IT’S Panto-time at Bath’s Theatre Royal and Wiltshire actor Jon Monie has pulled out a real Christmas cracker with his script for Sleeping Beauty.
It opened last Thursday (December 7) with a cast led by EastEnders’ and West End star Neil McDermott as Prince Vincent, local Panto legend Jon Monie as Lester the Jester, Nick Wilton as Dame Nanny Nora and Hollyoaks’ Sarah Jane Buckley as Fairy Snowfall.
The cast also features Maisie Sellwood as Princess Rose, Emma Norman as Carabosse and David Pendlebury as the King.
Staged by UK Productions, this thoroughly traditional show is a laugh-a-minute extravaganza guaranteed to put you in the mood for Christmas and New Year.
With an excellent new script by Bath’s all-round comic genius Jon Monie – much of it in rhyme - the magical story tells of a Princess, cursed by an evil spell on her 18th birthday party, who can only be awoken by true love’s kiss.
As Fairy Snowfall works with her friends to lift the curse and break the spell by the evil Carabosse, expect plenty of fun and laughter in a thrilling quest for a happy ending.
The show is full of top musical hits, an array of fantastic costumes, stunning sets and exciting special effects, which promises to keep panto fans, both young and old, completely entertained.
Sleeping Beauty very cleverly delivers all the classic panto traditions to which Bath audiences are accustomed, as well as featuring some new scenes to replace older and well-worn set pieces.
For the children, there’s Jon Monie spraying the audience with a water pistol, lots of naughty-but-nice jokes, quick-fire quips and physical humour, including a mock horse race, a Dr Who tardis travelling through time, and a giant dragon being slayed for the children.
There’s quite a lot of adult humour for the parents, including a ‘banger’ sausage that manages to raise itself.
My own particular favourite is a line from a scene where Princess Rose is chatting to Nanny Nora about her upcoming birthday:
“Nanny, do you remember your 18th?”
“Yes, he was an Uber driver from Melksham!”
Neil McDermott as Prince Vincent holds his own as the daring but gormless pantomime hero arriving on his trusty steed – which comprises two halves of a coconut and a piece of string.
Coming from Worcestershire – “where they make the sauce” – he manages to save Princess Rose with a kiss and then make her his bride.
In a nice twist, he is rescued by Maisie Sellwood as Princess Rose, who is perfect as an innocent teenager on the verge of adulthood. She commands the stage with charm and grace and is blessed with a lovely singing voice.
We all love to hiss and boo the panto baddie and Emma Norman’s Carabosse is about as beastly as they get, determined to spike Princess Rose’s finger on her spinning wheel and marry Prince Vincent herself.
Devilishly attired in a blue/black costume complete with horns she heckles and taunts the audience on every occasion.
David Pendlebury as the King is protectively dotty over his daughter and frets about the curse placed by evil Carabosse on Princess Rose while she was still a baby.
The cast are ably supported by the Sleeping Beauty Ensemble comprising Mercedes Brown, Elizabeth Lundy, Matthew Michaels, Kitty O’Gara, Megan Reidy and Liam Wetherell plus the delightful young dancers from Bath’s Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance.
Sleeping Beauty is directed by Jill Williams, with choreography by Harry Lydon and musical direction by Joshua Newport.
Sleeping Beauty appears at the Theatre Royal Bath to Sunday, January 7. Tickets are on sale at the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 and online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk
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