"Sleeping Beauty" by Your Chance Productions.
Old People's Welfare, Arnold.

Your Chance Productions have not had the best of year's last year what with one thing and another but, as Director Jessica McLean says in the programme, they are still here.

It's always difficult to vie with bigger local theatre companies, but this group have an enthusiastic core of actors, and it's that enthusiasm that carries this panto through.

We all know the story of "Sleeping Beauty" and while being faithful to the story, there are a few lovely additions here and a clever script. I was really happy to see the inclusion of the cake baking section, which I had seen Your Chance Productions perform before in one of their previous productions. I'm all in favour of recycling a funny script when it fits the piece, as this did here.

There are a couple of things that i felt could elevate this production. The sound system, for me, was not loud enough and the backing music seemed distant. I later found out that the speakers at the venue weren't very big, so you have to make do with the equipment that are available, unless you can afford to bring your own sound system in. You work with what you've got to do the best you can. I think the timing for the musical cues could also have been tighter and not cut off at the end.

There were a few empty stages, which timing would have tightened that up. Rehearsal time is not something that you can get enough of, and ask any theatre group, and getting all of the cast and technical team all together at the same time in the venue that you are performing in, is a luxury for any theatre group.

OK negative head off and let's get positive.

I've already said that enthusiasm is something this group have in abundance, as is a natural talent for entertaining, so this really won me round.Not that i really needed winning round because I was in the mood for more panto fun.

Madeleine Walker (Princess Aurora/Rose) has a beautiful voice, reminiscent of a young Judy Garland. She is magnetic when on stage.

Christian Oliver-Bates (Prince Cedar/Dame Marigold) Now there is something you don't see in many pantos, a Dame that doubles as a Prince. I've seen Oliver before and know that he has a really good voice, which he showed off well tonight.

Bertie Black (Basil), played to his strengths in this role as the comedy character. A very physical role which saw him on the floor almost as often as he was standing. Bertie will always succeed in bringing a smile to your face.

Katie Stephenson (Daisy) is quite lovely as this genteel character who reveals to Basil that she loves him at the end, and another fine voice for the cast.

Beth Hinchliffe (Lavender) is the good fairy in this panto;the hero of "Sleeping Beauty" and we all love a hero that talks in rhyme, all of the time.

Amy Bennett (Nightshade) was brilliant as the panto baddie, and I was really pleased to start the booing off for this deliciously nasty character role. And I get the feeling that Amy also quite liked playing this part.

Jessica McLean (Dandelion) is another one of those local actors who you can rely on to give her all every time and that is no different here.

Thomas Keetley (The King/The Ghost) gave a lovely slightly haughty performance as The King, and also provided some lovely comic moments throughout.

And finally, Evelyn Ellison (The Queen) looked perfectly regal, and a lovely pairing with Tom.

I know that small local theatre groups have reduced funds but i was so impressed with the costumes in this panto. Every single one were so well designed and looked amazing.

With a few tweaks here and there, "Sleeping Beauty" would have been smoother and tighter, but there are more positives than negatives here.

The jokes I loved, you know me the cheesier the better, and there were plenty of cheese jokes edam, sorry made, and even though I had heard them all before, they still made me chuckle.

What this group needed on Saturday night though was a better audience, or at least more of an audience. I'd heard that there had been more seats sold and that people had failed to turn up for the show.

That is all well and good, as long as the money's been paid and it goes into the YCP funds, but it would have been great to have a bigger audience, which would have created more atmosphere. At the end of the day, panto needs an audience and if not, it makes it harder for the actors as they feed off the audience reaction.

"Sleeping Beauty" is on at Old People's Welfare on Nottingham Road, Arnold until Sunday 27 January. Support your local theatre group.