Sleeping Beauty, Chichester Festival Theatre, review: '˜The icing on the Christmas cake'Â

Chichester Festival Youth Theatre are back and are '“ once again '“ the icing on the Christmas cake.
Izzy Richardson in Sleeping Beauty at Chichester Festival Theatre. Until December 30. Picture: Helen MurrayIzzy Richardson in Sleeping Beauty at Chichester Festival Theatre. Until December 30. Picture: Helen Murray
Izzy Richardson in Sleeping Beauty at Chichester Festival Theatre. Until December 30. Picture: Helen Murray

With all the financial clout of the Festival Theatre behind them and professional directors, choreographers and musical directors to support and guide, one has to continually remind oneself that you are watching, firstly, amateurs and secondly, young people.

This Sleeping Beauty is very easy on the eye and much praise must be given to designers Simon Higlett and Ryan Dawson Laight who paint with intricate strokes in the warm colours of Autumn. If nothing else, it's a visual feast. But it is so much more.

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The show itself owes an awful lot to Sondheim's Into the Woods; Act One tells us a complete story we all know while Act Two takes that story to a different '“ and distinctly darker '“ place.

The press-night cast were uniformly excellent but particular mention must go to the three actors playing Goody, the fairy '“ Emily McAlpine, Francesca McBride and Katie Utting. They handle the clever, mutilated English well and all three act and sing their socks off. Joe Russell makes a wonderfully self-centred prince and Izzy Richardson works wonders with the rather colourless Beauty.

But the one to watch, here, is Megan Bewley as the Ogress. This is a lovely, nuanced performance and her mastery of the comedy is a joy. Tom Brady's score is beautiful and extremely well-sung by the young cast; the different vocal-lines are well-held, well-supported and bell-clear.

Until December 30.Â