“Hysterically funny from beginning to end… incredible set pieces as well as the very fast one liners that just kept hitting the mark.”
“I was thrilled to watch the final dress of Sleeping Beauty last night and can’t wait to take my great niece and nephew next Saturday – they will love it. Read on to find out more, I promise there are no spoilers.
St Blazey AOS opens Sleeping Beauty today at The Keay Theatre, celebrating 75 years of making audiences laugh, cry, hiss and boo.
Steph Housman has already earned her stripes as Director; Sleeping Beauty will firmly establish her in the role for years to come. Hard to believe that a few short years ago she was sitting at her kitchen table asking herself if she was up to the task of stepping off the stage and taking overall charge of the panto! Steph has proved herself more than capable and with Sleeping Beauty she has pushed the envelope even further to mark the Society’s Diamond Jubilee.
With almost 40 performers, Sleeping Beauty is possibly one of the largest casts St. Blazey has fielded – in among the much loved array of stalwarts are some new faces that I very much hope to see again. Usually I highlight individual stand out performances, but this year I’m unable to pick anyone out, I simply don’t know where to start as every single performer is a star. The cast have knitted together so well this year and their team work has never been more obvious or shone so brightly. It’s a rare Am Dram performance where everyone is at the top of their game, but the cast of Sleeping Beauty have cracked it.
Working with an edgy script by popular Panto writer Alex Jackson, the creative team have unleashed a beast of a show, inarguably their funniest and finest production. This Sleeping Beauty is the most atmospheric and darkest I’ve ever watched, quite a leap from anything I’ve seen before, filled with shocks and surprises but it all comes out right in the end and good overcomes bad, just as it should. Hysterically funny from beginning to end, I was running it over and over in my head last night, giggling along remembering some of the incredible set pieces as well as the very fast one liners that just kept hitting the mark.
Fab choreographer Nicki Murphy and the legend that is Musical Director Nigel Read return to make up a magical mix of creative talent working alongside Steph to bring us stunning dance and movement and some truly banging tunes. Steph has introduced some innovative ideas, unusual twists and turns so audiences need to keep eyes all over the stage as there are some really clever moments going on everywhere.
Wardrobe Mistress Sheila Gill and her tiny band of seamstresses once again pull together an unbelievable number of gorgeous costumes, Sheila was still making some final adjustments on the hoof last night as the final dress run through was going ahead! Nigel Allen and Elaine Rowe are the hair and make up artists, making everyone look beautiful, well not everyone, obviously – they do their best with the Dame, but can only do so much with the palette they’re working with!
Led once again by the phenomenal Stage Manager Jim Chapman, the stage crew are a well oiled machine who have pulled out all the stops on this one. Not to be outdone, the brilliant Andy Martin has also taken things to greater heights with his team to create and build an awesome set and clever lighting, with the Keay Theatre’s own Jonathan Stamp running the lighting board for the show. Seasoned sound engineer James Clarke ensures everything is sounding exactly as it should.
Kudos to the whole team who take up a range of roles behind the scenes from FOH to car parking, from selling programmes to ensuring young performers are kept safe. Without this wonderful band of devoted people there would be no show.
Massive congratulations on 75 years to everyone at St. Blazey AOS and thank you for such a stellar Panto to celebrate and showcase the very best of everything you do. You will smash it this week. Have a truly magnificent run and enjoy every second.