Sleeping Beauty

By Alan R Price

Directed by Alan R Price

February 13th to 16th 2008

at The Community Theatre, Cheadle High School

Pantomime Review

 ‘Sleeping Beauty' is not a popular pantomime, it is very rarely a production performed by the professional theatres. Alan Price of Cheadle Amateur Theatrical Society (C.A.T.S.) however chose this children's favourite to become the latest for him to write and direct.

The exceptionally colourful costumes and scenery together with some wonderful singing and dancing delighted the audience. Combining these with a warm and comical script plus plenty of audience participation, helped produce a show to be enjoyed by young and old alike. The finalé, was particularly outstanding, combining purple and silver.

Ian Wood (Dame Hoover) and Warren Leese (Little Henry) were a fine double act who were able to get the audience to warm to their antics and frolics with hilarious results especially by getting them to watch out for, and warn them, when a ‘Squiffy' appeared.

Rebekah Snow was an admirable Principal boy (Prince Valiant) and her superb voice was a delight to listen to, especially when she dueted with Victoria Wood (Princess Beauty) who was playing her first principal role.

There were plenty of opportunities for the junior members of the society to join in, by playing many of the minor roles such as the Junior Principal boys and girls.

There was of course the accustomed ‘Baddie' for the audience to boo, and in this production it was the wicked witch ‘Hobnail' (Janice Bentley) who was aided and abeted by her two assistants ‘Rag & Tag' (Jessica Leake & Chloe Stevens). There were also two devious characters Queen Sulphur and her son Prince Herbert excellently portrayed by Heather Atkinson & Caroline Stokes respectively.

Overall the production became one of the best pantomimes that Alan has written and directed, being attended by family audiences who enjoyed a great night out.

Pantomime is often an introduction for many to live theatre, and this sort of show will surely encourage them to keep theatres alive.

 

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