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Pantomime number four a Beauty

The past three Whistler pantomimes have proven to be such a good time Short Skirt Theatre is going for four and bringing Sleeping Beauty to the local stage.

What: Sleeping Beauty

Where: MY (Millennium) Place

When: Thursday, Nov. 18-Saturday, Nov. 20

Tickets: $13/$17

Angie Nolan, the title character from last year’s Aladdin, is in the director’s chair this time around, assisted by Katie Schaitel who also plays the character Sweetums – an adorable assistant to the Good Fairy.

Not to be mistaken for the other type of "mime" – the oft-mocked chalky-faced mutes exploring invisible boxes – pantomime is a British genre of theatre that sends up classic fairy tales with cross-dressing actors of both genders and regional inside jokes.

Sleeping Beauty delivers big time on both.

In the cross-dressing department Scott Young’s Queen Semolina towers over Gillie Easdon’s King Cedric. Rev. J. Michael Varrin, Esq. flits and flounces as Good Fairy Azuriel. Dallas Ashby channels her inner lout as court jester Tickles. Chris Quinlan is a whole lotta woman as Dame Amonia Goodbody and Joanne Vanengelsdorp and Julie Ann Rigby mosey along as the slow-witted Heralds.

And the characters that aren’t swapping genders are nothing to sneeze at, particularly the divine Heather Paul (formerly Heather MacPherson –congratulations on your recent nuptuals Mrs. Paul!) playing Evil Fairy Carabosse as an Ebonics-spouting hip-hop diva. Strutting around like Oprah’s evil twin it’s worth the price of admission just to watch her snap air. Girlfriend, you gonna die!

Simpsons fans will howl at Shannon Hearn’s channeling of Krusty the Clown for the character of Fusspot, a.k.a. Lord Chamberlain.

As for the regional humour, rest assured Sleeping Beauty has been thoroughly Whistler-ized. The character of Prince Valiant, played by the hunky Mick Cahir, is a newly arrived Aussie who gets lost on the Peak to Creek run. Sound familiar?

Sleeping Beauty herself, Crystal Sevigny will look familiar to anyone who’s ever seen a Lauren Graham movie or attended the third Heavy Hitting Films B-Grade Horrorfest where she was honoured as Best Actress.

But even those unfamiliar with this town will still get a kick out of this Beauty. If you don’t know much about Whistler going in, you sure will understand this town a lot more when you leave the theatre.

Sleeping Beauty kicks off on Thursday evening, continues Friday evening and wraps up Saturday with matinee and evening shows. All performances take place at MY Place

For more information on times and ticket prices call 604-935-8410.