Sleeping Beauty is Magnificent in many ways

Thursday, 5 December 2024 09:00

Wiltshire Creative's 2024 pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, sees us transported back to 'Salisburyshire', and you'll be whisked along with the cast on a story that is funny, cute and will leave you captivated.

Sleeping Beauty will bolster Salisbury's reputation for delivering a high-quality panto—it's truly magnificent in so many ways. It is side-splittingly funny, immersive and has great audience interaction.

Let's start with the cast. There isn't a weak member among them, and their comedic timing and voices will make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

Scotty Armstrong is making what he calls his 'Damebut' in his first professional stage appearance as a Dame - he's funny with fantastic timing and ticks all of the innuendo boxes right from the start. His Dame Nanny Fanny Adams is brilliant and delivers everything you want from a panto Dame.

Fairy Frappucino, played by Claudia Kariuki, is joyful and... she can sing! She hits all the right notes with the comedy, too.

Neal Craig plays the loveable King Arthur Righus and gives you everything you want from the father figure role in a panto and brings a few moments with some emotion to an otherwise righteous show.

Lottie Mae O'Kill plays Princess Stella. She has a voice that fills the room, making your hair stand on end and her interaction with Joseph Peacock, who plays Magnificent Mike, feels genuine and warm.

Peacock is brilliant - he's funny both physically and with the timing in delivering his lines - he will have you in stitches as he races around the auditorium with more energy than even the Duracell Bunny. His performance is a real highlight of the show.

Salisbury audiences have come to expect a great panto villain, and once again, we have a fantastic one in Fairy Badflix. Natasha O'Brien gives us a loveable baddie with her own audio jingle and a sass that will leave you forgetting to boo her. She's funny and wicked.

The set is amazing, and the costumes—and there are plenty of them—are as garish and outlandish as you could possibly want, with some great detail in amongst the colour and campness.

Writers Plested, Brown, and Wilsher have once again given 'Salisburyshire' a panto to shout about, and it really is a must-see. Director Ryan McBryde has worked with a cast that clearly loves working together, which is evident on stage as the cast bounces off of each other like a group of friends who have known each other since childhood.

The young cast is brilliant as always, showcasing a great depth of young talent in the local area.

If you haven't booked your tickets yet, do so; it is amazing - https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/events/sleeping-beauty

Oh, and if Magnificent Make is still waiting to find out who won Spin to Win on 'Salisburyshire Radio', then tell him to get in touch.