The York Theatre Royal's latest production, Sleeping Beauty, is a crowd-pleasing treat that effortlessly charms audiences with its silly antics and familiar set pieces. Now in its fifth year, the show has settled into a reliable formula, thanks to veteran panto expert Paul Hendy at the helm as writer-producer.
This festive offering is tailor-made for families and features an array of delightful touches that have become synonymous with pantomime, from the infamous "slop scene" to the ghostly bench. The show also boasts a string of hilarious one-liners and jokes that never fail to elicit giggles, particularly courtesy of Dame Nurse Nellie, expertly played by Robin Simpson.
The supporting cast shines in their respective roles, with Tommy Carmichael delivering standout work as Jangles, the Buttons-style character, and an amusing double act between CBeebies' Jennie Dale and musical theatre veteran Jocasta Almgill as the good and bad fairies. However, this year's show seems to lack a bit of that distinctive local flavor that makes pantomime truly special – perhaps it's just been too familiar for its own good.
Despite this minor misstep, Sleeping Beauty remains an excellent choice for families and fans of classic fairy tales, offering plenty of laughs and entertainment without ever feeling too formulaic. The show's enduring popularity is a testament to the creative team's ability to craft a crowd-pleasing production that always brings the house down – albeit with slightly less zing this year than in previous iterations.
This festive offering is tailor-made for families and features an array of delightful touches that have become synonymous with pantomime, from the infamous "slop scene" to the ghostly bench. The show also boasts a string of hilarious one-liners and jokes that never fail to elicit giggles, particularly courtesy of Dame Nurse Nellie, expertly played by Robin Simpson.
The supporting cast shines in their respective roles, with Tommy Carmichael delivering standout work as Jangles, the Buttons-style character, and an amusing double act between CBeebies' Jennie Dale and musical theatre veteran Jocasta Almgill as the good and bad fairies. However, this year's show seems to lack a bit of that distinctive local flavor that makes pantomime truly special – perhaps it's just been too familiar for its own good.
Despite this minor misstep, Sleeping Beauty remains an excellent choice for families and fans of classic fairy tales, offering plenty of laughs and entertainment without ever feeling too formulaic. The show's enduring popularity is a testament to the creative team's ability to craft a crowd-pleasing production that always brings the house down – albeit with slightly less zing this year than in previous iterations.
i just watched it w/ my fam & we all loved it!!! paul hendy is like a genius or something, he knows how 2 make pantomime magic happen! 
the cast is so talented esp robin simpson as dame nurse nellie, she's like the queen of silly jokes 
i also luv the new additions this year, although some ppl say it feels a bit samey... but honestly, who needs change when u got a classic fairy tale like sleeping beauty? 
. and 5 years in, you can't even tell it's still the same production? what happened to that "distinctive local flavor"? seems like paul hendy just went for comfort food instead of something new & exciting 
And the supporting cast is top notch too, Tommy Carmichael as Jangles is pure gold 
. It's just that you can tell it's been done before and they're not really trying to shake things up too much. Still, it's a classic for a reason, right? 
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I guess if you're a fan of classic fairy tales, it's probably still gonna be a good show, but if you're looking for something new and exciting, there might be other options out there.
. But after five years, I expected something more innovative than just the same old formula. I mean, Paul Hendy is like a pantomime mastermind or whatever 
. Still, I loved Dame Nurse Nellie – Robin Simpson's dry wit had me dying over here