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From Castlebar - County Mayo - Castlebar Pantomime With 21 Pantomime years behind them since its last production of "Sleeping Beauty", the 9th to 12th January 2014 promises the usual high standard Castlebar Pantomime production as it re-stages this classic fairy tale last presented on the Castlebar Town Hall stage in 1992. The 2014 version is Directed by Donna Ruane, with Jason Guthrie remaining as Choreographer and John Flatley being promoted from the 1992 band member to Musical Director. Having been involved in the 1992 version of "Sleeping Beauty", 21 years later Lar Davis, Deirdre Guthrie, Jimmy Murphy, Tom McGrath and Garry Wynne again find themselves involved in the 2014 production. Oh but now this is Castlebar Pantomime's "Sleeping Beauty" 2014 on the magnificent Theatre Royal stage which means anything is possible as this traditional tale is magically brought to life through wit, drama, dance, musical moments, a wealth of singing talents and glamour. Played by Mairead McDonnell from the Kingdom of Manulla and Castlebar's Garry Wynne, Queen Merry and King Jolly are very evidently in love and delighted with the arrival of their baby girl Aurora, played (as an adult of course) by Aoife Magee originally from the kingdom of Ballybofey, not so overjoyed, is the evil fairy Deadly Nightshade played by Natasha Crouch from Castlebar when she finds out she is not invited to the christening. She gate crashes the event and announces to all that one day Aurora will cut her finger on a spinning wheel and die. But when she leaves the kind Fairy Snowdrop played by Gemma Todd from the kingdom of Castlebar weakens the spell saying Aurora will not die but she and the castle will fall into a sleep for a hundred years and only could be awoken by Aurora receiving a Prince's (probably slobbery) kiss. Naturally daddy (King Jolly) removes anything even resembling a spinning wheel from the Kingdom of Happy Land! Fast forward to Auroras approaching seventeenth birthday when she meets the handsome Prince Nicholas of the nearby Pleasant Land also known as Niall Fahey from Castlebar. He and his travelling companion William played by Shane Dunne from the kingdom of Westport promise to return to celebrate her birthday with her. Obviously still holding quite a grudge at not being invited to the christening, along with her foul smelling accomplice Compost played by Ester Henry also from Westport, Deadly Nightshade hatches a plan to complete her curse. Deadly Nightshade tricks Princess Aurora into an unused part of the castle, where yes you guessed it, succeeds in getting Aurora to cut her finger. Will the Princess be found in such a desolate part of the castle, can any Prince be found to awaken her or will Deadly Nightshades curse succeed and Aurora dies? Ah but Deadly Nightshade does not take into account the royal staff! The maid Velcro played by Sandra Morely from the kingdom of Kiltimagh is in awe of the well known Castlebar musician James Garvey who plays a very well spoken Mr Prim the butler. However her would be boyfriend Zipper played by Antoinette Starken is not to happy about this obsession. So cue Velcro, Zipper, Mr Prim along with Dame Nanny Fanny played by Ger McLoughlin from the kingdom of Claremorris to search for Prince Nicholas to bring him back to the castle. But will they succeed? Will Aurora and the rest of the castle fade from peoples memories gathering dust and cobwebs, will the staff ever find any Prince, any where, will they even bother to risk getting cut with brambles and just save themselves? With Emma Heneghan, Niamh Kennedy, Paulina Piskorz, Aoife Fallon, Ella Wilson as The Fairies, Soloists Taylor Flynn, Lynn Gaffney, Erin Heneghan, Nathan Henry, Mary Maughan, Susan Murphy, Erin Rice, Ciara Whyte, Ethan Murtagh, guest appearances from the dance troop "Watch This Space", traditional musicians Katie Beirne, Tony Crowley, Laura Grady, Gearóid Herraty, Cian Kilkenny, Sean Nós dancers Molly Granahan and Johnny Granahan as well as students from CCFE Music with Audition Preparation course, come along to the Theatre Royal (where ticket details are available) and find out out if the 2014 "Sleeping Beauty" ever wakes up.
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