Review: Sleeping Beauty, Rowntree Players, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, until Saturday (From York Press)

Review: Sleeping Beauty, Rowntree Players, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, until Saturday

9:02am Wednesday 10th December 2008 in

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CAROLINE Heppell took on the challenge of directing a show for the first time only six weeks before the opening night of Sleeping Beauty.

The task might have over-faced others, but not the effervescent, ever enthusiastic Caroline. Such was her pride in her Rowntree Players company and, in particular, the young performers, that she revealed she was almost in tears at Monday’s performance.

Sleeping Beauty has zest and freshness, yet bags of tradition too, and the bountiful new principals all make their mark, alongside a smattering of more familiar faces.

Musical directors Vic Heard and Dan Hield oversee an inspired score that taps into the worlds of pop, television and the London musical: This Could Be The Start Of Something from ITV’s Britannia High as the opening number; Madness’s playground anthem Baggy Trousers for the classroom scene; Abba’s Gimme Gimme Gimme to light up the green-eyed monster, Bad Witch Hazel; and Wicked’s What Is This Feeling? for the clash between good and evil (Olivia Heppell’s Fairy Lilac and Claire Horsley’s Witch).

Olivia, 15, has oodles of stage presence in her debut as a principal, with a big voice to match, while Claire is not only a wickedly wily witch, but also choreographs the musical numbers with a keen eye to engaging all the ensemble to the maximum.

Jenna Howlett’s Princess Rose and Olivia Hollingworth’s Prince Alexis bring emotion and drama and even a dash of humour to the romantic young leads, while Mark Copeland’s King Cactus and Trish Beever’s matter-of-fact Queen Marigold have fun with their regal Yorkshire caricatures.

Barry Benson’s Dame Dottie Dettol is as loud as his shock of a blonde wig, never afraid to wander off the script, even off stage if the next line has eluded him, in his bravura Players debut. Not to be outdone by Barry’s inexhaustible showmanship, Sian Davies makes merry mayhem in her first principal role as the befuddled, but lovable Muddles.

Old hand Graham Bilton doubles up with a new partner in comic capers, Aron Robinson, and their scene-stealing Fetch and Carrie duo has the potential for more shows together.

Expect to see more of Caroline Heppell in the director’s chair, too.

Box office: 01904 623568.