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NODA North West Magazine

SLEEPING BEAUTY

Macclesfield Majestic Theatre

Producer: Kevin Clarke
Musical Director: Heather Hayes-Wilson
Choreography: Carolyn Farrish-Mayer

To visit another pantomime the night after seeing such a polished and enjoyable one might have been an anti-climax. Need I have worried? Different in style and interpretation, this production, again written by Ron Hall proved that pantomime, well done, can offer so much to a society and be a platform for the stars of the future.

A smaller backing group was well enhanced by a good sound system ( I should think a bit of a bobby-dazzler to balance sound in this purpose-built hall next to a swimming pool!) It was trendy without being superficial.

As always with this society, the support from technical and backstage members was excellent. Many societies would envy them for their enthusiasm and sheer hard slog - a good, happy team.

The choreography, humour and approach was so up-to-date here, yet none of the charm of the fairy tale was lost, neither from the large ensemble or beautifully costumed cast.

As for the cast, there were overall good portrayals. Jason Heathcote as Bog Monster was frightening in true, fairy-tale fashion. Paul Shortt was King Timorous and Olga Buckley the very elegant Queen Bossanova. Wearing gorgeous costumes and delivering her lines "pearls and twin-set" fashion she gave, I thought, one of her best performances. Comedy was in the capable hands of Steven Helliwell as Jack and Jean Clarke as Nausea while David McGuiness was, yet again, a very good Dame, Lucy Lastic.

A very young Gemma Moss as the good Diamond Fairy had composure beyond her years, excellent articulation and she sang beautifully. Alison Garton must have enjoyed spreading her wings and being very, very wicked as the Charcoal Fairy - nice performance! Her side-kick, Doreen Axon was enjoyably OTT as Morticia, the witch's assistance with a penchant for eating the "eye of newt and toe of frog!"

Debbie Lomas was well cast as an attractive, nicely-sung Princess Aurora opposite Stephen Clayton's Prince Rupert who was ideal in this role. He, and his companion Frederick, played by Michael Daws, achieved the rapport of sending up their characters, yet being absolutely sincere when necessary. Their Act II duet was one of the hits of the pantomime.

Long will I remember the children in the audience, waving their laser and fibre optic wands in the dark when the fairies appeared plus ten out of ten stage manager, Keith Preece, for that wonderful Feng Sui-type tree in the Enchanted Forest. Ooooh!