Simon Gross reviews Sleeping Beauty at Broadway Theatre
By Simon Gross
Its panto time again OH YES, IT IS and on the first of my many pantos visit takes me to the glorious Broadway Theatre in Lewisham for this year’s helping Sleeping Beauty directed by Pantomime legend Susie Mckenna.
Mckenna who has also written a script that caters for the very young to your 90-year-old Granny funny, feisty keeping to the traditional story with topical gags as well as local references for the people of Lewisham or in this case “Lewishonia” and surrounding areas.
Mckenna also offers a great soundtrack to the show as from the younger to the older from The Weekend Beyonce and Prince.
Standout performances for me were Justin Brett as Nanny Nora portraying the perfect Dame as a Dame should be played with no lip syncing, never grotesque , perfect diction and wonderful delivery giving the jokes time to settle.
Brett knows exactly how to work the audience and had a great rapour with the male members of the audience on my day Tai, a media student who absolutely lapped up the comedy .
Brett in my eyes is the perfect Dame proving “ There is nothing quite like a Dame !”
Lisa Davina is a perfect Killer Queen as Carabosse and sings commandingly
Roshani Abbey who comes direct from the West End Production of Hamilton plays a feisty Princess Thalia with confidence and grace with a powerful singing voice and a superb rendition of Natasha Bedingfield Unwritten .
Another standout performance was Durone Stokes as Prince Gabriel of Westmi delivering some fine vocals. In fact when I closed, I heard of sprinkle go Luther Vandross in his tone.
A hardworking five -piece band, directed by Ben Goddard -Young goes the extra mile getting the audience involved cowboy hats and all!
This is a first-class production of traditional panto at its best !
SLEEPING BEAUTY at Broadway Theatre, Catford December 4 – 31.
For tickets visit: https://www.broadwaytheatre.org.uk/events/sleeping-beauty
Pictured top: Justin Brett as Dame Nanny Nora and Ben Fox as King Eric The Undecided in Sleeping Beauty at Broadway Theatre (Picture: Lisa Davina Philip)