Sleeping Beauty wows audiences at St Helens Theatre Royal this half term

St Helens Theatre Royal has brought back a family favourite with its enchanting production of Sleeping Beauty, showing daily until 3 November.

Sleeping Beauty is now running at Helens Theatre Royal with performances every day this half term. Images of the spectacular production have just been released.

Sleeping Beauty follows the story of Princess Aurora who is cursed by the evil fairy Carabosse, pricks her finger on a spinning wheel and is doomed to sleep for a hundred years – unless a handsome prince arrives to break the spell.

Regal Entertainments Ltd, which produces the hugely popular seasonal shows at the theatre, has assembled a cast of firm favourites to bring the fantastic tale to life on the Theatre Royal’s historic stage in lavish fashion.

Maddie Hope Coehlo stars in the leading role, with Rachael Wood as Carabose, Lewis Devine as Chester the Jester, Lewis Burrage as the Prince, Warren Donnelly as the King, Katy Mac as Fairy Sparkle and Mark Two as Dame Queenie.

Sleeping Beauty 2024 -St Helens Theatre Royal. Credit David Munn

Sleeping Beauty is written by Liam Mellor, directed by Chantelle Nolan and has choreography by Nazene Langfield. Callum Clarke is musical supervisor, and the show promises a fantastic soundtrack of songs along with opulent sets and costumes.

Maddie Hope Coehlo reprises her role as Princess Aurora after appearing in Sleeping Beauty for Regal Entertainments in 2022.

She trained at Laine Theatre Arts, West End MT, The Royal Ballet School, and Saxtead School of Dance. She has already appeared in Regal pantomimes The Wizard of Oz and Beauty and The Beast. Other theatre credits include The Rocky Horror Show (UK and Ireland tour); West End Sings at Christmas; Hello Harry; Snow White; Bloody Nora; Singin’ In The Rain; Sleeping Beauty; Dick Whittington; West End Gala – A Night At All Saints; and Aladdin. She was also a vocalist on Disney’s Pandora: The World of Avatar soundtrack, recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

The evil Carabose is played by Rachael Wood. The LIPA-trained actor and singing coach’s stage credits include the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at St Helens, Diva in Mam! I’m Ere! at Liverpool’s Royal Court, Hannah in The Chaplin Story, Snow White, and the title role in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. She also played Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre in 2023.

The hilarious Lewis Devine is Chester the Jester. Lewis recently appeared as Silly Billy in Goldilocks and the Three Bears at St Helens. His other roles for Regal Entertainments include French Frank in Beauty and the Beast, Wishee Washee in Aladdin, Chester the Jester in Sleeping Beauty and Buttons in Cinderella. He will also star as Muddles in Snow White this Christmas.

Coming from a talented performing family, Lewis won the first ever Kids Stars in Their Eyes as Donny Osmond and is part of a comedy show band called Schooner with his father Terry. Away from the stage, he runs The Devine Theatre Company to develop Merseyside youngsters in the entertainment industry.

Lewis Burrage also returns after playing the Prince in Sleeping Beauty at the Epstein Theatre last year. Lewis studied on a scholarship at the prestigious Italia Conti where he was also head boy. Stage roles include Benny in Abbalutely Fabulous, Jack in We’ll Meet Again, as well as performing in the 50^th anniversary concert of Godspell and travelling the world as a member of the Fred Olsen Cruise Lines onboard theatre company. He previously appeared as Prince Charming in Cinderella at the Harlequin Theatre, Redhill.

Warren Donnelly appears as the King. Warren is well-known to TV viewers as Stan in five series of Shameless and for his roles in hit shows like Tin Star, Moving On, Cold Feet and Life on Mars. His most recent small screen appearance has been as Roscoe in Coronation Street.

Stage credits include Slappers and Slapheads at Liverpool’s Royal Court and God’s Official at West Yorkshire Playhouse/Liverpool Everyman. He has appeared in several previous pantos for Regal Entertainments including Cinderella, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty and The Wizard of Oz.

Katy Mac plays Fairy Sparkle. Katy’s credits include The Greatest Show; Stomping Steiners; a UK tour of The Snow Queen, and The Scouse Cinderella at Liverpool’s Royal Court. She is also an experienced panto performer whose previous roles include Fairy Sparkle in Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Jill in Jack and the Beanstalk, Princess Jasmine in Aladdin, Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Belle in a national tour of Beauty and the Beast.

And Mark Two is the Dame. Born into a theatrical family, Mark began performing aged seven. He made his television debut aged 11 in All Your Own. His theatrical career started as one half of comedy double act Nicholas & Nickelby, as part of The Tommy Trinder Show at Butlins. He has appeared at The London Palladium three times and has performed alongside showbusiness names including Danny La Rue, Benny Hill, Frankie Howard, Ken Dodd, Neil Morrissey, the Nolan Sisters, Ruth Madoc, Sherrie Hewson, and The Chuckle Brothers. With wife Dee, he designs and makes his own extravagant costumes.

Regal Entertainments Ltd has been bringing top quality and star-studded productions to the North-West for more than 20 years. It is run by the theatrical powerhouse mother and daughter duo of Jane Joseph and Chantelle Nolan who produce top quality drama, comedy and panto productions which continue to break box office records.

It produces four pantomimes – at Easter, Christmas and in the February and October half term holidays, with tens of thousands of theatregoers enjoying the fantastic family-friendly fun each year.

Panto director and St Helens Theatre Manager, Chantelle Nolan said:

“We’re taking St Helens audiences on an enchanting journey this half term with great performances, sumptuous sets and costumes, cracking choreography and brilliant songs that will get you dancing in your seat – and on your feet!

“Sleeping Beauty is a fabulous fairytale, and I’m absolutely delighted we’re able to stage it with such a brilliant cast of St Helens favourites. It’s already proving to be a big hit with audiences, it’s so wonderful to see the happy faces on children and adults alike.”