Panto magic: Sleeping Beauty brings festive fun to Lawson Field Theatre

Hugo McGuinness will play the King and Amelia Williams the Princess in the family pantomime Sleeping Beauty to be staged by Evolution Theatre at Lawson Field Theatre next month.

Audiences can expect fun and frolics when the pantomime Sleeping Beauty is staged by Evolution Theatre at Lawson Field Theatre in December.

It’s the traditional fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty but with lots of slapstick humour.

“People can expect witty puns, chase scenes and messy scenes. There’s song and dance the whole way through,” says director Paula Hatten.

The family-friendly show is designed to entertain all ages.

“There are enough jokes in it for the adults to find entertaining that will go over the heads of the little ones and enough silly slapstick moments that will have a 3-year-old in stitches,” Hatten said.

“A pantomime is all about audience participation, so we try to explain at the start that we’ll ask them to join in from their seats.”

UK-born-and-raised Hatten said pantomime season in England always happened around Christmas.

She has lots of special memories of getting dressed up and going to pantomimes with her family.

“It’s a real occasion and they are often held in big theatres.”

This is an Evolution Theatre production but Hatten wanted to stage the show in a theatre which had tiered seating so the little ones could get a good view of the stage.

“I wanted to make it more special for kids and for them to be able to sit with their families, who can help them join in and call out and sing when required,” Hatten said.

“The thing I love about a panto is seeing the kids’ faces light up with excitement. It’s a lovely thing to be able to entertain the young ones.”

The large cast of 18 is made up of actors with a range of experience, including well-known local thespians Hugo McGuiness (as the King) and Fraser Grout (the Dame), who will be dressed as a woman as is pantomime tradition.

Hatten directed the pantomime Aladdin in 2016 for Musical Theatre Gisborne at the War Memorial Theatre and before that played evil stepmother Lady Hard-up in the 2015 production of Cinderella.

She was in Evolution’s production of 12 Angry Jurors earlier this year and is part of the Usual Suspects who do murder mysteries written by Dorothy Fletcher, who will play Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty.

It was up to Hatten and her creative team to make the final song choice for the show and apply for the music rights from APRA.

Musical director Sean Scanlan and the live band will play a variety of music - 14 songs in total - ranging from punk rock to Elvis Presley, as well as well-known songs from other musicals.

Hatten said choreographer Paul Hiwikarangi had worked wonders with a cast ranging in age from 11 to 75.

“It’s going to be a wonderful festive show with song and dance and laughs, bringing a little bit of English tradition to our local Gisborne theatre.”

Evolution Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty

December 5-8. Lawson Field Theatre.

Includes matinee shows on Saturday and Sunday.