The Tyne Theatre Panto 2021 season has officially begun. We were invited to watch the opening nights show. This year’s Pantomime is Sleeping Beauty. The panto market seems as buoyant as ever in the North East & us Geordies can’t seem to get enough of the traditional Christmas fun. Sleeping Beauty is running throughout December at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House until 3rd January 2022.

Sleeping Beauty at Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Enchanted Entertainment has pulled together a cracking production of Sleeping Beauty at Tyne Theatre. Focusing on everything that makes a Traditional Pantomime a success.  This year there is the addition of 3D special effects, which are sponsored by Specsavers. I had concerns over this which I will cover later, but there was no need to worry.

BANG! Fairy Fortywinks appears to introduce Sleeping Beauty. In true panto tradition, she is contractually obliged to narrate in rhyme. Fairy Fortywinks (Jojo Hatfield) also helps remind the audience how to interact at a pantomime. As daft as it sounds 2 years since the last panto seems like ages and miming clapping via zoom is not the same. So, building up the audience up cheering and shouting was absolutely amazing.

Sleeping Beauty.

Princess Tamara (Laura Baxter), was a perfect sleeping beauty alongside Matt Pagan’s Prince. In the first scene, the pair fall in love, which is the fastest love, at first sight, I’ve seen in a panto. Steve Halliday is back again, this time as Old King Cole. Carabosse (Sarah Annakin) provides the pure evil that balances up the sweetness and love from the princess.

Although the production is built around an acting cast of 7, it’s the Tyne Theatre Panto favourites that we all look forward to seeing year on year. Charlie Richmond and Lewis Denny, have a theatrical spark that just works on stage. They both individually are very funny characters, however, when they are together they seem to know what each other is thinking!

Lewis Denny, pre-lockdowns had developed a hilarious skit character “Karen the Mam”. A character that most people can relate to. This must have been the basis on Lewis being allowed to be the Pantomime Dame “Nurse Nora”. The Role is played as a pantomime dame should be. Vibrant costumes and oversized hairstyles!

3D Visual Effects

I mentioned that I had concerns about the 3D visual effects. My main reason was that I am a glasses wearer. Generally, when I go to see anything in 3D I have to either remove my glasses or try and wear 2 pairs of glasses. Normally because of this, the 3D effect doesn’t always work well.

So to try and get the full visual effect I worked out that If I folded the Cardboard legs back on themselves I could hook them into my regular glasses. And they stayed in place!

I will also add that the 3D effects aren’t overused, they are featured in just one scene, which works really well. The scene is really crisp, creates depth on the stage and also adds some jump scares.

Wedding Time

Soon it was time for the cast to take their bows at the wedding ceremony.  The Tyne Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty has focused on what makes a panto work. The story is strong, the songs are current and it is full of jokes, geordie banter and scenes that we expect to see as an audience. Enchanted Entertainment have a winning formula & are wise to have already signed Charlie Richmond & Lewis Denny back up for next years Christmas show which will be Beauty and the Beast!

However, if you can’t wait until then Lewis Denny will be starring in Enchanted’s Easter panto ‘Wizard of Oz’ with Bobby Davro and Stevi Ritchie. So, catch that if you can!

Additional Information
Dates: Friday 3rd December – Monday 3rd Jan 2022
Prices: Tickets are priced £14 – £25, Boxes £108 – £150, family ticket £63 – £89 (2 adults, 2 children or 1 adult, 3 children).
Address: 117 Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4AG
Telephone: Booking Line: 0844 2491 000
Website: https://tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/