Sleeping Beauty - Nottingham Playhouse - Pantomime Review

★★★☆☆

Nottingham Playhouse has long held the local crown for knowing exactly how to deliver a proper pantomime. They understand the form down to its sparkly bones: the classic sketches, the reliable routines, the gently chaotic energy that kids adore, and the jokes that mums and dads can chuckle along to. Their new production of Sleeping Beauty, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Adam Penford, is absolutely cut from that same glitter-dusted cloth. It’s vibrant, generous, warm-hearted and packed with everything you expect from a family panto—though not always with the bite the Playhouse is usually so strong at delivering.

John Elkington as Nanny with Young Company. Photo by Manuel Harlan.

If there’s one thing that immediately lifts this production above the regional panto crowd, it’s the design. Cleo Pettitt’s set and costumes are genuinely magnificent. It’s hard to oversell just how visually rich the production is. Twisted perspectives, cartoonish exaggeration, lush wrapped vines curling across the proscenium, set into a storybook world that somehow feels both familiar and wildly inventive. Adults can appreciate the craftsmanship; children simply stare in awe. 

Pettitt’s designs also provide the show’s most delightful running gag: Nelly the Nanny’s increasingly absurd costumes. John Elkington emerges throughout the night dressed as a tub of chocolates, a full English breakfast, a fish tank, and several other marvels you really have to see to believe. They’re immaculately made and consistently funny. Long-time Playhouse panto fans know Elkington’s trademark: he doesn’t just wear a costume, he interrogates it, teasing out every pun, one-liner, and cheeky observation imaginable. But this year, that endless stream of costume-based gags never arrives. I was waiting for the “packing fudge” wink, the “life’s like a box of chocolates” flourish, the inevitable “I’m full of nuts!”. Instead of milking each outfit for all its comic potential, Elkington’s riffs feel pared back, leaving us missing that signature mischief.

That’s a recurring theme in this year’s outing: the energy is high, the talent is undeniable, but there seems to be a slight hesitancy underpinning the comedy. This is a cast filled with performers who have the skills and the instincts to let loose on stage, but often feel like they’re being held back by an unidentifiable force. Nottingham Playhouse is known for riotously funny pantomimes that lean into the cheekiness and chaos in all the best ways. By comparison, Sleeping Beauty is softer-edged. Some of the “near the knuckle” jokes land with a thud, feeling overly signposted instead of cheekily accidental, as if they’ve been drafted by committee and then coached through a corporate training module on workplace humour. They’re nice enough, but rarely hilarious.

Lara Sas as Maleficent with Young Company. Photo by Manuel Harlan.

Yet when the show works, it works. Nottingham Playhouse excels at keeping its pantos relevant, and this one is proudly of the moment. The topical references and musical updates, complete with K-Pop Demon Hunters, Wicked nods, and even a well-placed Prince Andrew quip, give the show a welcome sense of freshness. There’s real joy in hearing the audience instantly tune into the jokes aimed squarely at today’s pop culture landscape. This never feels like an “off-the-shelf” panto; it feels built specifically for Nottingham, specifically for 2025,  and that’s one of the company’s greatest strengths.

Among the cast, Lara Sas as Maleficent is a knockout. She’s gloriously wicked, but with enough charisma and playful flirtation to keep the audience firmly on her side even as she places a deathly curse on a baby. Sas brings powerful vocals, razor-sharp physicality, and a magnetic stage presence that commands the room effortlessly. She gives the villainy real flavour, equal parts glamour, chaos, and comedic confidence, and is easily the strongest anchor in the show. Every time she steps on stage, momentum lifts.

Seb Harwood is another standout as Prince Albert, leaning full tilt into delightful idiocy. His performance is hilariously exaggerated in all the best ways: elastic expressions, overstated gestures, and a buoyant silliness that endears him instantly to the crowd. Even without a punchline, he’s funny. With one, he’s even better.

Danny Hendrix as Teddy the Bear with Young Company. Photo by Manuel Harlan.

Danny Hendrix, returning as Teddy the Bear, is a ball of pure energy, bounding across the stage with constant expression and excitement. He has some strong lines and strong moments, and the audience clearly warms to him. But again, that frustrating sense of restraint creeps in. Hendrix feels like a performer capable of complete unhinged chaos, the kind that makes kids cackle uncontrollably, and yet the script never quite lets him off the leash. He’s great—but you can see the unrealised potential buzzing under the surface.

Charis Alexandra’s Fairy Lights brings impressive vocals and a bright, upbeat presence. She handles the musical moments beautifully and navigates the storytelling duties with charm, though her entrances and exits are sometimes oddly timed. On more than one occasion, she leaves the stage only to reappear moments later, making the rhythm feel a little messy. It’s not a performance issue; Alexandra is consistently strong. It’s simply a structural quirk that occasionally distracts and slows the show's pace.

Yazmin King delivers a perfectly sweet and likeable Princess Rose in her pantomime debut, bringing a gentle charm and sincerity that anchors the more chaotic characters around her. TJ Lloyd, meanwhile, absolutely electrifies the moments he’s given as the King. Wonderfully camp, effortlessly silly, and genuinely funny, he leans into the panto style with real gusto, proving himself a natural fit for the genre. Every time he steps on stage, the audience noticeably perks up.

Yazmin King as Princess Rose. Photo by Manuel Harlan.

And of course, John Elkington, Nottingham Playhouse’s beloved dame, is back and as skilled as ever. He has the timing, the warmth, and the effortless ability to turn a single look into a laugh. Elkington’s gift is all in his spontaneity, his improvisation, his joyful tussling with the audience and his fellow cast members. His moments of banter are something of a legend in the Pantomime scene, but this year, those trademark moments are frustratingly sparse. The few unscripted bursts he’s allowed are golden. There simply needed to be more of them.

Not everything in the production earns its place, though. The desert scene, in particular, is a misstep. It doesn’t advance the plot, it doesn’t deepen character, and—crucially for a panto—it’s not especially funny. It feels like it exists entirely to wedge in another song and stock sketch, rather than because it genuinely belongs in this story. The show would be tighter, funnier, and more engaging without it. Removing that entire chunk would give the performers more breathing room elsewhere, in the parts of the show where it truly shines, allowing the actors to play and embody the mischief locked within.

The live band, as always, is a treat. With only four musicians, the sound they create is remarkably full and lively, injecting the show with the musical confidence Nottingham audiences expect. Tim Mitchell’s lighting design does its job well, providing colour, sparkle, and a few dynamic sequences involving searchlights and disco balls. The lighting adds to the magical world on stage, giving the show flashes of spectacle. Rosanna Bates’s choreography adds another layer of joy, with the larger ensemble numbers bursting with energy and cheeky character. She finds fun in the movement, giving the cast plenty of opportunities to play while still keeping everything neat and polished. And Penford’s direction brings all of these elements together with clarity and cohesion. While this production feels a touch gentler and more controlled than some of his bolder pantomimes, there’s an evident care in the pacing and structure that ensures the story remains engaging for audiences of all ages.

Despite its unevenness, Sleeping Beauty is undeniably enjoyable. It’s colourful, cheerful, confidently performed, and family-friendly in the most accessible ways. Kids will adore it. Adults will find plenty to like, even if they find themselves wishing more of the jokes landed with the sharpness Playhouse pantos are known for. It’s not a misfire by any means, more a gentle wobble from a team that usually fires on all cylinders. And even with that wobble, Nottingham Playhouse remains one of the most reliable panto destinations in the region.