The Sleeping Beauty pantomime took the audience on a thrilling adventure. The storyline had a twist to the original plot of Sleeping Beauty. The first half of the play was fantasy and the second half was fantasy with a hint of sci-fi. The pantomime was amusing and entertaining with acting, singing and dancing. It is a family friendly show and would be a great day out for everyone. Sleeping Beauty is a fun and active show that always keeps the audience engaged.
The Capitol Horsham production of Sleeping Beauty was produced directed by Nick Mowat. The musical director was Alex Williams and the choreographer was Jonathon Mawson. The Fairy Good Heart was played by Nicola Hume, who is the female voice on Heart Breakfast, and Carabosse (the evil fairy) was played by Nicole Faraday, who is best known for her portrayal of Snowball Merriman in two series of ITV's Bad Girl series. Lester the Jester was played by James Fletcher, who played Dylan Jenkins on Channel 4's Hollyoaks, and Herman the Henchman was played by Ben Ofoedu, who is a member of the band Phats & Small. Prince Rupert was played by Sean Smith, who is one-half of the band Same Difference, and Princess Aurora was played by Natasha Hoeberigs, who a solo artist on The Voice. King Joseph the Second was played by James Dinsmore, who played Kim Philby in BBC's Days That Shook The World, and Nurse Nora Northwater was played by Hywel Dowsell, who was a guest soloist with the soldiers at BBC's The Festival of Remembrance, made a fantastic and humorous dame. Matthew Ives was the dance captain and played a villager alongside Yamit Salazar, Alex Charles and Ronnie Lee.
Hywel Dowsell, who played the comical dame, said “Anyone would love the show. It is a proper family show and it has a lot of jokes for adults and children. When asked why he wanted to be involved in this production, he replied “This is my second year. I had a great time last year and I love it here because it is really fun.” When asked the about the similarities between him and the character he is playing, he said “When playing the dame, I try to play my mum. There is not a lot of me but a lot of my mum.” When asked about the challenges of playing his character, he said “For every entrance you have different costumes and it is very busy when getting changed backstage.” When asked if he believed in happy endings, he said “Yes. If you don’t then what’s the point. There is always something to aim for.”
Nicola Hume, who played the Fairy Good Heart, said “Absolutely everyone would love this show. From the young children to the nans and grandads.” When asked about the similarities between her and her character, she replied “I mean essentially she is me in sparkly shoes and a fancy dress.” When asked what makes this pantomime different to other pantomimes, she said “This is the one pantomime that I have seen where the princess saves the day.” When asked if she believes in happy endings, she exclaimed “Absolutely! A hundred percent. There is always a happy ending.”
James Fletcher, who played Lester the Jester, said “This show is for someone who enjoys a bit of humour and doesn’t take themselves seriously.” When asked about the similarities between him and his character, he replied “We both know how to laugh at ourselves and we both enjoy a boogie.” When asked about the challenges of playing his character, he said “Being a comic requires a lot of energy and it can be challenging, but it is good to get a great performance.” When asked what makes this pantomime different to other pantomimes, he said “There is a very good balance between what pleases children and what pleases adults without crossing the line of what is family friendly.” When asked if he believes in happy endings, he replied “Yes. I think true love does exist and it requires hard work, compromise and dedication to that person and happiness is a state of mind.”
