Sleeping Beauty, York Theatre Royal, December 2025

Panto season is upon us once again, and this year’s Theatre Royal offering is Sleeping Beauty by Evolution Productions. Did it awaken our excitement, or send us to the land of nod? Find out below!

Robin Simpson returns once again, and continues to delight as dame Nurse Nellie. Genuinely warm and funny, he’s just what the Theatre Royal pantomimes needed – and we hope he continues to don the frock n’ wigs for many years. It’s a stellar cast, but he’s the ‘thread’ (spinning wheel pun) that holds it all together. Not afraid to go off-script and riff with the audience, he also ensures the action never unravels too far (another)

Jennie Dale is the star-turn this year, perhaps best known as Captain Captain from CBeebies Swashbuckle. They perhaps play down this link a little too much; we would’ve loved to see her come on in full pirate regalia and exclaim she’s in the wrong panto. That being said, she’s a fun and bubbly Fairy Moonbeam and an excellent singer to boot.

Aofie Kenny’s Aurora is sweet but also feisty, with plenty of girl power. Prince Michael is suitably dashing and dapper, and both have great vocals. Tommy Carmichael returns as the comic male, and is reminiscent of a young Mr Tumble. He also reminds us of former-Theatre Royal Buttons Max Fulham. He instantly engages the audience, and has great chemistry with Robin throughout.

Jocasta Almgill’s Carabosse is our panto baddie, and puts her own stamp on the role. Less hammy than most panto villains – I don’t think I heard a typically evil laugh – she’s refreshingly modern, and belts out some great hits. A West End powerhouse, she’s not so scary but still gets plenty of boos for her wicked ways.

As pantomimes go, Sleeping Beauty doesn’t offer the most engaging story. Not a lot really happens, and it often has to be padded out to fill the run time. The creative team here throw anything and everything at it to keep it flowing. At points it may be overkill; for example the ghost scene features a whole stage of different ghouls, ghosts, monsters and a spider, and leaves the young audience confused with what to shout out when Nellie hollers ‘What was it?’

By the end of Act One we’re all fired-up by the skills of Kris Madden as Guardian of the Raptor. The stage is ablaze with fire juggling and a shower of sparks, as he – bafflingly – brings on Kevin the Velociraptor. Whilst we love dinosaurs, it does feel a little out of place and shoehorned in.

A dragon would surely suit the story and era (and fire tricks) more effectively, and could lend itself to a spectacular flying effect a la Twins FX. Maybe this is just the Wizard in me talking though!

It’s refreshing to see a slosh scene, when most pantomimes shy away from mess for safety and clean-up reasons! This was a highlight of the show for us, with a modern twist on the classic ‘If I Were Not A…’ skit, which sees Nurse Nellie, Jangles and Prince Michael exploring job options and getting covered in foam. A treat!

Family fun? Our two boys (9 and 12) loved it. It’s all here…the song sheet, the wheelbarrow of jokes, audience participation, local gags, topical jokes, songs, dances, pyrotechnics and even bubbles. Whilst some elements don’t always gel with the story and theme, you won’t lose sleep (see what I did there?) over the inconsistencies.

Overall, we thought it was wheely good (sorry!) and a hot ticket this festive season (ahem!) Once again, this is an excellent pantomime with plenty of colour, sparkle and razzle dazzle.

Expect sumptuous costumes and sets, eye-popping special effects and a solid cast with bags of energy and talent!

Sleeping Beauty runs at York Theatre Royal until Sunday 4th January 2026. Book your tickets at https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/sleeping-beauty/

Disclaimer: Tickets were kindly provided for this performance, however all opinions are honest and are our own.

Beauty and the Beast, Grand Opera House York, December 2024

Despite the recent beastly weather in York, the shows must go on, so we headed to the Grand Opera House for Beauty and the Beast. UK Productions are back, but this time without Berwick Kaler and gang. We welcome the change and were excited to see if this production would have us roaring with laughter…

Disney fans may be a little confused as this isn’t the cartoon (or more recent live action) tale, presumably for licensing reasons. You won’t find Gaston, Lumiere or Chip or even the toe-tapping Be My Guest or other film favourites. What you will find though is a polished panto with high production values and a talented cast from stage and screen.

