Sleeping Beauty - now showing at the Lieder Theatre
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IT’S gassy, outlandish and most of all fun. The Lieder Theatre’s final show of the year is a magical experience for young and old.
Director Chrisjohn Hancock throws inhibition to the wind (quite vividly) to bring one of the oldest fairytales to life in the Lieder’s Sleeping Beauty.
If you aren’t familiar with the tale of Sleeping Beauty, with her glorious blonde locks and adventurous disposition; I’m not too sure what to tell you.
Rufus Norris transformed the age old tale into a captivating stage performance, and it pretty much sticks to the same traditional storyline. Just take away Maleficent and add some flatulence.
There are princes and princesses, kings, queens, forest creatures, enchanted plants and an ogre or two.
Everything is brought together in an all-out imagination freefor- all.
The sets are gorgeous and the music fantastic.
If there was any more of any element it would have been too cheesy. Chrisjohn ensured that didn’t happen by balancing everything perfectly.
There’s just the right amount of magic dust, just the right amount of audience interaction and just the right amount of singing… and great singing at that.
Cara Jeffery as the Queen and Emily Robinson as, well just about everything, were stars on-stage for the musical elements.
Andrew Rayner added crucial comedic elements to what could have been dreary and boring without it and the ladies in the audience were no doubt thrilled with Sean Curle (in his second Lieder performance) as the Prince.
As always Kathy Campbell was brilliant, this time leading the play through time as Fairy Goody.
Perhaps the most captivating performance however came from the younger children as forest creatures and enchanted thorns. They flittered on and off the stage seamlessly and brought everything together with an important childlike touch.
All in all, kids will certainly love this production and young-at-heart parents will get a chuckle out of it as well.
• Sleeping Beauty will continue every Friday and Saturday nights until December 14 (including tonight). The shows will start at 7.30pm.
2pm matinees will be held on Saturday November 30, December 7 and 14.
For more information contact the theatre.
The theatre wishes to warn parents that the play contains some scary bits and may not be suitable for children under 7 years.