when they fail to invite her to their longed for daughter’s christening. Good Fairy Lights is only able to mitigate the curse to that of a 100 year sleep. The Prince vows to find the sleeping princess and awaken her with a kiss and everyone lives happily ever after.
Victoria Lucie as Princess Rose is a lot more feisty than Sleeping Beauty of old, a welcome sign of the times. Jake Reynolds as Prince Vince is the typically wet, nice but dim love interest. Oliver Stanley as the King booms his way around the castle trying desperately to protect his daughter while the comedy duo of Nurse Nancy Nightly (Sean McKenzie) and Mervin The Magician/Jester (Harry Polden) provide much of the laughter and litter the evening with a few jokes for the grown ups but mainly plenty of groan-worthy puns for the kids.
Marisa Harris as Carabosse has great fun chewing up the scenery and getting booed at every turn.
The main cast are boosted by several teams of young local dancers who take it in turns over the run.
The staging, designed by the author, is extravagant with glitter and gold everywhere. As a nod to old school pantos there is an imaginative black light sequence where Prince Vince fights his way through the forest to the sleeping princess.
The costumes, designed by Sara Rose, are a triumph of glamour, while Nurse Nancy Nightly has dozens of costume changes, each outfit more outrageous than the last. As it should be.
This is a great panto for introducing children to theatre. There is a sing-a-long, audience participation and lots of laughs. There is even a huge dragon!
Sleeping Beauty runs at Loughborough Town Hall until Monday 2nd January 2023
www.loughboroughtownhall.co.uk
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