CBBC favourite Dani Harmer (aka Tracy Beaker) is the headliner this year, performing in her favourite fairytale. This isn’t the first time Dani has graced the Opera House stage either; she played Janet in a national tour of Rocky Horror…

Here though, her Fairy BonBon is much more family-friendly. Harmer is instantly engaging, and fizzes with fairy fun. There are plenty of nods to Tracy Beaker too, including a familiar musical ditty on every entrance. Dani clearly loves what she does, and that enthusiasm is infectious. Her rhyming patter is pun-packed, and she even acknowledges filling time to cover scene changes. Tres Bon (Bon!)

That’s a Rap!

A rap battle with Hugo Pompidou (Phil Atkinson) is an inspired choice, and helps add sass to a sweet role. This is a pantomime that does some things traditionally (like the never-changing ghost scene) and innovates elsewhere.

The gyrating Hugo in tight pants up the risqué-factor further, and flirts with the front rows. Not quite Magic Mike but expect dancing pecs, hip thrusts and innuendo. Rod Stewart classic Do Ya Think I’m Sexy? is his highlight, and performed with plenty of swagger. The audience boo Hugo, but he’s never quite a panto villain in the traditional sense. And the Beast is simply misunderstood, so in reality there’s no cackling evil baddie here.

Jennifer Caldwell’s Belle is truly the belle of the ball, and perfect in the role. Sweet without ever being sickly, she’s a true musical theatre stalwart hot off the heels of Six the Musical. Doting dad Clement (David Alcock) has a believable relationship with his worldly-wise daughter, and is warm and genial.

Making an Ass of Himself

Phil Reid’s Louis La Plonk has boundless energy, particularly in the Wonky Donkey skit which sees him cantering around on a donkey throughout. The audience soon warm to him, and he’s daft as a brush. He quickly puts the young volunteers at ease who join him on stage for the songsheet at the end too.

Some of Reid’s funniest scenes are with Dame Polly La Plonk, and the pair bounce off each other effortlessly.

Polly (Leon Craig) is larger than life, and suitably outrageous. Unlike many dames, she can really sing too and deserves a full solo. Naughtier than we expected, there’s a smattering of smut here but many of the more adult jokes will (hopefully) go over the kids’ heads. Fab frocks and wigs too, with a giant teapot driving us…well…potty!

Samuel Wyn-Morris’ Beast – or Mr Beast to appease the YouTube generation – packs a powerful punch with incredible vocals. In Act Two, he adds comedy to the role with an almost Grinch-like characterisation, as he attempts to learn dating etiquette to woo Belle. He looks the part, and the inevitable transformation to human is slick and inventive.

A large ensemble help fill the stage, and choreography is tight throughout. Young dancers from Dance Expression and Lisa Marie Performing Arts are clearly living their best life; bundles of enthusiasm with smiles all round.

A Tale as Long as Time?

At 2 hours 45 minutes, this is the longest pantomime we’ve seen. It’s generally pacey, but – like an unused rose – could do with a little pruning. I imagine it will get shorter as the run goes on though.

Visually the show is stunning, with incredible sets and stunning costumes. There are a few unusual choices though. A giant rose sits in a bell jar in a royal box – lit for the entire production but never acknowledged. The petals don’t drop like in the classic tale which is a shame. And this reviewer always misses a water pistol session or messy slosh routine, both becoming increasingly rare in modern panto.

Beauty and the Beast is a treat for fans of musical theatre. Most of the songs are from shows like Cats, Joseph, Moulin Rouge, Wicked, The Wiz and more. The rousing Act 1 close is Les Miserables’ One More Day, complete with waving flags and familiar choreography. There are also hits by Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift to help keep things current, plus older classics. I especially enjoyed the Beast’s I Will Do Anything for Love by Meatloaf.

