SLEEPING BEAUTY

Cambridge Arts Theatre

★★★★

“a spellbinding cast, laugh out loud comedy, and plenty of panto sparkle”

Fresh from refurbishment, the Cambridge Arts Theatre reopens the stage that helped launch stars like Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Derek Jacobi. Kicking off its reawakening is ‘Sleeping Beauty’, a pantomime for all the family with a stellar cast, sparkling energy and laugh out loud fun. Come and add your applause to this iconic theatre’s history.

In the magical kingdom of Trumpington, Princess Rose is cursed by the fame hungry Carabosse – until Fairy Strawberry saves the day by softening the spell. The King hides Princess Rose deep within the Botanic Gardens to escape the curse. But will their plan succeed and can Rose’s friends help her find true love?

Written by Chris Jarvis of BBC fame, the story offers some fresh turns: Carabosse craves online fame, Prince Ken sends up the ‘prince charming’ trope, and the nanny is of course a panto dame. The script brims with puns and local jokes, including a whole song about Cambridgeshire towns. Consent is neatly included before the kiss. Extra scenes earn their place with laughs despite adding little to the plot – especially the riotously funny slip and slide sequence. New characters don’t all seem necessary (sorry Happy Harry!), and extended rhyming couplets and repeated introductions wear a little thin after a while, but overall it’s an entertaining update full of panto magic.

Director Michael Gattrell and Assistant Director Amy Kinnear deliver impressive sets, vibrant costumes and larger than life puppetry. Lively asides, slick transitions and seamless audience interaction keep the pace brisk and the energy high, with a group song led by eager volunteers proving a delightful highlight.

Musical Director Dean McDermott and Deputy Sam Fluskey (also on bass guitar) deliver an upbeat, well chosen score packed with modern hits for all ages. The lyrics are playfully adapted to each scene, and the band – completed by Alex Ward on guitar and Alan Dale on drums – delivers a rich, full sound far exceeding its size.

Kevan Allen’s choreography bursts with energy, blending ballet, jazz, Charleston and other styles in routines that flow well.

Ian Westbrook’s set design features hand painted detail and plenty of sparkle. The giant dragon is a showstopper and its comic disappearance earns big laughs. Mike Robertson’s vibrant lighting syncs seamlessly with the action, punctuating Carabosse’s dramatic entrances to great effect. Will Thompson’s sound design occasionally threatens to overpower the singers but is cleverly timed with playful effects sharpening the comedy. The costumes are a triumph, with the Dame parading an impressive array of increasingly outlandish outfits, and the glittering red finale a striking sight.

The stunning cast is packed with seasoned West End performers. Daisy Twells enchants as Princess Rose, with crystal clear vocals to match her refined elegance. Tricia Adele-Turner delivers delicious sass and powerhouse vocals as Carabosse. Tanisha Butterfield delights as Fairy Strawberry, her gentle presence lifted by soaring alto tones. Matt Harrop infuses King Truman with whimsical charm, crowned by a thrilling burst of vocal firepower. Joseph Hewlett charms as Prince Ken, fusing adorable sweetness with magnetic American cool and another stunning vocal performance. UK Pantomime Award winner Steven Roberts makes Happy Harry a lovable sidekick to the panto dame, brimming with sweet silliness. Matt Crosby as Nanny Nutkins steals the show with sharp improv, impeccable comic timing, and a towering personality. Taylor Alman, Charlie Barnard, Morgan Broome, Danielle Cato, Oliver Imeson, and Sophie Karaolis shine as a dynamic ensemble, bursting with energy and commitment.

‘Sleeping Beauty’ kicks off the return of the Cambridge Arts Theatre with a bang. With a spellbinding cast, laugh out loud comedy, and plenty of panto sparkle, it promises a dream night out.

SLEEPING BEAUTY

Cambridge Arts Theatre

Reviewed on 7th December 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Richard Hubert Smith

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty

Greenwich Theatre

Reviewed – 11th December 2019

★★★★★

“an incredibly rich and vibrant affair that will fill you with a sense of well-being while making you laugh again and again”

Every year Andrew Pollard brings his remarkable pantomime to Greenwich Theatre, and every year it surprises and delights. The stories may change, but the essence remains the same – a hilarious and audacious roller-coaster of a show. Sleeping Beauty is another great victory for this supremely talented writer, actor and director.

Forget the usual panto formula. While Pollard clearly loves the genre and pays homage to its key elements – not least, by embodying the archetypal Dame – his take on the form is refreshingly different and he makes Sleeping Beauty work on multiple levels. For children, it’s excitingly full of colour, adventure and impressive pyrotechnic effects, with appealing interactive moments – such as being handed magic moon rocks and urged to throw them at the stage. For adults, it’s a feast of cheeky wit with a very funny script that weaves in local and topical references (Plumstead, Blackheath, Nigel Farage, Prince Andrew) alongside plenty of daft innuendo. It’s a treat to watch the actors trying to make each other laugh, going off-piste and breaking the fourth wall.

The scenes are interspersed with – and often built around – wonderful pop music. There are adaptations of songs by The Beatles, Chic, Boney M and The Proclaimers, among others, played live and loud by the small in-house band led by Musical Director ‘Uncle’ Steve Markwick.

The story veers wildly away from the classic fairytale, but just about retains enough of the key elements to justify the title. Ewan and Anastasia, the young couple at the centre of the plot, are confidently played by Regan Burke and Esme Bacalla-Hayes. Theirs is not a typical boy-meets-girl situation. With the help of a kindly fairy, Ewan finds himself transported from the London of 1969 to the Russia of 1869. Masquerading as ‘Major Thomas’ – you can see the David Bowie connection a mile off, and sure enough they include ‘Space Oddity’ as one of the songs – he falls in love with the daughter of Tsar Ivan the Slightly Irritable. But Anastasia is bewitched and left to sleep for 100 years by the evil villain Rasputin. The ‘mad monk’ is wonderfully brought to life by the ultra-charismatic Anthony Spargo, who knows exactly how to get the audience hissing at him and his dastardly plans.

Quickly dispensing with familiar Sleeping Beauty motifs, the narrative races off into a gloriously ridiculous saga about travelling through time and space, plus a thread about Greenwich Theatre itself as way of celebrating its 50th anniversary. Indeed, Ewan is based on Ewan Hooper, a real-life local actor who saved the theatre from demolition in the 1960s.

One of the highlights of each annual pantomime is the spectacle of Andrew Pollard’s outlandish costumes, which defy gravity and belief, so special credit must go to the team of wardrobe designers. Utterly inspired visuals in which adults are turned into babies also support several moments of comedy that go beyond merely funny or clever to approach a sort of surreal high art.

Only one criticism: at times the music is too loud and drowns out the dialogue. It’s not the sort of show in which you need to hear every word, but it is a shame that a few of the jokes are lost for this reason.

Tag Archives: Sleeping Beauty

SLEEPING BEAUTY

★★★★

Cambridge Arts Theatre

SLEEPING BEAUTY

Cambridge Arts Theatre

★★★★

“a spellbinding cast, laugh out loud comedy, and plenty of panto sparkle”