Our second panto of the season saw us tick off a new venue, with a trip to Catford’s Broadway Theatre. Panto legend, Susie McKenna returns to write and direct the festive production for a second year, with a feminist retelling of Sleeping Beauty. A classic panto with a modern twist, it’s a fantastic production with a distinctly Lewisham vibe.
Our story begins (as is traditional) with the birth of a royal baby. Destined to one day rule Lewishtonia, things get complicated pretty quickly for Princess Talia (Roshani Abbey), who is immediately engaged to Prince Gabriel of Westmisteria (Durone Stokes). As if it’s not enough for a newborn to be betrothed in a bid to bring harmony between two kingdoms, she’s also managed to get herself cursed by the evil fairy, Carabosse (Lisa Davina Phillip). So at 18 years old, she’s either going to become a bride or find herself sleeping for 100 years.
Her father, King Eric the Undecided (Ben Fox) bans all spinning wheels from the kingdom in an attempt to defeat the curse. And for good measure, he also sends Talia into hiding until adulthood. Unaware of her royal status, Talia is brought up in secret by Dame Nanny Nora (Justin Brett). But of course, the wheel of fate sends things into a spin when she turns 18.
It’s a really entertaining, high energy production with a stellar cast and a cracking band (led by Musical Director Ben Goddard-Young). The choice of music is great, including a mix of musical theatre and pop songs that will appeal to all ages. There’s some really strong singing on display here although there are some issues with sound balance that can make it difficult to catch all the lyrics. This is particularly the case in the opening number which parodies Hamilton. Unfortunately this makes it hard to follow an early part of the plot but it’s still possible to get the gist.
Roshani Abbey is a strong lead with an excellent singing voice, while Lisa Davina Phillip makes a marvellous Carabosse. Justin Brett is a classic Dame who interacts brilliantly with the audience, showcasing the improv skills he’s honed as a long-standing member of Showstopper – The Improvised Musical.
McKenna’s script is witty and littered with quick fire jokes that land well with the locals. It’s very much a Lewisham panto, with gentle jibes at other London boroughs and plenty of pops at politicians. The whole production has community at its heart, with the cast completed by children from a local performing arts school (Montage Theatre Arts). The wardrobe and stage management teams also include placements from the Talent Pipeline Programme (aimed at creating employment opportunities in the arts for global majority and working class individuals).
Overall, Sleeping Beauty is a proper family panto that offers something for every generation. A must see for Lewisham locals.
Sleeping Beauty plays at The Broadway Theatre, Catford from 4 to 31 December 2024. We received complimentary tickets to the press performance on 8 December.
Image credit: Mark Senior