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Fariy Tale Magic Arrives In Sunderland
Martin
Dodd for UK
Productions
Sleeping
Beauty
Sunderland Empire
Until Saturday 31st December 2016
Balamory’s Andrew Agnew, Steps’
Faye Tozer, Coronation Street’s Vicky
Entwistle and Tracey Beaker Returns’ Amy-Leigh
Hickman joins Bobby Crush in Sunderland Empire’s delightful fairy tale. The
sparkly show is going to be a hit with young audiences. So ‘What’s the story?’…
 |
|
Amy-Leigh Hickman as
Princess Briar Rose
and Arthur Boan as the
Prince
|
Both
Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm get the credit for coming up with the
tale in which a curse, by a fairy not invited to be godmother, is put on a
young princess. The curse will begin when she is pricked by a spinning wheel
and she’ll sleep for a 100 years and will only be brought back to life with love’s first kiss. It is a classic day of good against evil,
with an added measure of bumbling royalty for good measure.
 |
| Faye Tozer as the Good Fairy |
The
show begins with Faye Tozer literally flying in as the Good Fairy. Straight
away, with the opening number Pure
Imagination from the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, you get
the impression that the singing will be a highlight of the show. Faye will also
get a chance to sing some of her Steps hits in the second act which is a real
crowd pleaser.
 |
|
Vicky Entwistle as
Carabosse
|
The
fairies,played by a great ensemble, line up and award the infant princess their
gifts and then the evil fairy Carabosse appears, even though she is uninvited.
Vicky Entwistle is great as the nasty one and enjoys winding the crowd up
without over doing it. Her performance throughout the show was superb.
 |
|
Andrew Agnew as Silly
Billy
|
The
Princess Rose grows up and suddenly it is the eve of her birthday. Amy-Leigh
Hickman is a charming princess. She has a daft friend, of course, and that is
Silly Billy, performed by director Andrew Agnew, who really started to engage
well with the younger kids in the second act.
 |
|
Bobby Crush as Nurse Nelly
and
Andrew Agnew as Silly
Billy
|
Arthur
Boan makes his professional debut as the Prince and he is probably the tallest
man in panto. The King is performed by Marcus Knibbs.
The
cast is completed with Bobby Crush as Nurse Nelly. Bobby appears to enjoy his
role as the panto dame. An appearance of a piano in the second half gave a
chance to twinkle the ivories in a twinkly Liberace moment.
 |
Amy-Leigh Hickman as
Princess Briar Rose
and Arthur Boan as the
Prince
|
So
far so good, in a pretty panto, full of songs. Indeed I have made a number of
references already to the great second act, which was funny and shorter, much
shorter. Here lies my one problem with Sleeping Beauty. It is too long at 2
hours 50 minutes. It seemed to really appeal to the young members of the
audience but, at nearly 3 hours, it is something of an endurance test for them.
A number of the scenes would have been much punchier if they had been shorter
and, as a result, sharper. Act one, in particular, would benefit from some
trimming. Time to use that Prince’s sword to make some cuts.
 |
| Bobby Crush as Nurse Nelly |
Running
time aside, there are a number of great touches. The scene in which the Prince
propels 100 years ahead uses projections that give a 3D effect without the need
for glasses. They had the desired wow response from the younger members of the audience.
Andrew Agnew is in his element when introducing 4 young members of the audience
during the community singing.
 |
| Vicky Entwistle as Carabosse |
Sleeping
Beauty is a great match for Faye Tozer and Vicky Entwistle as the 2 fairies.
Free from the rude jokes that feature in some of the other big pantos, it is
fine pantomime for families with younger children.
Review
by Stephen
Oliver
(Follow on Twitter: @panic_c_button)
Read
the North East Theatre Guide preview: http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/preview-sleeping-beauty-at-sunderland.html
Tickets:
Tickets
available from the Box Office on High Street West, via the ticket centre
0844 871 3022* or www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland
*calls cost up to 7p per minute plus standard network charges. Booking and
transaction fees may apply to telephone and online bookings.
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