Our boys (8 and 11) said this was the best pantomime they’ve seen at the Opera House, and the best version of Beauty and the Beast. Their highlights include silly shenanigans during a kitchen scene making baguettes, the jokes, slapstick and knockabout fun.

It’s refreshing to see a new take on pantomime at the theatre, with a young and fresh cast offering a genuinely family-focused production (a few naughty gags aside!)

Fairytale fun with plenty of razzle dazzle…a beauty of a show!

Beauty and the Beast runs at Grand Opera House York until Sunday 5th January, book at www.atgtickets.com/shows/beauty-and-the-beast/grand-opera-house-york/

Disclaimer: Tickets were kindly provided for this performance, however all opinions are honest and are our own.

Aladdin, York Theatre Royal, December 2024

On a stormy Thursday evening we were transported from York’s Shambles to…Egypt’s Shambles. Apparently they exist in a parallel universe, in this year’s inventive take on Aladdin.

CBeebies favourite Evie Pickerill plays both the Spirit of the Ring and the Genie of the Lamp. Initially, I felt it was a bit of a cop-out not to have a standalone genie, but there’s plenty of fun wrung out of the quick changes. Pickerill is energetic and likeable, and a great singer too.

I don’t know you, but your fez is familiar!

Robin Simpson returns as dame but there’s no mention of Widow Twankey here. Instead the washroom has become ‘Born to Pun’ – a joke shop full of wacky wares run by Dame Dolly. It’s really just a vehicle for daft gags galore, but this fellow punslinger isn’t complaining.

Simpson is, as ever, a treat – and is quickly making his mark as York’s new legendary dame. He doesn’t resort to smut beyond the odd light innuendo, and playfully picks on an audience member without ever really making them the fool. The frocks are all bobby-dazzlers too, especially the peacock finale and the two joke shop ensembles.

Diamond in the Ruff

His chemistry with villain Ivan Tobebooed (Paul Hawkyard) is pure joy, and these theatre stalwarts have the audience eating out of their palms. Hawyward is a classic panto villain and acknowledges his theatrical approach, even donning a Shakespearean ruff at one point. Hammier than a Peppa Pig box set, but does it work? Oh yes it does!

More comedy comes from Tommy Carmichael’s Charlie, and a little juggling adds variety. He can bust some funky moves too. Unexpectedly though, it’s Rowan Armitt-Brewster’s PC World that gets some of the big laughs with his excellent comic timing and brilliant lip-syncing in a ‘push the button’ song skit.

Aladdin (Sario Solomon) brings great musical theatre vocals to the role. Often the hero is overshadowed by the dame and comic male, but Solomon really holds his own here. Love interest Jasmin (Emily Tang) is well cast, and she’s the feisty female who takes her time to get to know Aladdin. No ‘love at first sight’ mush in this production!

Carpet…Right!

There are key moments I look out for in each panto. The transformation scene in Cinderella, flying in Peter Pan, and the magic carpet in Aladdin. I won’t pull the rug from under your feet, but I will say it’s quite simply the BEST carpet we’ve ever seen. Even from row G in the Stalls, the illusion was perfect. A dizzying delight!

In fact for us this is a panto of bests. Visually it’s the best we’ve seen, excelling in design across set, costume and special effects. It also has some of the strongest song choices we’ve heard, spanning the decades with something for everyone. Aladdin and Jasmin’s romantic medley is a highlight – featuring I Will Always Love You, Can you Feel the Love Tonight? and Your Song. Closing number Free from Desire has everyone up on their feet too.

This reviewer misses a slosh scene or water pistol routine – and there are no children up on stage for the song sheet – but it’s still far fresher and funnier than any pantomime we saw before Evolution Productions started at the Theatre Royal.

Aladdin features everything you might expect…from local references, big song and dance numbers and audience participation. But it also mixes up the formula with things like oversized animals, marauding mummies and a clever comic-book twist on the good vs. evil fight scene.