Synopsis
In this Sleeping Beauty pantomime script, Princess Aurora is finally ready to rule. She’s fierce, fearless, and totally uninterested in true love. But her jealous aunt Carabosse has other ideas, plotting to steal the throne and alter the line of succession. With birthday cake disasters, royal confusion, and the odd magical curse thrown in, things quickly get sleepy (in a good way)!
Luckily, Aurora’s got Nanny Nightnurse, the bumbling Muddles, a flustered Archbishop, and three totally unique fairy godmothers on her side, including one who naps more than she casts spells. Throw in a prince who’s more sweet than sword-swinging, and a royal family that’s equal parts chaos and charm, and you’ve got a magical mess on your hands.
Packed with slapstick, silliness and sparkles, Sleeping Beauty is a laugh-out-loud fairy tale adventure. Will they wake Aurora in time to stop Carabosse’s wicked plan? Or will the kingdom snooze its way into a nightmare?
Roles
15 Speaking Roles + Ensemble
- Princess Aurora Principal Girl. 21 years old. Sleeping Beauty herself. Young and fierce. She is finally ready to take her place in the world, and the royal family. She yearns for adventure and isn’t too interested in love.
- Old King Cole Princess Aurora’s father. Could be played by any gender in an exaggerated way for comedy effect. Elderly and a bit forgetful, but very merry. Usually being ‘mothered’ by his wife the Queen Of Hearts to whom his favourite turn of phrase is “yes dear.”
- The Queen of Hearts Princess Aurora’s mother. A bossy worrier, who mollycoddles and faffs around Aurora and Old King Cole. She inherited the crown and title of Queen, leaving her sister Carabosse cut out of the family fortune assuming she would rather live a ‘normal’ life.
- Muddles Comic. Could be played by any gender. Usually confused about things, performing plenty of slapstick comedy.
- Nanny Nightnurse Dame. Nanny to Princess Aurora and schoolteacher to Princess Aurora, Avarice, and Muddles. Typical dame role, with a warm, nourishing and emotional side to her.
- Prince Arthur Principal Boy. A kind prince, who is generous and charming, though perhaps not best built for armed combat or confrontation!
- Archbishop Known affectionately as Archie. Kind, but despairing older male clergy. Always frustrated when things go wrong and he is the punchline of a joke. Has a habit of Freudian slips, especially around Nanny Nightnurse who makes him flustered.
- Fairy Starlight A warm and welcoming good fairy with a fun personality. There should be a strong contrast between each of the three fairies, as each have their own personalities and style.
- Fairy Moonbeam A mystical fairy with deep and powerful magic. There should be a strong contrast between each of the three fairies, as each have their own personalities and style.
- Fairy Dust An elderly fairy who falls asleep at inopportune moments. There should be a strong contrast between each of the three fairies, as each have their own personalities and style.
- Carabosse Evil sister of the Queen Of Hearts. Could be played by any gender. If played by a man, it’s important that Carabosse is not a ‘bloke in a dress’, must be played seriously as the baddie. Seeks revenge on the Queen Of Hearts for cutting her out of the family fortune, and forcing her to bring up her own daughter relatively normally.
- Avarice Avarice, who is dragged into many of her evil schemes. She was friends with Aurora when she was younger, before Carabosse put an end to their friendship.
- Young Aurora 11 years old. A younger, more energetic and naive version of our heroic princess. She still knows her own mind, and has a determination about her.
- Young Arthur 11 years old. A younger, more energetic and clumsy version of our older prince.
- Young Avarice 11 years old. A young, cheeky and mischievous version of our older Avarice. At this stage she is friends with Aurora.
- Citizens of Slumberville Ensemble.
- Party Guests Ensemble.
- Palace Officials Ensemble.
- Nightmares Ensemble.
Sleeping Beauty Pantomime Script Extract
NANNY N. The cake! I left Muddles baking the cake earlier.
(MUDDLES enters, he is wearing the remains of a scorched chef’s hat and has soot all over his face. He is pushing a trolley with a perfectly iced birthday cake placed in the middle of it, surrounded by flowers.)
MUDDLES What’s my name?
(Audience response)
NANNY N. Muddles! What happened?
MUDDLES Small problem with the oven. I got confused about which knob to use. (Aside) Leave it.
NANNY N. Oh Muddles.
MUDDLES But don’t worry, I’ve iced the cake. No one will ever know.
NANNY N. I’d better take the cake to the King and Queen before anything else goes wrong.
(NANNY NIGHTNURSE places her hands on the opposite side of the trolley to MUDDLES and attempts to pull it away from him.)
MUDDLES No Mum. That’s not fair.
(MUDDLES jerks the trolley back towards him.)
NANNY N. It was my recipe Muddles. I should be the one to present the cake.
(NANNY NIGHTNURSE jerks the trolley back towards her.)
MUDDLES But I baked it.
(MUDDLES jerks the trolley back towards him.)
NANNY N. I’m going to bake you in a minute if you don’t –
BOTH – give –
(NANNY NIGHTNURSE jerks the trolley back towards her.)
– me –
(MUDDLES jerks the trolley back towards him.)
– that –
(NANNY NIGHTNURSE jerks the trolley more violently back towards her.)
– cake!
(MUDDLES jerks the trolley ferociously back towards him. The force of the trolley being pulled back by MUDDLES results in him bending double over the trolley and his facing landing squarely in the cake covered in icing. MUDDLES emerges slowly from the cake, icing dripping from his face.)
NANNY N. How long did that icing take you?
(MUDDLES, shouting, chases his mother with the cake on the trolley and the two exit.)
OFFICIAL And now the formal gift giving proceedings. Please welcome the Archbishop.
(The ARCHBISHOP enters)
ARCHB. I know you will all join me in wishing Princess Aurora the happiest of birthdays.
(Cheers of agreement from the PARTY GUESTS and PALACE OFFICIALS)
Would guests bearing lifts… I mean gifts… please bring them forward.
(As PARTY GUESTS take various elaborately wrapped presents to PRINCESS AURORA, CARABOSSE and AVARICE sneak on. CARABOSSE is wearing a hooded cloak. She removes the hood as she moves forward.)
CARAB. It’s me! (Cackles. To AVARICE) Is the present ready?
AVARICE (False pleasantness) It’s just outside mother.
CARAB. Good. Good! Now let’s hide over here until it’s our turn.
(CARABOSSE replaces her hood, and her and AVARICE hide behind a group of PARTY GUESTS who have already presented their gifts to AURORA. The action switches focus back to the remaining present-giving.)
