Photo: Sean Dillow for Anvil Arts
A pantomime in rhyme is the offering in Sleeping Beauty at Anvil Arts in Basingstoke, where there’s lots of fun throughout. With a mixture of humour, dance and popular songs there’s plenty to keep the audience entertained.
While Lester the Jester is game for a laugh as he refers to the town as Amazingstoke... But it’s the ageing king who is the surprise with his strong singing voice and witty repartee. “Thank goodness for Asda, who keep the riff raff out of Waitrose,” makes me chuckle.
It’s good to see children on stage dancing with the adults and there are some dazzling costumes. Nanny Nora, in a variety of colourful costumes, and Fairy Snowfall are strong characters alongside the Princess Rose and Prince Vince. The orchestra is enjoyable to watch, especially for the musicians among us.
“Oh there’s Doctor Who’s Tardis,” my son Henry (8) whispers to me in the second half, mesmerised as the theme tune plays.
That’s the fun thing about panto, really anything goes including ghosts and the popular Oh we’ll have to do it again then won’t we? scene, which never fails to give a laugh. There’s some clever animation with fire and as the cast break into a Billie Eilish number, according to the woman behind me, which is abruptly halted by Luke in the audience who pushes a button Lester has given him. Thank you Luke, you saved me. It’s funny to see Lester berate the poor man and ask him to apologise to the audience.
Lester then goes on to wish happy birthdays to certain members of the audience and thanks Timmy Mallett for attending. We don’t think anything more of this until we leave the theatre and who should we spy? The actual Timmy Mallett, that funny, manic ‘80s stalwart of children’s entertainment that I grew up watching. My generation will fondly remember, as I do, Mallett’s Mallett. He’s barely changed.
What a funny old world.
Duration: 2hrs 30mins including 15min interval
Until January 5, 2025.
