Sheffield Lyceum pantomime: Dame Damian Williams is back with fun-filled show Sleeping Beauty

Much-loved Lyceum Dame Damian Williams is back in charge of a spectacular show that delivers plenty of laughs and Christmas sparkle.

The cast enjoy themselves enormously and their warmth spreads quickly to the audience.

Damian, as Nurse Nellie, deploys his dry, wicked sense of humour, trying hard to make his co-stars crack up laughing.

He’s king of the ad lib when things inevitably go wrong. You know you’re in a safe hands and going to have a great time.

His sidekick is comedian Ben Thornton, playing court jester Jangles. Ben gets everyone involved with shouting out catchphrases and plays along with Damian.

Benidorm star Janine Duvitski is very sweet as Fairy Moonbeam, whose job is to protect Sleeping Beauty Princess Caroline from evil fairy Carabosse.

Hannah Everest, playing the princess, has a good voice and Dominic Sibanda is impressively charismatic as her Prince.

Lucas Rush is a fantastic villain, camply stomping about in a fantastic feathery outfit with a bare glittery chest, insulting the audience and revelling in their boos.

The show features the standing Lyceum panto jokes – a pun and prop-filled interlude, the ghost bench scene with communal singing of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life and lots of audience interaction – although no kids get up on stage this year.

How long is Sleeping Beauty on for at Sheffield Lyceum?

One fantastic gag involves Nellie flirting with a dad in the audience, giving him a big red button to press to set off the confetti cannon when he fancies. It’s a brilliant set-up for a later scene but I won’t spoil the joke.

There’s loads of topical fun as well – Dan Walker and Squid Game are both referenced. Spectacle is provided by two fire jugglers and a cute dragon.The pared-down chorus work incredibly hard and it is great that they take individual bows.

Can’t wait for Jack and the Beanstalk next year!

Sleeping Beauty is at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield until January 3. Tickets from the box office, call 0114 249 6000 or go to sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

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