SLEEPING BEAUTY – ONE LITTLE PRICK: Adult Pantomime at Above the Stag Theatre

SLEEPING BEAUTY – ONE LITTLE PRICK

Above the Stag Theatre: 15 Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DD

Above the Stag’s ‘grown-up’ pantos have become a Christmas tradition with a loyal following who have been booking since July. Shows are selling well for this year’s Sleeping Beauty – One Little Prick and, for the first time, the season has been extended past Christmas and to include New Year’s Eve.

Written by Jon Bradfield and Martin Hooper, the team behind the previous box office hits Robin Hood – Queen of Thieves and Dick Whittington – Another Dick in City Hall, Sleeping Beauty is set in the London Borough of Stratford. It’s 1911 (just before Downton Abbey) and a greedy Wicked Fairy puts a terrible curse on his nephew, Beauty, the young heir to Stratford Manor. The tiniest prick could see him stiff on his back for good and only a mysterious prince from Tinselvania and the inept Fairy Glowstick can save him.

100 years later, Beauty is woken with rather more than a kiss. He finds Stratford preparing for the Olympic Games, and a world changed beyond all recognition. He can even get married – but settling down is the last thing he wants to do...!

Above The Stag’s pantomimes are strictly for adults only, but feature all the popular ingredients with songs, comedy, straight and gay love stories, a dame (or two), audience participation and more.

Sleeping Beauty will be directed by Paul Taylor Mills, whose work includes the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe hit My Big Gay Italian Wedding (which ran at Above the Stag until 19 November); the recent Little Shop of Horrors which boasted alternate choruses, one of girls and one of drag queens; and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Union Theatre).

The designer is David Shields whose previous designs include Saturday Night Fever in the West End (Apollo Victoria), 1888 at the Union Theatre, tours of Strictly Come Dancing, Chess, Carmen Jones and Holiday on Ice, and Dick Whittington for Bristol Hippodrome, and following his designs for Boys Plays at Above The Stag.

Cast: Greg Airey (Prince Edward), Matthew Baldwin (Lady Gargoyle), Mandy Dassa (Fairy Glowstick), Matthew Ferdenzi (Beauty), Ellie Fiore (The Maid Pub Landlord’s daughter), Mitchell Lathbury (Josh the Jester), Philip Lawrence (pub Landlord), Samantha Riding (Wicked Fairy Carabosse), Steven Rodgers (Sidney the Butler Tortoise)

Lighting Designer: Richard Lambert

Produced by: Peter Bull for ATS (Above the Stag Theatre)

UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN – ADULTS ONLY

Sleeping Beauty – One Little Prick plays at Above the Stag Theatre from 25 November to 08 January. Tickets £16 from www.abovethestag.com