Show: The Sleeping Beauty
Society: Sudbury Dramatic Society
Venue: The Quay Theatre. Sudbury, Suffok
Credits: by Andy Gribben
Type: Sardines
Performance Date: 14/12/2019
The Sleeping Beauty
Michael Gray | 15 Dec 2019 14:41pm
Sudbury embark on a 24-show run at the Quay, with their ever-popular local panto. Penned by their regular writer, Andy Gribben, it wraps the traditional fairy tale in an amusing farrago of multiple, sometimes meta-theatrical, plot twists and deviations. There’s a sword in a stone, a clock on the mantelpiece to signify time’s passing, and a very appropriate ice cream theme, with beautifully worked banners adorning the ancient walls of the playhouse.
In among the knowing references to ‘plot’, we enjoy many favourite panto ingredients, some great gags [joke of the match for me: Sloping Beauty], even a stripper routine, though it’s sadly hidden behind a screen. Maybe there’s a more explicit version for evening performances …
This production, directed by Adam Webster, assisted by Helen Arbon, boasts some fine touches: the human cannon-ball, the human hedge [a beautiful tableau, this], a puppet for the dragon [and a cuddly mini-me for the raffle prize]. And everything is done with bold panache, with choreography and movement by Jaclyn Taylor and Gemma Mayes. Only the ‘Million Dreams’ Act One finale seems a little underpowered.
There’s good use of music elsewhere [Neil Arbon the Musical Director], notably the sing-off between Cornetto and Solero, the opening Kaiser Chiefs’ I Predict A Riot [no escape from politics even in panto-land] and the Cuckoo Clock song. It might have been good to have had a few more such numbers, and maybe some more incidental music to set the mood and cover the changes.
As is the custom here, the twelve roles are shared between a pre- and post-Christmas cast. Some impressive pantomime acting at the opening family matinée. Annie Eddington makes a splendid Fairy Distaff, relishing the boos and making a perfect foil for the Good Fairy Slumber, Alise Balode. They both move beautifully too, making the most of their winged frocks. Tom Eddington works his audience with practised ease as would-be-Francophone Tractor Boy Lord Lovell, while Mark Saberton is in spectacularly fine voice as King Cornetto. His Queen – the disgraceful dame of this version – is Solero, aka Sally, in a pleasingly earthy performance by Malcolm Hollister.
Marking the passage of time – crucial to this fairy tale – are Tick, Tock and Cuckoo. Their interpolations might easily have been tedious, were it not for the irrepressibly strong characterizations of Helen Arbon behind the beak, and her “evangelical ornaments”, Jaclyn Taylor and George Maddams.
Natalie Pimm gives us a feisty minion, while Elin Massey’s Gertie delivers her long tirade in true Spamalot style. The love story, such as it is, features Ashleigh Jackson-Lake as a lovely Aurora, with Alison Crawley as her bold Principal Boy Prince Borealis.
True to its community theatre ethos, we walk out past a colourful full-cast guard of honour, and get a Christmas card signed by the members of both companies.
- : admin
- : 14/12/2019