Sleeping Beauty
People's Theatre
14th December 2021
14th December 2021
The People's Panto is back this year with the classic fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty. After a two year Covid hiatus it bursts back onto the stage with a flashbang and Fairy Canny (Emma Cockburn) introduces us to Geordieland and the sad tale of Princess Beauty who was cursed at birth by the wicked fairy Carabosse - on her 21st birthday she will prick her finger on a spindle and die.
The panto begins 21years later, the day before Beauty's birthday and the day the curse should be fulfilled. Queen Sadie has done everything to keep her daughter safe, spinning wheels have been banned and Beauty has never set foot outside the Palace. So, everything will be fine, and the curse will never come to fruition! (Oh no it won't!)
The jokes come thick and fast, relentless at times! There are silly ones for the kids and plenty of innuendo for the grown-ups - there was a lot of raucous laughter from the row behind me at one or two of the more riskee jokes! The chemistry on stage between Queen Sadie and Chester the Jester keeps the panto bowling along at a cracking pace. Steve Robertson slips back into the Dame's Frock with ease, while Callum Mawston does a brilliant job of engaging the audience with his cheeky grin and quick repartee. Jonathan Goodman plays a blinding bad guy as Carabosse ably assisted by his sidekick Radgie Gadgie - a role played with unnervingly laidback malevolence by Daniel Magee. The level of booing is a good indicator of the quality of the bad guys, and on Tuesday night it hit the top level - booing started as soon as Carabosse and Radgie Gadgie appeared - no prompting needed! The two characters ooozed badness from the moment they stepped on stage!
Of course it all ends with true love's kiss and a wedding - though there might be a little twist at the end. Is it Prince Frederick of Fenham who wins Beauty's hand, or does someone else bring her back from her hundred year's slumber? You'll have to buy a ticket to find out!
This is a traditional Panto - with everything you would expect. It has all the jokes poking fun at neighbouring rival towns (Sunderland naturally comes in for some stick) and recent news stories (Boris gets a bit of stick too!); there are dastardly bad guys, sugary sweet good guys, cute little dancers (some of whom don't quite remember their steps), sing-alongs, sweetie hoy-outs, and lots of booing, hissing and cheering. And, of course, a happy ever after, because it wouldn't be a proper panto without that so am not giving away too much by saying that!
Panto season is back and the People's Panto does not disappoint! Grab a ticket and enjoy an evening of good old fashioned family fun!!
Denise Sparrowhawk
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