Sleeping Beauty - Altrincham Garrick

MOST pantomimes are built on a good humoured battle between the goodies and the baddies so I probably shouldn’t say this.

But Conor Collins steals the show as the wicked fairy Carabosse, ensuring his character’s evil antics bring plenty of boos from the audience without seeming to try. He’s a natural.

At the other end of the spectrum we have Chester the Jester, played with just the right amount of daftness by an instantly likeable Daniel Ellis. Will this warm hearted clot win the heart of Princess Beauty, despite the fact he’s not from the opposite end of the social spectrum?

You’re sure to enjoy the scene in which Queen Doreen makes the mistake of thinking she can teach the clueless Chester how to bake, with Ellis, who also directs the panto, and Matthew Spilsbury’s having an inordinate amount of fun as Chester causes a culinary catastrophe.

Tom Whalley’s script is, in terms of the jokes, something of a mixed bag, containing several gags that will definitely go over the children’s heads.

Joseph Meighan, the Garrick’s dynamic, young artistic director, makes for a highly watchable Prince Frederick The First as does Sasha Carillo as Sleeping Beauty.

Again it was pleasing to see so many youngsters in the theatre, enthralled and captivated by what was unfolding on stage and proving yet again, there’s a source of entertainment there to be enjoyed that exists beyond a screen.

The kids in the panto also seemed very much at home on the stage, pointing to a very bright future for Altrincham’s Garrick Theatre.

Until January 2. Tickets are available from 0161 928 1677 or www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk.

Check with the box office for ticket availability. At the time of writing many performances were sold out.

Star rating - 3.5 out of 5.

Photo - Martin Ogden.