SLEEPING BEAUTY
THEATRE ROYAL - LINCOLN
MIDDLESBOROUGH THEATRE
HARLEQUIN THEATRE - REDHILL
PALACE THEATRE - NEWARK
PLAZA - STOCKPORT
Castleford Civic Centre
Vicki returned to her now familiar role of the evil Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty at Castleford Civic Centre in 2018 where she helped launch the town’s first professional pantomime for several years. Zombrana Entertainment’s new production provided a well-known mix of sing-a-long tunes, laugh out loud jokes, fabulous dance routines and dazzling costumes creating a traditional family show.
Cast
Spencer K Gibbins – King Rene
Dave Rawson – Muddles
Georgia Gregory – Princess Rose
Jamie Tanner – Prince Harry
Lorenzo Zambrana – Nanny Nora
Tracey Zambrana – Lilac Fairy
Theatre Royal - Lincoln
The origins of Sleeping Beauty are believed to go back to ancient Greece with early versions being particularly gruesome. The story with which we are now familiar is probably based on the adaptation by the Brother’s Grimm with the first pantomime version being staged at London’s Covent Garden.
Having swapped her regular visit to Pantoland in 2014 for a trip to the Australian jungle and an appearance in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Vicki was back on stage the following Christmas for her 26th pantomime starring as the deliciously vicious Malicious in Sleeping Beauty at Lincoln’s Theatre Royal.
Character Analysis
When it comes to wicked fairies, Vicki reigned supreme with Malicious pitching the role with just the right amount of fear without completely terrorizing the younger members of the audience.
Director
Ian Dickens
Cast include
Martin Daniels delights as Muddles with the odd magic trick up his sleeve and Peter Amory cuts a very regal figure as King Nickolas. Completing the cast are Lucy Lavelle as Princess Beauty, Aston Dobson as Prince Valor, Steve Barclay as Nurse Nora and Emily Childs as Fairy So Good with Helen Gulston, Grace Cinque-White, Max Monroe, Steven Coggrave and members from the Janet Ashton School of Dance.
Stunning costumes and precision dance routines all contributed to make this a truly traditional family pantomime.
Middlesborough Theatre
Lavish costumes, funny songs, fabulous voices and non-stop one-liners were very much the order of the day for the latest production of Extravaganza’s Sleeping Beauty at the Middlesborough Theatre. And for Vicki, this meant a diversion from her usual role as the evil Carabosse as she went head to head as the Lilac Fairy with former Allo Allo co-star Kim Hartman as Carabosse.
Character Analysis
The Lilac Fairy
Teaming up with former Allo Allo star Kim Hartman, this radiant and sparkling Lilac Fairy proved a worthy adversary to Carabosse.
Director
Richard Chandler & David Vickers
Cast include
The duo last appeared in panto together in Stockport on 2005 in the very same roles. All the traditional panto elements were there with Jangles the Jester (Scott Gallagher), whipping the audience into a frenzy and of course were some pretty spectacular exchanges between the two fairies but there was also a huge reaction to the transformation of Carabosse into a giant dragon that soared towards the audience.
Harlequin Theatre - Redhill
2011 and the venue is The Harlequin Theatre, Redhill. Once again the pantomime is Sleeping Beauty and the role, Carabosse. Traveling with Vicki from last year’s cast was Mike Newman Jnr reprising his role as muddles with equally good results. All the tried and trusted panto elements remained from last year having been given the customary updates to keep them current while losing none of their sparkle or effect. Carabosse added a new Lady Gaga song to her repertoire, stopping the show with her dazzling rendition of Born This Way.
Character Analysis
A Regal and commanding Carabosse
Director
Maurice Thorogood
Cast include
Carys Gray (the Lilac Fairy), Sarah Thatcher (Princess Aurora) and Gary Tush (Prince Robin) provided excellent vocal contributions. Adam Daye made a superb traditional Dame, brilliantly bouncing off Muddles and Carabosse for some hilarious comedy moments and delighting the audience in the process. A truly magical show.
