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"Nothing sleeps about this beauty!"

SLEEPING BEAUTY (1986)- Press Review

Macclesfield Chronicle

There is nothing soporific about Macclesfield Majestic Theatre Group's production of "Sleeping Beauty" this week.

Plenty of non-stop action keeps members of the audience on their toes, cheering and hissing at good and evil, until the handsome Prince Rupert (Shirley Davies) kisses awke the beautiful, sweet singing Princess Aurora (Diane Booth), and everyone in the kingdom of Ambrosia lives happily ever after.

Colourful costumes and good choreography add to the sparkle of a very polished show, and all of the actors played their roles well.

Queen Bossonova (Sheila Gaskell) is always bossing over husband King TImorous (Paul Shortt), but she proved to be a pushover when, with the help of a magic wand, he turned the tables and for once told her to "shut up!"

Dame Lucie Lastic (David McGuiess), with a name just perfect for terrible puns (all used of course), was suitably flamboyant and entertaining with her moans about varicose veins and the doomed magic piano joke, and the slapstick routines with the wonderfully funny pint-sized Nausea (Carol Dabbs) were great.

Jack the Jester (Stephen Clayton) makes the most of his lines, but seems to be demoted to the role of stooge for much of the time, although much loved by the amorous Nausea who firmly believes he is the man for her, in spite of the difference in height.

A sub-plot of the main story introduces the three bears, and the audience falls in love with the cuddly Edward, the baby bear (Heidi Dabbs), when he gets lost.

Eventually Prince Rupert gallantly re-unites Edward with his Mummy and Daddy (Doreen and William Milne) and tells them not to leave their bear behind again-....bum bum!

Oh yes he does

But on with the main story, and the burning question of whether the Prince can get into the castle, surrounded by trees, and save the sleeping Princess, who has pricked her finger on a poisoned spinning wheel as the evil Charcoal Fairy (Deirdre Rogers) had predicted she would at her christening 17 years ago.

Of course he can, and he does with a magic sword given to him by the Diamond Fairy (Kim Jones), who is the picture of elegance dancing her way round the stage.

An enthusiastic chorus sings its way through the performance, accompanied by the three piece band of pianist Lesley Marshall, drummer Paul Hadfield, and organist John Pyatt, directed by Kath Ibbotson.

Produce Julie Hoskinson obviously worked hard to bring the production together for a very professional show.

It was disappointing, however, that much of the joking will have gone over the heads of the children in the audience when - bearing in mind the tradition of pantomime - it should perhaps have been aimed directly at them.

And many opportunities to include the children who shouted out were missed by the cast, who seem to stick faithfully to the script.

But to compensate, a short sing song sees many little stars born as they flock onto the stage to help Dame Lucy Lastic and Jack make as much noise as possible.

Overall, it proves to be another success for the Majestic Theatre Goup as excellent ticket sales confirm.

Tomorrow (Saturday) see the closing night, after a matinee, so book now.

S.W.