Don’t look now, but it seems as though it’s nearly Christmas, and we all know what that means, yes, Pantotime! The first of this year’s offerings is Sleeping Beauty at Carriageworks, and gets things off to a great start.
As you will have gathered, this show is based on the legend of Sleeping Beauty, which has been adapted many times since it was first written in France in 1528. It is a simple plot with just enough characters to provide a love story, a battle between good and evil, and most of all, ample opportunity for the cast to show their individual talents. Carriageworks’ version bears little resemblance to the original, but then the other prerequisite for a good pantomime is that it should take as many liberties as possible.
Prince Benedict, Thomas Currie, proposes to Princess Ariana, Caitlin Riley, with his prospective father-in-law, King, Paul Winterford, looking on approvingly.
Here, the female lead is Princess Ariana, whose father, the King, wants to see her marry a suitable chap and live happily ever after. The problem is that there is no one around to fit the bill, until one day Prince Benedict arrives in town, all the way from Australia! King introduces him to his daughter and all seems well. The problem is that when he married his Queen, who has since died, he upset the wicked witch, Carabosse, as she thought that it would be she who would be his bride. Being thus snubbed, she decided to take revenge on King by putting a curse on the person he loved most of all, you guessed it, Princess Ariana. The curse was that, when she turned 18 years of age, she would prick her finger and fall asleep for a hundred years, after which time she could only be awoken by a true love’s kiss. The injection was administered by Carabosse herself who, whilst in disguise, asked Pricess Ariana to help her with her spindle, and she fell into a deep sleep.
Fairy, Serena Walsh, who multitasks by both narrating the show and saving the day.
Fortunately for everyone concerned, there is also a good Fairy, who uses her powers to cast magic on the Princess, King, Prince Benedict, and the rest of the characters; Muddles, a childhood friend of Princess Ariana, Dame Dolly, who works for King at the castle, and the Townsfolk, thus placing them all in suspended animation, so that when the hundred years is up, they can continue where they left off. Just as well, really as I doubt any passing handsome young prince would fancy a snog with a 118 year-old in a coma.
Needless to say, all works out well in the end, Prince Benedict marries Princess Ariana, Carabosse sees the error of her ways, having had her evil powers negated by Fairy and King marries Dame Dolly.
Carabosse, Katherine Picar, working her evil and lapping up the booing from the audience.
The plot, being so straightforward, allows plenty of opportunities for diversion, which is the essence of Panto. I was at the Saturday afternoon performance which meant that there were loads of kids who had brought an adult or two with them – although no one behaves like an adult at this type of show – so the humour has to be carefully aimed at each sector. It is essential to keep the youngsters interested, whilst firing the odd shot above their head to land a direct hit on we oldies. Both Aaron Steadman, as Dame Dolly and Jez Edwards as Muddles, did this brilliantly. The latter was worryingly au fait with children’s tv and social media channels, meaning that some of his references reversed the process and flew straight past the adults completely. I think that 6 – 7 is pretty well known now but when Muddles, got off his Deliveroo bike and produced a chicken and a banana, the kids started singing along with him, whilst the adults looked incredulously on! If you thought that the Crazy Frog was beyond annoying, google the Chicken and Banana Song. He also had his own song, which we all joined in, every time he came on stage.
Muddles, Jez Edwards, suitably attired to deliver meals round Leeds on a freezing November afternoon. What came first, the chicken or the banana?
One of Muddles’ jokes for the oldies was obviously recycled from last year, when he said that he thought that we pensioners were only here because it was a cheaper way to keep warm than to put the heating on at home, now that the Winter Fuel Allowance had been scrapped. They don’t call you Muddles for nothing, mate, as it has been reinstated this year, ironically I received mine on the day before the show. Oh, yes I did.
Hello! Dame Dolly. Aaron Steadman – a wealth of double (and single) entendres.
Dame Dolly was a little more risqué, slipping a quick one in – she’s got me at it now – when recalling her pets, saying she always had a soft spot for a cockatoo.
Carriageworks is a space ideally suited to pantomime as it is small enough to facilitate the special brand of audience participation associated with the medium. As well as everyone singing and dancing in the appropriate places, each of the comedy characters picked on an unsuspecting adult attendee and gave them relentless grief throughout the show. Again, they were superb in not embarrassing the target, but gently ribbing them.
Obviously, Princess Ariana, played by Caitlin Riley, and Prince Benedict, Thomas Currie, were a little more sedate in their scenes, regaling us with love songs, which highlighted their ample singing talents. Their acting and dancing was spot on as well.
Paul Winterford, as King, portrayed a man who was a bit of a bumbler and did it wonderfully well, especially in the scenes where he kept taking his leave of the loving couple but then remembering something else to tell them, thus more than outstaying his welcome when they had other things on their mind.
Serena Walsh, as Fairy, guided us through the story and individual scenes with her synopses, all in verse, delivered beautifully, whilst, at the other end of the spectrum, Katherine Picar, milked every ounce of evil out of her character Carabosse, eliciting boos and cat calls at her every word. Actually, that was not quite true as the younger members of the audience were obviously well brought up and it took a short while, and some prompting from the cast and adults, to unleash their rowdiness, but they soon got the hang of it.
The ensemble; Millie Boynton, Thomas Brown, Ella Piercy Luke Speddings and Eleanor Wilson, sung, acted and danced their way through the story with great aplomb, whether it be as Townsfolk, Wedding Guests or aides to the evil Carabossa.
The cast, in full party mode; Dame Dolly – Aaron Steadman at the rear; Thomas Brown and Luke Speddings – Ensemble in the next row down. In front of them; Ella Piercy, Millie Boynton and Eleanor Wilson – Ensemble; Front row; Fairy – Serena Walsh, Muddles – Jez Edwards, Princess Ariana – Caitlin Riley, Prince Benedict – Thomas Currie, King – Paul Winterford and Carabosse – Katherine Picar.
Sleeping Beauty, Produced by Paul Holman Associates and Carriageworks, Directed by Paul Giddings, with Choreography by Jack Storm and Music Directed by Jay Taylor, is a wonderful, old school pantomime and had everyone enthralled, so I suggest that you nip along to Carriageworks to see for yourself. It runs on various dates and times until Sunday 4th January, 2024. For more information and to book, please go to https://www.carriageworkstheatre.co.uk/whats-on where you will also find details of their other productions.
Have a great Christmas and all the best for 2026. I just hope we get the Winter Fuel Allowance again!
Photography by Anthony Robling
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