The magic is stirring as the cast of this year’s dream family pantomime Sleeping Beauty starts to take shape at Lighthouse.
Written and directed by CBeebies star Chris Jarvis, who will also appear as Dame Nanny Nutkins, Sleeping Beauty is produced by the same in-house team that has delivered award-winning hit pantomimes in recent years including last year’s Aladdin, as well as Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk, with production designer James Smith, choreographer Daniel Donaldson Todd and music director Adam Tuffrey.
Lighthouse is delighted to announce West End actress Isabella Kibble will play Princess Rose/Sleeping Beauty in her first panto since her role in the hit West End production of Witness for the Prosecution; with Melaina Pecorini, who appeared in the long-running West End stage show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, as Fairy Sunbeam.
Isabella is excited to be back on stage in panto, having made her professional debut in panto as a child.
“I just remember it being the most magical experience ever, so it’s nice to be able now to have a bit of a full circle moment and play Sleeping Beauty,” she says.
“From our first meeting, Chris was very enthusiastic and I felt very involved. I resonated with the feistiness of Rose – I like to see a young woman being portrayed in that light. It is definitely the sort of role model that young girls and people need to look up to.”
Melaina is ready to cast a spell over Lighthouse audiences this Christmas as Fairy Sunbeam in Sleeping Beauty by drawing on her previous experience – in Harry Potter.
“Everybody remembers Harry Potter and it was wonderful be a part of it for a whole year,” she says, “but now I’m excited to be here and playing Fairy; she’s a lot of fun.
“It’s nice to do something with people that are really passionate about it because it brings it to life.”
Isabella and Melaina will join EastEnders and Grange Hill star Todd Carty who will play King Tucker in Sleeping Beauty with further casting announcements to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Sleeping Beauty opens on Thursday 12 December and runs until Sunday 5 January. Tickets are on sale now at www.lighthousepoole.co.uk, or call 01202 280000.
(NC)