Its officially pantomime season and I’m kicking it off with a trip to Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre for this years production of Sleeping Beauty !!
Sleeping Beauty is a childhood favourite and whilst this classic fairytale has had a little revamp for pantoland, the magic remains! This particular version at the Belgrade has been hand crafted by Coventry’s very own Iain Lauchlan – annual pantomime writer & dame extraordinaire. As always, he has remained true to the english pantomime traditions we know and love whilst never shying away from the odd pop culture/current events reference and of course adding his own little ode to Scotland.
I absolutely love that the Belgrade doesn’t rely on celebrity castings to get ‘bums on seats’ and they certainly don’t need to. With a dazzling set and spectacular costumes this pantomime wows from the word go. Despite the story being a little slow to get going this year, once the laughs begin they never stop. From fortnite moves and farcical ballon ballets to cake baking slapsticks, baby shark singalongs and a hysterical rendition of ‘If I were not in Pantomime‘ the production has the whole audience in tears (happy tears of course). With audience participation aplenty, the entire production is brilliantly interactive with plenty of ‘Oh yes you did‘ moments to keep everyone on their toes.
Belgrade favourites Iain Lauchlan and Craig Hollingsworth lead the way as dame Nanny McWheeze and the palace jester Muggles and as per usual do a stunning job. These two are such a natural pairing on stage and never fail to get the audience howling with laughter. They bounce off each other and the audience with great ease and together are effortlessly entertaining and engaging. Alongside them a wonderfully talented cast brought this piece to life with bounds of energy and enthusiasm.
You just can’t beat a light hearted traditional pantomime and this is exactly what the Belgrade offers. Year after year they bring the goods and they never disappoint. Its very big thumbs up from me and my 7 year old plus one! With more glitter than stars in the sky, this pantomime sparkles and is the most perfect way to kick off the Christmas festivities for the whole family!
Don’t miss Sleeping Beauty at Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre this Christmas! For tickets and info click here!
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Much Love,
Charlotte
*Production images by Production Company
THEATRESS 