Written by Alan McHugh

Directed by Tony Cownie

Review by Dominic Corr

Beacon Arts

Sharp as a spindle, warm as a mince pie, and just the right amount of daft. There’s a particular kind of Inverclyde alchemy that happens when the Beacon Arts Centre rolls out its annual panto: the familiar faces return, the audience settles in like they’ve come home for their tea, and the whole thing kicks off with a level of gusto that would put bigger-city venues on notice. Sleeping Beauty — written by Alan McHugh and directed by Tony Cownie — is no exception. In fact, it’s the most confident the Beacon has looked in years, a production that knows exactly what it is and delivers it with a wink, a stomp, and choreography sharp enough to slice through Carabosse’s curse.

The returning ensemble helps immensely, some of Scotland’s most familiar faces; Jane McCarry, Mark Cox, Jimmy Chisholm, and Lee Samuel are the beating heart of the show. They’ve become something of a festive institution in Greenock, and the audience greets them with the kind of affection usually reserved for long‑lost cousins or folk you see every week in Tesco. McCarry’s Carabosse is a deliciously sour creation, all venom and velvet, prowling the stage like she’s owed rent. She relishes every boo, and frankly, the crowd can’t boo fast enough. While Cox doubles up as Slimeball and King Hector, switching between the two with the ease of a man who’s been doing this since the dawn of time, or at least since the last council tax rise.

Chisholm’s Dame Nellie McDuff is a tartan hurricane, all bustle and bluster, while Samuel’s Muddles is the Energizer Bunny of Inverclyde, bouncing off the walls with a stamina that should be studied by sports scientists. Together, they form the show’s comic engine: sometimes roaring, sometimes sputtering, occasionally veering into the ditch, but always dragging the audience along for the ride. Not every gag lands, but the ones that do land with a thump, and the cast’s sheer commitment papers over the cracks when the script leans too heavily on the mouldy end of the joke barrel.

As Princess Aurora, Rachael Kendall Brown brings a bright, earnest charm, matched neatly by Charlie West as the prince — a pairing that gives the fairytale spine some genuine sweetness and a staggering feat given the shortness of their announcement for stepping inte role. Pantomime icon in the making: Rachel Flynn’s Queen Morag adds a welcome note of warmth, grounding the chaos with a steady presence, and is a resilient force whenever appearing. Where the production really flexes, though, is Ross Logan’s choreography. The dance numbers are crisp, confident, and far more ambitious than one might expect from a regional panto. The ensemble moves with precision, and the staging makes clever use of the Beacon’s space, filling the stage without ever feeling cluttered. It’s the kind of choreography that elevates the whole affair, giving the show a sheen of professionalism that rivals the big-city pantos up the road.

Visually, the production is a treat. The costumes sparkle without tipping into gaudiness, and the lighting, courtesy of Simon Hayes, bathes the stage in a storybook glow in a way the Beacon always captures better than other venues. The set design leans into the fairytale aesthetic without drowning in it, offering just enough magic to keep the younger audience entranced while giving the adults something handsome to look at between punchlines.

If there’s a drawback, it’s that the script occasionally feels like it’s trying to cram in every panto trope known to humankind. There are moments where the pacing wobbles under the weight of yet another routine, and a few jokes feel like they’ve been reheated from pantos past. But even when the material creaks, the cast’s chemistry keeps the show buoyant. Sleeping Beauty at the Beacon is exactly what a panto should be: warm, daft, lively, and just a little bit cheeky.

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