Nailsea's Sleeping Beauty

Nailsea Musicals present Sleeping Beauty

On a cold and rainy January morning I head up on the M5 to Nailsea. It is here that Nailsea Musicals are performing Sleeping Beauty. Producing a biennial pantomime, this society always take on board any advice or tips that the Somerset Fellowship of Drama have to offer. Did it pay off for their 2026 production? I think it certainly did.

Written by Tom Whalley and directed by Charlie Delahunty this was a fun packed panto with a few innuendos along the way that Tom’s style of writing is known for.

This was a well cast pantomime and no prompts were required.

Laughter is the medicine of life and there was plenty thanks to the talents of Chester the Jester (Kieren Medcraft) and Queen Doreen (Andy Johnson) who both held this show together with precise comic timing and a warm sense of mischief.

By contrast the evil Carabosse (Alison Gay) gave a nasty and compelling performance alongside Lurgy (Richard Dawson). I wouldn’t want to bump into those two on a dark night in Long Ashton!

I loved the Good Fairy (Keren Arnold) who had beautiful clear diction and a radiant costume to match, while Beauty (Chrissie Powell-Thomas) gave a confident performance and developed a fine characterisation. Prince Frederick (Becky Mitchell) not only looked the part but played this role with confidence and boundless energy and I did notice all of the thigh slaps! What an amazing singing voice you have too Becky. I’m sorry you were pipped at the post by Chester but I’ve been told there are still plenty of damsels available over at Failand!

Your Ensemble were also the stars of this show, especially the juniors. Wow! What talent both in vocal attack and movement. Very well done indeed.

As a member of the Magic Circle I am always on the look out for a magical entrance from the Dame and this you achieved. Brilliant! It was also an asset that you could use this cabinet for the cooker and cell too. Maybe a custard pie from the oven rather than a cake with a ‘crack in it’ may have added a touch of visual comedy to end that scene. I very much enjoyed the ‘It’s behind you’, ‘What does the Fox say’ and the ‘Musical Montage’ scene. Both were extremely entertaining. 

I did notice however, a few rings and a watch on show. It’s always best to remove these or cover with a plaster. 

This was a very funny production with plenty of local gags and much comedy. I was chuckling all the way back to Taunton at some of those ‘one liners’. 

I congratulate everyone of you for a most entertaining afternoon and very much look forward to watching your next production, albeit in two years time.

Nigel Ford

Moderator