Photos courtesy of Louise Stewart and Paul Cunningham.
Sleeping Beauty, Cumbernauld Theatre
Mary Brennan Three stars
Welcome folks, to Slumbernauld – the happiest place on earth, or so this story goes. The Slumbernauld Royals are especially happy: they finally have a baby daughter. We know, if they don’t, that little Rose’s future is about to take a turn for the accursed – mind you, in director Ed Robson’s version of the familiar tale, the threatening curse kicks in long before any unwitting finger meets the witch’s cruel spindle.
Poor Rose. The King (Paul Cunningham) is so determined to keep her safe, he keeps her indoors – an over-protective ploy that is actually rife with dangers. Too late! Wicked Hecate (Louise Stewart) sneaks into the palace and what was a father’s short-sighted strategy delivers Rose into the witch’s clutches.
Mega-decibels of roaring encouragement from the young ‘uns at a mid-morning performance overcame some threadbare patches in the script, to power a hard-working cast towards the foregone happy ending.
What is nicely inventive, however, is the use of puppets – initially to show Rose as child, then as wise old owls who pop through the trellised set to hoot out helpful riddles. And the addition of a lonely Shadow who, having been befriended by Silas, helps save the day reminds everyone that commoners can be as kind as any swash-buckled knight.
Masters of the art of traditional storytelling with a modern twist, Cumbernauld Theatre don’t disappoint in their staging of Sleeping Beauty.
This is not an all guns blazing, special effect driven, pop hit laden extravaganza, instead it is a beautifully told, traditional tale – a real pearl in a sea of crass commercialism.
Largely following the fairy tale as we know it; the wicked witch fails to secure an invite to Princess Aurora’s christening, she damns the princess to a life of isolation as the curse of sleep will come to the young lass if she ever receives a scratch. Despite the best efforts of her doting parents, the adventurous young tike inevitable falls foul of the curse and it takes true love and a pure heart to set her free.
This gentle production is the perfect introduction to “real” theatre for tinies, and shows that you don’t need pyrotechnics or pop hits to keep them enraptured. A heart-warming, sweet and wonderfully told tale.
SLEEPING BEAUTY, CUMBERNAULD THEATRE
Runs until December 24. The Evening Times.
Reviewed by the Smiths mum Helen and 12-year-old Adam from Cumbernauld.
What's it about? The king and queen of Slumbernauld have been trying for years to have a baby. When they succeed in producing Rose the king (Paul Cunningham) forgets to send an invite to the wicked witch Hecate (Louise Stewart), who sneaks into the palace and curses her to fall asleep is she pricks her finger. Years pass, 18 in fact, and the king has spent the years hiding anything that could make the curse come true.
But it's this mollycoddling which pushes the Princess (Sara Clark Downie) into making her bid for freedom and her ultimate long sleep. Add into this hapless gardener Silas (Chris Dennis) and comic 'hero' Sir Shuggie (Simon Weir) and you have a five strong cast who play their parts to perfection.
Kid's verdict: The pumping, shoeless panto horse who wasn't on for long but was hilarious - loved it.
Parents verdict: You can't fault a panto which offers something for everyone, from poetry to song, comedy to tragedy and makes the young audience hiss and boo at full voice.
Funniest bit: As well as the panto horse, the king and his chamberlain (Simon Weir again) as they tried their best make the palace a non-sharp/pointy area.
Scariest bit: Wicked Hecate who got just the right level of malevalence to have the younger members of the audience screaming with terror.
Best bit: All of it.
Mark out of 10: 10
The year was rounded off perfectly with more radio commercial voice overs at Radio Clyde for 'SIMPLE DIGITAL' and 'BORDER MOTOR GROUP.'
