Sleeping Beauty

Directors Sarah Hanks and Angela Watson are to be congratulated on bringing out the very best from this talented cast as we were treated to family entertainment at its very best. There are a few ingredients that are essential if you are to have a good pantomime, the first of which is a good dame and in Pete Grant as Nanny you had just that. Here is a man totally at ease on stage. It was a joy for me to witness this first class performance and I particularly liked his ad libs and rapport with the audience. Another critical element in any pantomime is the ‘fool’ and I was amazed to read in the programme that this was Maria Giuliani’s first time in pantomime as she got the role of Wilbert ‘just right’. Mark Rhodes as the Lord Chamberlain completed a very impressive comedy line-up. Here is another actor obviously at home in pantomime and who understands the nuances of this form of entertainment. The gags in the script were good and gave these three characters in particular much opportunity to amuse. Natasha Harvey played the title role of Princess Beauty ‘beautifully’ and has a very pleasant singing voice indeed. Sarah Hanks and Angela Watson can be justifiably proud in their debut as directors and I’m sure they will be asked back by Trowbridge Players in future years. The cast obviously enjoyed themselves as did a very appreciative audience – it was traditional family pantomime just as it should be.

• Type: user
• Performance Date: 22/01/2012
• Star rating: 12345