Following a refurbishment, the Arts Theatre is open and ready to impress with a new production of the classic pantomime, Sleeping Beauty!
The story centres on Princess Rose, who falls victim to a curse casted by the wicked Carabosse. On her 18th birthday, the princess is doomed to prick her finger and slip into a century-long sleep, only to be awaken by true love’s kiss. To keep her safe, Princess Rose is hidden away to avoid the curse. Though, with Carabosse’s cunning schemes, it soon becomes clear that danger is never too far behind.
Written by Chris Javis and directed by Michael Gattrell, this production offers Christmas fun for all the family. The cast is filled to the brim with talent from the West End and local to Cambridge, making the production really soar. It was wonderful to finally return to the Arts Theatre in Cambridge after its lengthy refurbishment. This transformation is impressive, breathing life into the venue. The speech before the show was moving in lots of ways: sowing the care and love this theatre has in the community and beyond. And what better way to celebrate the reopening than with a timeless pantomime?
The lighting, set and costumes are all fantastic: well chosen for this production. They really do help to make the magical town come to life. Similarly, the ensemble are giving their best on the stage. Each and every one of them are trying extremely hard and their commitment to this show was great. The puppetry was also very impressive!
Matt Harrop plays The King and is very characteristic throughout the show. He’s very regal in his performance whilst also being comedic: a great combination. Tanisha Butterfield plays Fairy Strawberry, a bubbly and sweet character. Butterfield was able to engage the audience from the beginning and the active rhymes are good fun. Tricia Adele-Turner plays Carabosse: the wicked fairy who sets the story in motion. I quite enjoyed her dialogue, especially as it was a lot more modern than I thought it would be. Adele-Turner was able to give true villain energy from her first scene! Joseph Hewitt plays Prince Ken. This was a unique feature of the show, where the Prince is made from magic! Hewitt did incredibly well at playing this character, being comedic and charming throughout.
Daisy Twells plays Princess Rose: an innocent and sometimes naive character. Twells has a Disney Princess voice and this was beautiful during her songs. I especially enjoyed ‘The Life I’ve Never Led’ from Sister Act: a show I watched earlier in the month. Twells performed this incredibly well. Steven Roberts plays Happy Harry, a fun character which interacted lots with the audience. Talking of which, he often gave some of the greatest audience participation moments: making lots of us laugh throughout the show. The standout performance of this show has to be Matt Crosby as Nanny Nutkins: the traditional pantomime dame. Though I say this, Crosby was both traditional and modern, making great jokes and giving a brilliant performance. I especially enjoyed how Crosby danced with the ensemble: something I don’t often see with a dame. Crosby really did a fabulous job!
Sleeping Beauty will continue to play until 4th January 2026, book your tickets now!
Max
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