Sleeping Beauty: Wake Up Little Snoozie

Everyman Theatre, Liverpool
November 26 – January 22

Authors: Sarah Nixon Mark Chatterton
Director: Mark Chatterton
Producer: Everyman Playhouse
Cast Includes: Sarah Vezmar, Matthew Wycliffe, David McGranaghan, Jonny Bower`
 Adam Keast, Nicky Swift, Francis Tucker

Running Time: 2 hrs 40 mins

The Everyman’s Sleeping Beauty: Wake Up Little Snoozie is a joy to watch from first to last and should it be the theatre’s pantomime swansong for a couple of years due to refurbishment, then the new theatre will have a lot to live up to on its reopening.

Sarah Vezmar as Ruby, the Beauty in question, Matthew Wycliffe as Prince Ned and David McGranaghan as reluctant baddie, Oderon –who is delightfully nasty but with a touch of class – and Jonny Bower as Peggy Heggerty are each a joy to watch. Their acting skills, abilities to wing it when required and, also, individual skills to belt out some fitting rock numbers are all exemplary, but it is their enthusiasm and energy that quickly filters through to the audience and makes the night so special.

All of which is more than ably supported by some Everyman panto regulars.  Nicky Swift, fresh from her hit performance in Lennon recently, proves her prowess is as natural as breathing in the role of Fairy Milly Moon Beam. Jester supreme Adam Keast keeps the merriment rolling breathlessly while Dame Francis Tucker battles bravely through with his crutches becoming improvised props to the mayhem.

The Liverpool Everyman’s  annual Rock ‘n’ Roll pantomime is something of an institution that ensures a feverish rush for tickets. Never one to boast big name stars or vast budget productions, the show always delivers something that seems to be disappearing from most things Yuletide: good, clean family fun that more than occasionally unearths emerging talent. This restaging of Sleeping Beauty is clearly no exception on all fronts.

Chris High

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