Upon arriving at the DoubleTree Hilton Brighton, I couldn’t help but find it curious that a vibrant city like Brighton lacks a traditional pantomime in its major theatres. However, any doubts quickly vanished as I stepped into the impressive Jason Sutton Theatre, a huge, purpose-built auditorium within the hotel. With its arena like atmosphere and seating for a vast audience, the theatre was buzzing with excited families, teenagers, and older audience members, affirming that this pantomime is a beloved tradition in the city.
This year’s offering, Sleeping Beauty, tackles one of the trickier pantomime stories due to its relatively thin plot. Fortunately, writers Tim Slater and David Hill have skillfully fleshed out the tale, and director Jordan Langford ensures the production bursts with humour and dynamic energy. The show has real pace and is packed with well staged, traditional pantomime routines that had the audience in fits of laughter. Jack Pallister’s sharp and stylish choreography adds flair while driving the story forward. Josh Mills, the Musical Director packs a punch with the music in the production, it seems to be constant throughout, with sound effects, drum rolls and scene transitions.
That said, the limited onstage set and overall costume design was a bit of a disappointment. While the production excelled in so many areas, the visuals didn’t quite match the ambition or energy of the rest of the show, leaving it feeling slightly underwhelming at times.
The cast, however, more than made up for it. BBC Radio presenter Allison Ferns is undoubtedly the star of the show. Her solo moment taunting the audience onstage was hysterical and showcased her as a skilled comic – I wouldn’t be surprised if she ventured into stand-up. Her charisma, commanding presence, and gutsy, characterfulsinging voice made every ‘Star Wars’ themed entrance a delight and worth waiting for. David Hill as Nurse Nelly is another standout, captivating the audience with sharp humour and charm (plus some of the best costumes onstage!). Occasionally his energy dipped, I can forgive this a little as he is credited as writer, producer and performer and the cast only recently opened the show, so Nurse Nelly was probably in her own words ‘a bit knackered’! Ethan Makey as Chester the Jester was an absolute revelation. Despite this seemingly being his debut in the pantomime comic role, he delivered an exceptional performance, holding scenes together with natural comic timing and endearing charm. Ellie Earl and Samuel Levene, as Aurora and Prince Phillip, were a winning duo. Along with West End-quality voices they also brought a joyous whimsy and humour, which made their characters relatable despite their limited stage time and itexcited me that the trope of the romantic leads in pantomime simply being there for plot was toyed with in this production. Sharon Starr as Fairy Fabulous delivered a powerful, brassy vocal performance and her modern-take on a traditional fairy was fantastic to see, she had some wonderful scenes, particularly when onstage with other actors. When alone, her dialogue felt occasionally stilted, possibly due to nerves.
Overall, Sleeping Beauty is a joyous, high-energy production that delivers on the promise of pantomime magic. While the set and costume could be improved, the show’s humour, music, and strong performances make it a must-see. I’ll definitely be back to Brighton to see next year’s show. Oh yes, I will!
4*
Sounds and Stage
