Sleeping Beauty

 

Review by Paul Towers, 13/12/24

Sleeping Beauty, devised and directed by John Bale

Musical Direction by Paul Timms, choreography by Caroline Walsh

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre until Sunday 5^th January 2025

As we climbed the stairs to the auditorium the noise got louder as a sold out audience of school children bounced up and down in anticipation of the show. It is pantomime time at The Little Theatre, which means Christmas is just round the corner.

This year’s offering, stewarded by John Bale as always, is Sleeping Beauty. The eternal tale of the Princess Aurora (Sophie May), her father King Sat-Upon of Arcadia (Allan Smith in his first panto role) and the trials of navigating a dysfunctional family dynamic.

At the princess’s christening her aunt Carabosse (Olivia Phillips) is missed off the invitation list and she swears a terrible vengeance by cursing the princess to prick her finger and die on her 16^th birthday. This is mitigated by Fairy Fairweather (Rose Bale) so she only has to sleep for 100 years and be awoken by a handsome Prince Rupert (Thom Jones).

To add mirth and mayhem to the mix there is Dame Nanny Night-Nurse (John Bale) in ever more outrageous costumes and her sidekick Tickle the Jester (Russell Webster).

A coterie of six leggy dancers wearing even more glamorous costumes populate the castle.

This production is a very traditional pantomime so expect lots of groaning puns, convoluted rhymes and plenty of songs shoe-horned into the plot. The script includes lots of modern social references and, while very family friendly, there are a few sly gags for the grown ups. Just so they don’t feel left out.

With hissing and booing galore last night’s Pess Night audience had a terrific time.

Sleeping Beauty runs at The Little Theatre until Sunday 5^th January 2025. Tickets are selling fast so don’t delay.

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