Palace Theatre - Newark
A particularly venomous monologue menacingly delivered by Vicki Michelle as the Evil Fairy Carabosse heralded the opening of Paul Holman’s 2010 production of Sleeping Beauty at The Palace Theatre, Newark. Amid flashes of lightening and crashes of thunder, she instantly extracted squeals of terror and a booming barrage of boos from a clearly enthusiastic audience before engaging in a battle of wits with her various adversaries in their bids to thwart the sorceress in her dastardly doings against the beautiful Princess Aurora.
Character Analysis
Carabosse
Over the years has had her wicked way in the guises of many a panto villainess and makes no secret of the fact that she loves ‘being bad’ but Carabosse is arguably the darkest of her portrayals. Even so, she still managed to take full advantage of the comedy moments created for her in the script, most notably when executing the tantalizingly tricky tongue twisting sequence of the vessel with the pestle or re iterating the iconic catchphrases from the hugely popular sitcom Allo Allo for which she is so well loved and which brought raucous cheers and applause from the audience at every reference.
Director
Peter Dayson
Cast include
The highly talented and accomplished cast included Bobby Crush casting a colourful and bizarre image as Nurse Katy Cough Drop while comedian Mike Newman Jnr also showed himself to be a master of his craft, whipping the audience into a frenzy of delight at every given opportunity.
Andrew Haynes gave a superbly bumbling account as King Crumble, whle Lauren Adams portrayed us a Welsh Lilac Fairy complete with an impish sense of humour and generous helping of attitude.Jane Augustine as Princess Aurora fulfilled her role to perfection alongside the dashing Prince Robin of Drew Millar.
Plaza - Stockport
The 2006 Extravaganza production of Sleeping Beauty at Stockport Plaza gave Vicki the opportunity to be reunited with two more Allo Allo co stars, Kim Hartman and Robin Parkinson and was a fine example of traditional British pantomime at its best. The success of the show was undoubtedly attributed to the combination of tried and trusted panto elements, masterfully crafted by the cast.
Character Analysis
The Lilac Fairy
As expected Vicki Michelle and Kim Hartman were the perfect foils for each other as The Lilac Fairy and Wicked Carabosse. There was a natural chemistry between the two but while Carabosse proved herself a mighty adversary, somehow you always got the feeling that the Lilac Fairy would win through, the stage hers to command on every entry.
Director
Richard Chandler & David Vickers
Cast include
Also giving superb performances were Colin Roberts as Queen Hermione and Tam Ryan as Jangles with Robin Parkinson as King Ferdinand, Mary-Ann Cafferkey as Princess Aurora, Barrie Ryan-English as Prince Florizel and Antony Law as the Lord Chamberlain. Joining them were the Jean Geddes Dancers and Juveniles.
BROADWAY THEATRE - PETERBOROUGH
Broadway Theatre - Peterborough
The 2005 Broadway Theatre, Chris Moreno production provided Vicki with her fourth new pantomime characterization in three successive years.
Character Analysis
In a totally committed portrayal, the stage was Fairy Moan’s to command; obviously relishing every bit of reaction the audience afforded her. No stranger to the role of “Baddie”, Vicki injected a particularly potent amount of venom into this interpretation again evolving a traditional character into her own creation and thus resulting in her most intimidating, treacherous and reprehensible villain to date.
Director
Michael Cross
Cast include
Her counterpart as Good Fairy Nuff was played by former Allo Allo co star Sue Hodge who certainly needed to pull out all the stops to triumph over the adversity caused by Fairy Moan.
Add to this glamorous Debbie McGee as Queen Debbie, the magical genius of Paul Daniels as King Paul, the zany comedy of Simon Bamford as Jack the Jester an outrageous portrayal of Nurse Nora by Jason Webb, the enchanting Abigail Aston as Princess Beauty, the handsome and dashing Prince Austin of Powers played by Neil Moors and you have a complete family entertainment for children of all ages.
Local Press
Peterborough Herald & Post
Allo Allo star Vicki Michelle played up to her role as the evil Fairy Moan a treat, laughing evilly and ranting about her hate for children.
ESP Magazine Ltd
Vicki Michelle was great as the bad fairy.
Spalding Today
A super night of entertainment which sent you home with the feel good factor.