Sleeping Beauty
South Hill Park
Until New Year’s Eve
01344 484123
Well bravo South Hill Park, your Sleeping Beauty was anything but sleepy – bar that brief 50-year nap.
A dazzling family show packed with our favourite Christmas panto ingredients and other surprises. With colourful musical numbers, all manner of jokes (good and bad), fabulous dancing, some jelly babies and a sizeable dollop of audience participation. Oh, and a water pistol, squirted into the audience, obviously.
Celebrating 50 years of South Hill Park Arts Centre, this is a fast-paced, joy-filled, glorious production from start to finish. Everything from the exquisite script to the choice of songs makes this show a must-see.
Fairy Moppins, played by the fabulous and hugely talented Paul Toulson, was first to make her magical appearance, giving audiences a warm and sparkly welcome. She was soon joined by her arch-enemy, the wicked Villanelle, who rightly got her fair share of impassioned booing and hissing throughout. Josselyn Ryder depicted the malevolent character beautifully, from the way she commanded the stage to her perfect evil cackle at each exit. Her powerful voice was ideal for the role. A superb panto villain.
Making her professional debut as Princess Briar Rose was the delightful Maisie Scarlett, with her gorgeous vocals, she made her big numbers and fiddly choreography appear effortless. Her calm handling of a large and dangerous dragon was also particularly impressive.
Bouncing onto the stage with the energy of Winnie the Pooh’s Tigger, was cheeky chappy Pickle, played by panto dab-hand Michael Ayiotis, who takes on his fifth Christmas performance at The Wilde Theatre.
We quickly come to feel rather sorry for our endearing friend Pickle, who is not only quietly in love with the Princess, but also takes an unfortunate dip in the castle fountain. Buckets of gunge and soapy water are lobbed at the clumsy lad who takes it all in his stride before finding a jelly baby to munch on. The jelly babies have a role of their own in this production.
Nanny Moppins (our Fairy in disguise) is brilliant, sharp and hilarious, lovingly picking on a member of the audience and teasing him repeatedly. She takes great care of both her fellow characters and her spectators.
Whilst a goofy Prince Percy (Charlie Nobel) also pines after the Princess, Watkins the Butler, played by Keir Buist in his seventh pantomime at South Hill Park, has his sights set on the Prince. Never mind love triangles, there are rectangles and all sorts in this show.
Joining Pickle and Fairy Moppins in a hilarious comedic trio is the fantastic Nick Murphy as King Archibald, who sports an elaborate and heavily adorned royal jacket. Their frivolous antics are priceless and at one point the three of them could be seen doing ballet, Darcey Bussell style (sort of), in tights, while gently batting a giant pink balloon to one another. The wonderful absurdity has the audience howling with laughter.
The bold costumes in this performance were as gloriously extravagant as one would expect for a Christmas show. Healthy doses of sparkle, glitter and sequins, with shiny metallics and over the top 70s flares closing the night.
A panto villain wouldn’t be complete without her mischievous side-kick, the lovable purple dragon Grouch. Puppeteering is an understated skill and the young, talented Caitlin Tyla voiced and steered the creature splendidly.
Grouch, who’d had quite a growth spurt in 50 years, gets his starring moment in act two, where the set designer pulled out all the stops to create a dragon so magnificent it required four people to operate its legs.
The sheer magnitude of this scarily “life-sized” dragon, which took up half the stage, was unforgettable. The set itself was equally as impressive, morphing into various magical locations throughout the night.
Supporting the main characters beautifully were the terrific junior ensemble, who brought a generous energy and pizazz to every big musical number, which were choreographed and delivered impeccably.
Whilst Princess Rose and best friend Pickle’s affection for one another was palpable, we might have been able to witness their love blossoming a little more on stage, perhaps with an extra scene illustrating their growing fondness for one another. Pickle’s feelings for the Princess were demonstrated when he thoughtfully hand-repaired her one-eyed teddy.
Rose’s true feelings came forth in a dream-turned-pop-music video, then slowly became evident in her conscious state. (Which was then interrupted with 50 years of unconsciousness.)
We could have had ever so slightly more fear from the royal gang towards the villainous Villanelle, who softened rather easily at the end. Though an attempted murderer, the lonely villain still managed to end the show with new friends (one previously her captive) offering to visit her in her lab for company. Her performance, however, faultless.
Written by Joyce Branagh, the script is full of quick-witted jokes and amusing references, plus a plot-twist or two of course.
The music is marvellous, with a carefully curated selection of high-energy songs leaving the theatre elated.
Directed beautifully, with an incredibly talented cast, audiences are taken on an enchanted rollercoaster leaving them roaring with laughter one minute and booing the evil Villanelle the next.
This show is a festive joy, sure to raise spirits and bring some much-needed magic to families this Christmas.
ANGELA GARWOOD
